Need Some Opinions...

[PitGurl]

I've been considering getting a wild type betta such as Imbellis or Smaragdina. I've noticed while perusing AB that some of these bettas are wild caught. I have mixed feelings about purchasing something that was taken out of it's habitat. I know over in Thailand it's a common practice. I would also worry that a wild caught betta may not be as sturdy as a captive bred fish and may possibly not survive importation. I'm just curious about what you all think?

[vilmarisv]

I have done very light research over them and they are pretty sensible animals... probably because they are wild.
You will find people to talk about them on the IBC. Their site is down but you can reach members through Facebook. I know someone was posting the pair they got last week and talking about their pH.
They are so beautiful!

[LittleBettaFish]

I think a couple of mine are wild-caught, and the only issue I had was about a month or so of getting them used to my presence.

A lot of species in Thailand are threatened by habitat destruction, and I believe it is important to sustain these species through captive breeding. Several fish popular in the hobby are extinct or close to it in the wild, however, their numbers are kept secure by hobbyists interested in their preservation.

Imbellis are common enough you should be able to find an aquarium bred individual. Just make sure it is pure, and not a splenden-imbellis hybrid. I imagine Smaragdina are pretty much the same.

Wild bettas are pretty easy to manage if you get their 'habitat' right. They will not thrive in hard water (aim for a pH of around 5-6) and prefer lots of natural cover such as wood or moss. I use leaf litter and peat to soften and tint my water. They do not like bright light, and temperatures often do not need to be as high as splendens (low - mid seventies) depending on where your species originates.

[indjo]

IMO wild caught fish have better immune system against parasites (dirty water) but are vulnerable against stress which compromises their immune system. I agree with LBF by keeping them in an environment as close to their natural home with a lot of hiding places. They need a much longer time to get used to you/humans and anything moving in their tank. But once they are settled, IMO you would have a stronger fish.