I am a PhD student in NC, USA working on a project involving bettas. We're planning to investigate the differences between domesticated breeds of bettas and their wild relatives. The only issue is we're not sure where to start in order to get the wild bettas. I should stress that it is important these are wild and not wild-type (i.e., wild hybrids, aliens, etc). Ideally, we would want ones that were born in the wild to account for any differences in development. We're also specifically looking for Betta splendens.
We may potentially have future options to travel to collect if anyone knows of some great places to harvest. Of course, we are conducting our research under the approval of an animal care committee and will be acquiring any of the necessary permits to collect/transport wild individuals.
I would try reaching out to Frank’s Bettas, I think he may be able to help you out with either wild splendens or where to find them. Please keep us updated as much as you can & good luck!
These guys promote the keeping and breeding of wild betta types. I am sure that if you reached out to them, they might be able to help. They are in California.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could
be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Betta Fish Forum
A forum community dedicated to Betta fish owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about breeds, health, behavior, tanks, care, classifieds, and more!