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Fish Fighting in Indonesia – Betting On Siamese Fighting Fish

Many people regard fish fighting using Siamese fighting fish as an old traditional sport. But its roots only go back just 100 years. The fish was originally discovered in Indonesia, you can thank the Chinese for seeing the potential for gambling. Thanks to them, a whole fighting fish industry evolved. We should point out, that the fish doesn't fight to the death, but merely see which one backs away from the conflict. Today, the sport is illegal, though we imagine it still goes on underground

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Fish Fighting in Indonesia

Rather than writing about the usual casino jackpot games and online casinos, today we thought we’d have a look at a more obscure betting activity. Something that will give your bankroll a more thrilling means of growing. This is the betting on Siamese fighting fish that takes place in Indonesia. These fish have the local name of “Katong” or “Ca Choi.” In the West, many like to use the species name of “betta” to describe fighting fish.

The Origins Of Fish Fighting

There’s a general belief that fish fighting first started over 500 years ago. After the harvest and during the rainy season it became a popular pastime. Originally it is said that a young farmer in a distant village found some small fish in the paddy fields. As the water buffalo were making deep foot trenches in the mud, then very active small fish were found within. He took some of these home with him and put them in a small glass aquarium simply because he had an interest in fish.

But he quickly saw that one of the fish with long tail fins was incredibly aggressive. When a friend came to visit he also saw that the fish would even fight its own reflection. Soon other villages became interested and the news of these fish travelled very quickly by word of mouth. Many people were to later descend upon the paddy fields to find their own bettas.

You Can Thank The Chinese For Betting On Fish

This small fish, which is native to Indonesia, goes by the name of “Imbellis Betta.” It possesses black fins with a body colour of dark green or blue. Some also have red fins with white tips. You may well find some with a dorsal fin that is green or blue with black spots. They can be found all across Indonesia and as far as Malaysia and Sumatra. When it comes to gambling with these fish then you can probably thank the Chinese people for this. Even today, the Chinese are famous for their love of gambling. Just look at the Macau, stock full of casinos! Nevertheless, around 100 years ago, Chinese farmers sailed to Songkhla Thailand Siapiapi. These farmers collected the fish and showed them at exhibition matches.

Gradually, news of the betta fighting fish travelled over many provinces. Eventually, the idea of betting on fighting fish moved from Thailand to Jakarta. They chose to breed a type of fish called “hickey chart” which has very sharp teeth and is known to fight to the death. When people thought about how to win the jackpot, their minds turned to create fighting fish matches as a form of gambling.

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Fish Combat Terrain

Today the city of Medan is the largest metropolitan area in Northern Indonesia. The city is a hub for many industrial producers, yet paddy fields surround it. In fact, just a few minutes drive from the town centre, you’ll find rice fields as far as the eye can see. Due to its location, the city of Medan is the epicentre of fish fighting in the whole world. Such is the seriousness with which fish breeding is taken, you’ll find breeders bringing male fish from either Thailand or Malaysia in order to mate them with local females. In Indonesia, there are many fish spawning companies that provide Siamese fighting fish to the general public. Also, you should note that the paddy fields allow for the production of the types of food necessary to feed fighting fish. These are water fleas and mosquito larvae.

Fish Breeding Conditions

Being the capital of Siamese fish fighting, you’ll find that there are many breeders in Madan who have over 50 pools filled with bettas. Many of these will go to players all over Indonesia. Each pool for keeping fish is around 2 x 2 m and has a depth of 1 m. On the whole, that water’s surface will have a covering of native water hyacinths and other aquatic plants. These pools are out in the open air, often under the shade of the local banana trees. You’ll find that many breeders obsess over the environment in which they keep the fish. One thing they have to watch for is sudden temperature changes in the water. These can lead to the development of diseases amongst the fish themselves.

Fish Fighting Arenas

Just as in the days of ancient Rome, find that there are fish fighting arenas around the city of Madan. In fact, there are around 15 of these fish fighting locations, with some of them being in the suburbs. For each arena, you’ll find between 20 and 50 players. The sport takes place around 2 to 3 days each week. All players can bring any fish they want, but some of the arenas are famous for having much tougher fish than others. As your fish proceeds to win fights, then the betting odds increase. Until they reach some very high stakes. Especially when you consider they come from the outcome or two tiny fighting fish.

How To Win Fish Fights

When it comes to actual fish fighting, then it is the fish that retreats that loses the match. On the whole, fights between fighting fish will last between a few minutes to up to a couple of hours. With fish breeding to be more aggressive, you may find that neither fish wishes to back down. Because of the expenses involved in breeding and obtaining decent fish, owners are very reluctant to let one fish kill another. As a result, fighting to the death is a very rare occurrence. Remember that the betting is not placed on the survival of a fish, but rather how bravely the fish fights to defend itself. So having a brave betta is a great way to increase your jackpot winning chances.

Fish Fighting Will Soon be History

We should point out that this sport is now illegal in Indonesia, as it is in many other countries. The breeding of fish for fighting has therefore taken a dive. It’s not just the fact that people are now becoming more aware of animal rights that have led to the decline in this sport. Today many breeders have gone from trying to breed the most aggressive fish, to trying to breed the prettiest fishes. Over the last few decades, there has been a huge rise in the number of people taking part in fishkeeping around the world.

As a result, you’re more likely to find fighting fish in an aquarium other than an arena for those that have to fight. If you like sports betting and want to win the jackpot online, then we suggest that you head over to 22Bet Sportsbook. You will not find fish fighting, but you will find almost every other sport under the sun.