PETALING JAYA: About 50% of Siamese fighting fish sold at pet shops in Malaysia come from massive farms in Thailand, where they are bred in terrible conditions.
About 200,000 of them are imported from Thailand monthly to meet the high demand of the betta fish that are coveted for their bright colours and beautiful fins. About the same number of such fish that make it to the pet shops are from farms in northern Malaysia.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) has called for the boycott of the fish after exposing serious acts of abuse and neglect in an undercover video from a breeding farm in Thailand.
“Betta fish are suffering from the minute they’re born on massive breeding farms to the minute they die,” its senior vice-president of internation campaigns, Jason Bakar said in a statement.
“Bettas were found gasping for air on waterless trays as workers roughly sorted them for shipping, and some, which had likely suffocated to death, were seen rotting on the floor.”
However, a Malaysian pet trader said the bettas are well taken care of in farms in the country.
“In Malaysia, breeders rear them in much smaller numbers per pool. This makes it easier to ensure the health of the fish,” Chua said.
“Most betta fish breeders I know also do it as a hobby or a side-income business. They do it out of passion. Their fish are well taken care of.”
Pet shops sell the fish for between RM6 and RM80 each depending on its size, colour and fancy fins and beautiful tails.
“Its tail needs to be spread in a 180° fan shape, and has proper iridescent tone but the colour is secondary as the shape is more important,” an online trader said.
Meanwhile, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Selangor chairman, Christine Chin, urged the public to avoid buying fish from the pet and aquarium industry.
“Without the support of customers, the industry will be forced to reform its practices and make itself more humane and responsible. People need to send out a clear message to the pet and aquarium industry that we will no longer make cruelty profitable.”
