House in Angeles, Pampanga teems with colorful betta fish

One house in Angeles, Pampanga, has drawn attention for resembling an aquarium due to the manifold colorful betta fish teeming inside it. 

According to Kuya Kim Atienza's report on "24 Oras" Tuesday, the betta fish, also known as Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens), are bred by local fish breeder Ronnel Payumo. 

"'Yung mga betta fish po ay napakaganda po ng mga kulay nila, talagang iba-iba. Nabubuhay sila sa maliit lang na lagayan. 'Yung kanilang pagkain ay napakatipid din po. Hindi nila kailangan ng aerator, 'yung parang tinatawag nating oxygen," said Payumo. 

Per the report, Payumo only started with a pair of betta fish in January this year. He then tried to breed the fish, which grew to hundreds in just a few months. 

"Dati ay bumili lang po ako ng dalawang piraso na niregalo ko sa aking mga anak. Sinubukan ko silang i-breed, four months lumaki po 'yung mga anak nila, umabot ng five hundred pieces," he said. 

Payumo has turned fish breeding into a thriving business, adding that he has started importing betta fish from Thailand. 

He shared that he sells almost 20,000 betta fish every two weeks, priced at P350 a pair. 

"Marami na po akong naipundar dahil sa pag-aalaga po ng mga betta fish. Nakabili po ako ng aking motor, nakapagpagawa na rin po ako ng bahay," he said. 

Meanwhile, Louie Bersano, a registered fisheries professional from Davao Del Norte State College, explained that multiple male and female betta fish cannot be mixed. 

"Isang pair lang talaga 'yan. 'Yung unique lang kasi nito is 'yung lalaki 'yung nag-aalaga ng egg sa isang batch, kasi mag-depende  'yan sa size ng female na naproduce ng egg. Siguro mga 100 to 300 eggs sa isang batch at pag maganda 'yung set-up mo, malaki 'yung chance na mataas 'yung survival," he said. 

—CDC, GMA Integrated News