The mystery behind the splendid beauty of the fighting fish

For centuries, people have been captivated by the beauty of fighting fish (Siamese fish). The slender body and long fins are soft and flexible like silk, with a variety of vibrant colors rarely seen in the wild.

However, Siamese fish do not become such vivid “works of art” on their own. The color and shape of the fins of this fish are the product of a millennium of breeding. According to Yi-Kai Tea, a PhD student at the University of Sydney who studies the evolution and characteristics of fish species, “Literally, the development process of this fish is almost the same. with the domestication of dogs”. A new study, published in April in BioRxiv, finds that humans began domesticating Siamese fish at least 1,000 years ago through sequencing the species’ genome. During a millennium of careful breeding and crossbreeding, Siamese fish are now extremely diverse in appearance. However, this also means that wild, purebred individuals of this species must undergo major genetic changes. The authors of this study say that by sequencing and conducting genetic studies of the Siamese fish, they can gain a lot of information about how it was domesticated, bred, and genetically modified. The Siamese’s intricate coloration and “matchy” fins are the product of a millennium of carefully selected breeding. Yi-Kai Tea hailed it as “the first major study to help identify the genetic basis of beauty” in this fish. All 73 species of Siamese fish are native to Southeast Asia. But the most common species sold in aquarium stores and markets is the fighting fish. This strain is much more colorful than most other purebred varieties of the Siamese family. “The purebred Siamese will often look very different from the ornamental Siamese,” said Young Mi Kwon, a researcher at Columbia University and lead author of the study. “They have short fins, are somewhat duller in color and lack the prominent fin walking commonly seen in ornamental Siamese breeds.” While domesticated Siamese are usually very aggressive and do not live together, their domesticated individuals have a more peaceful disposition. “This may be because the Siamese aquarium lines were originally domesticated for fighting, like fighting cocks,” Kwon added. Siamese fish has a history of 1,000 years. In the late 19th century, breeders began to focus on creating varieties of ornamental fish, which later became extremely popular in the West. “This history has shaped the ornamental Siamese fish we see today, a truly magnificent fish with a fiery temperament,” commented Kwon. To determine the exact history of the formation of the ornamental Siamese fish we see today, Kwon and his colleagues collected DNA samples from purebred Siamese and house-raised Siamese fish, and then proceeded to analyze them. their genome sequences. “We were surprised by the evolution of the Siamese fish that lasted at least 1,000 years ago, which makes it one of the oldest known fish,” Kwon said. While previous studies have shown that Siamese fish were bred as early as the 13th century, recent discoveries have proven that they began to be bred long before that. The study also highlights why breeders are able to create dozens of different varieties of Siamese by color, from red, yellow and blue, to Siamese with large fins, small fins and even multiple colors per individual. Just imagine the new shape of a Siamese fish, it can completely be created and exist in reality. “Many traits, which breeders are selecting for, are regulated by very few genes that have a great deal of influence,” Kwon said. “This means that it won’t take a lot of cross-breeding to get them to have their own characteristics or traits that you want your fish to have.” The researchers also found that ornamental Siamese fish are genetically distinct from purebred Siamese fish. However, they were surprised to discover that the ornamental Siamese had crossed with purebred fish. This crossbreeding may have been the result of the Siamese being released into the wild, which could potentially undermine efforts to preserve the purebred of this fish. “The ornamental Siamese fish will most likely dominate the natural environment, if they are more suitable to the habitat than the purebred fish,” Kwon emphasized. Many purebred Siamese fish breeds are in danger of extinction and the main cause is habitat loss. By studying in more detail the evolutionary history of this fish, the researchers hope to improve our understanding of how other species are bred and genetically engineered. Although much remains to be learned such as how crossbreeding affects Siamese fish, genetic engineering has resulted in the creation of many splendid Siamese fish of stunning colors and shapes that were previously available. This may never have existed. Sapphire According to the New York Times