Check out my YouTube Channel Inglorious Bettas!
- California Betta Society:
- Join our very active Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/CaliforniaBettaSociety/ or peruse our website at (http://cbsbettas.org/)
The California Betta Society my home club. so I am somewhat biased to the awesomeness that is CBS! We are a hardworking group of betta lovers that puts on at least 2 shows a year (spring and fall) and we welcome not only betta fanatics, but all sorts of fish hobbyists in the Bay Area to attend our shows. Everyone in CBS is super fun to hang out with, and if I didn't have CBS, I probably wouldn't have jumped so thoroughly into this betta breeding business. We have an extremely active fb group, so even if you're too far away to join us in the actual meetings, feel free to join our fb group for lots of betta discusion!
- International Betta Congress (http://ibcbettas.org/)
The International Betta Congress is the glue that holds many betta enthusiasts together around the world (Area 1 in the US, Area 2 in Europe, and Area 6 in Asia). I loved going to the IBC Convention in Dallas, Ft. Worth Texas in 2013, mainly because I got to meet long-time hobbyists for the first time from around the world! We talked about bettas from dawn to wayyy past dusk! Since then, I have been lucky in that I have been able to go to every convention - The first Area 2 convention in Germany in 2014, and also the Area 1 convention hosted by CBS the same year. I also was able to go to the 2015 convention hosted by the Midwest Betta Club. (All show reports are in the show reports section). I think it is very much worth it to join the IBC in order to gain access to a wealth of accumulated wisdom in the form of the TA library and FLARE! magazine back issues, and also access to the IBC Standards by which all IBC-sanctioned shows are judged by. You also get a discount at the IBC online store, which is where I buy most of my betta supplies at reasonable prices.
- Bettas4All Forum (http://www.bettas4all.nl/)
The Bettas4All Forum is a great place to share your spawning experiences on a more international level. Headed by Joep van Esch, the focus of Bettas4All is to provide a fun, professional, and respectful place to share all things bettas! I particularly like the fact that much of conversation on Bettas4All can be more scientifically-driven, and focus on the genetics that predispose a betta to a certain form or color.
- Betta Territory (http://www.bettaterritory.nl/index.htm)
Betta Territory is Joep van Esch's personal website, where he has documented the outcome of his spawns since 2003! It is a tour de force of record-keeping, and was the original website that piqued my interest on the genetics of Betta splendens. My (not-so) inner science nerd loves combing through the years of spawns recorded here, because it enables you to see lines of inheritance span across generations. Joep has also published many interesting articles in the "All About Betta splendens" section of his website. If you are serious about learning the ins and outs of betta genetics, I highly suggest reading his articles.
- BettaSource.com (http://bettasource.com/)
BettaSource.com is headed up by Sherolyn Craig and Mike McBrien. They've created a beautiful online resource for betta lovers that is easy to navigate and is factually correct (the factually correct part is in accordance with IBC standards). They do regular critiques on bettas from AB, which help develop your betta judging eye. The forum is very active and easy to use!
Basement Bettas (http://basementbettas.com/)
This is Sherolyn's personal website, which was very helpful in figuring out how to send fish to a show. She has some great articles on her filtration and barracks systems, and also some wonderful reviews on various betta-related products. Her fish consistently win at the IBC shows, and you can always spot a Sherolyn female when they are on the bench!
Karen Mac Auley's Betta Beauties (http://www.freewebs.com/quicksilverchihuahuas/mybettasplendens.htm)
Karen's bettas have been incredibly consistent winners on the US IBC show circuit. You can always spot a Mac Auley betta by their huge, flowing fins, bright multicolors, and aggressive deportment on the show bench! Her females are particularly fantastic in form!
Siamimbellis (http://www.siamimbellis.com/)
Siamimbellis is run by Sarawut Angkunanawat, who has some of the best bettas in the world (in my opinion). I remember drooling over his bettas when I was in high school. Some of my foundation stock is from Siamimbellis, and I waited months and stayed up until 3am to ensure that I wouldn't miss THE ONE. I was very lucky that my foundation CT male from him carried DT...it shaved off years on my goal!
- Red Wine Bettas (http://redwinebettas.weebly.com/)
Red Wine Bettas is dedicated to the spawning and raising of bettas in the coccina complex species. It was invaluable help to me when I obtained my burdigala.
Showbettafish instagram (https://instagr.in/u/showbettafish)
Showbettafish is an instagram of INCREDIBLE betta photographs taken by my friend Sabrina Dichne, a fellow IBC judge. She is amazingly talented and posts a new photo of a show betta nearly every day! What more could you ask for?
Aquarium Co-op (http://www.aquariumcoop.com/)
Awesome fish store located in the Edmonds area of Washington State. Owned by Cory, an active member in the Seattle Greater Aquarium Society (see below link). Each beautiful maintained tank has individual filtration while hooked up to an automatic water changing system, and is filled with rare, often locally bred, fish. A great place to visit if you're in the area!
- San Francisco Aquarium Society (http://www.sfaquarium.org/drupal/)
The San Francisco Aquarium Society is a wonderful place to spend the first Friday of every month. If you are in the Bay Area, I highly suggest that you come on over to Fort Mason and hang out with fish nerds from a plethora of backgrounds and interests. We usually invite a speaker and have an auction (on everything fish related you could imagine) that goes for several hours at rock bottom prices.
Greater Seattle Aquarium Society (http://www.gsas.org/)
The Greater Seattle Aquarium Society is a really fantastic aquarium society that my grandfather likes to go to occasionally, Definitely a society to look into if you're in the Seattle Area!
- North American Native Fishes Association (http://www.nanfa.org/)
The NANFA forum is a great place to connect with other hobbyists that love to collect and keep US native fishes. I hope to be able to expand this hobby in the future!
San Francisco Bay Area Killifish Association (SFBAK) (https://www.facebook.com/SFKillifish/)
I've been hanging out with the guys at SFBAKA for the past couple of years. They are a super fun group that is totally dedicated to the hobby. Killifish really should be more popular - they are small, brightly and beautifully colored, and there are many different species to choose from! I look forward to the SFBAKA meetings every time they happen. We'd love for you to come to one!
American Killifish Association (AKA) (http://aka.org/)
The AKA is one of the oldest freshwater aquarium clubs in the business. And for good reason - the dedication that killifish keepers have to their hobby is astounding and something to strive for. I hope to be able to go to a killifish convention one of these days!
Parosphromenus Project (http://www.parosphromenus-project.org/en/)
I am very excited to start trying to spawn some extremely rare licorice gouramies that were gifted to me when I gave a talk at the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society (thanks Linda and Erik O. and Lawrence K.!) These incredibly tiny but beautiful fish sometimes inhabit the same environments as Bettas in the coccina complex (like Betta burdigala). Since I had a lot of success with burdigala, I am hoping that maybe some of that will rub off on these little ones :)