Where did I stopped?

Update Nov 2011
Have not been updating this blog due to my busy schedules. I have been following the Betta scene and occasionally go scooping and revisiting my old friends around the region. The plan that I have is to catch the Gladiator but it would be some time as this requires flying time and getting a 4x4 SUV. Part of my spare time is collecting wild orchids and staghorn ferns.

My recent visit was somewhere in Panti forest to see Betta Stigmosus. Unfortunately did not catch any. Will update as I find time. This hobby is interesting as my Wildbetta SUV is currently 4.5 years old clocking 185000km. Age is getting a toll on the SUV. Replaced the airconditioning condenser unit and my radiator. This SUV takes all the beating from the off road driving condition but I loved this car. It has the comfort and the speed not to mention getting 10km to a litre of petrol on this fellow. At 4.5 years old, it went through 2 sets of tyre changed, 2 timing belt overhaul and a windscreen change. Other than these mentioned, this car is practically trouble free.

I wish KIA would give me another test vehicle to try out. For jungle movement, the Toyota Rush will make a better SUV due to its slim size, easy to maneuver. My SUV is a bit broad causing scratched on my 2 side doors.

Some pictures of Stigmosus habitat

Sabah 2009

1-5 April 2009
This First day was get to know where we are located and the planning for next few days trip. Rented a small car for 3 days to look around Sabah. Some of the nice and beautiful scenery and cultural heritage of Sabah




The hunt for Betta Chini
Beaufort was the documented place so off we go from Kota Kinabalu. The excitement was to scoop the Chini and hold that in my hand. I have read the journals of people that collected Chini and last known person was Michael Lo. But the betta was found at Papar. Strange but when you visit the place then you will know why. Beaufort looks like an industrialised place than what many termed as "ulu"

The one and only Chini found at Beaufort I think. I sms Eddy whether any Pugnax was ever found in Beaufort cos this guy looks very much like a juvenile pugnax. Anyway, there is no pugnax known in Sabah. Closest is the Lehi. Haha. Betta hunt usually brings out the unknown and many guesses to put thing right.


The gravel road leading to the habitat

What is most unfortunate was the Chini did not last the journey. The trip toward Kudat was to see the Tip of Borneo and the road was very bad with gravel for a long 8km stretch. Phew and thinking about coming back to go through another 8km of gravel road was torturing but worth it


The Kampong Living
This was my first experience into the kampong community living. What makes this kampong unique was the close proximity of each house, and all uplifted in case of flood from the nearby river.


Happy KAMPONG KIDS. Notice the kite was actually make from plastic bags. "Giant" recycle plastic bag. Very innovative.


Hill stream rapids
I term this gushing river stream as Rapids from the TV program. We chance on this hill stream while roamiing Kudat. Crystal clear waters, Smacked in the middle of this stream was a little man-made path where vehicles can cross to the other side of the kampong. Lots of Gastromyzon, the borneo suckers.


While on this Rapids location, it rained heavily. That blue car actually stopped and was given a good washing by its owner.

While heading back towards Kota Kinabalu, we chance on a hill stream that has water running into the road longkang. At first I thought it was just water running on the stream from somewhere ahead but on closer inspection, it actually come from a nearby hill. As we were running out of time only manage to explore a short distance before a barrier of fallen bamboo stop us on our track. I believe there could be betta in this stream up ahead but we did not see any on the lower end and the roadside.



Lastly, the picturesque Kota Kinabalu

Hunt for Betta Persephone

29 Nov 2008
Hunt for Betta Persephone

The search is finally over. The most elusive betta that I have been searching for the last 3 years. There are 2 strains that are about 100km apart. They are both critically endangered from internet journals. I can confirm that this is a true statement base on my field trips to both the locations.

The Air Hitam strain is the most critically endangered of the two species and there maybe very little or not much left of them. Internet sources have brought in the collectors from the aquarium trade and hobbyist to this location

The Pagoh/Muar strain is next on the list with habitat cleared for oil palm and the red soil.

Happy that now I have the fish in hand. This is the most difficult fish to scoop and my equipment failure have failed to catch this fish in my net. With a borrowed net I manage to scoop 2 male adult fish. The biotope is full of leaf litter and the ground is hard soil even with the water puddles. There are bellica, rasboras, and channa living together with persephones. In the 3.5 hours that we were there, only manage 10 specimen mostly males. Very encouraging.

Persephone in hand

Biotope

See the leaf litter?

The periphery of the biotope is at most 20m away

Sad picture of man's greed.

Betta Unimaculata, sp Mahakam Basin

This is a unique species and one of the rarest. Obtain this pair first week of July 2008 and they spawned 4 days after arrival. Unfortunately, the male swallowed the eggs. As expected, this is a very young pair,about 7 months. Originally, the female was not so healthy and I suspect was due to the shipment stress. It is now eating well and hopefully they will spawned again. Did some water change every 3 days and live food of tubiflex worms and frozen blood worms. This pair is F1 and my good friend in Kuching really takes care of them well. From the colouration of the fish, the female looks like a Pallifina. The male is almost dentical to the occellata from Zhou Hang Ikan Pemburu website. I am confident that this species of undescribed unimacualta is a true breed. The size is about 7cm.

Previouly I have bred Occellata and this fish is not the same type as the Occelata in size, colouration.

Female Unimac


Male Unimac


Male Unimac


Female Unimac - notice the pinkish colouration near the belly?


Mouthbrooding


Happy Couple

Tanjung Malim Betta Hunt

3 May 2008

4.5hrs driving from after the Causeway to Tanjung Malim to collect the redlisted Betta Livida and Betta Hipposideros from a known internet location. Along the way from Tanjung Malim towards Sungei Besar, one can see why the 2 betta species is in the Redlist. Betta land given up to either modernization or palm oil is evident everywhere. Good thing the betta is located to only a stretch of road overlooking a peat swamp. Here you will find tea coloured water where the Livida, Hipposideros and Paros Harvey living in harmony.

It rain a short while after we reach. Met some fellow collector there and we share some moment about the fishes in the area. Livida is so easily caught using a plastic sieve. The betta hides in those leaf litter which makes it more difficult to see, so this method is one of the best besides the net.

Hipposideros on the other hand is difficult to see or catch. 2 Hipposideros was caught in that location. We move off to another location a few kilometres away and same Betta Livida and Hipposideros can be found.

Some of the land lost to modernization






Biotope




Raincoat wild betta collector


Another location


Some of the flora




Hornbill at that location


Betta Livida


Betta Hipposideros


Tanjung Malim/Sg Besar Overview

Milestone locator




Running out of daylight(way back after betta collection)