The Vietnamese call Siamese fighting-fish “Ca Xiem”.The Siamese fighting-fish had been introduced and developed in Vietnam, over 100 years ago. The Chinese merchants or sailors were the first group to carry the Siamese fighting-fish from Thailand or Siam to Vietnam. The Chinese sailing crews played fish fighting games while they were at sea in order to keep them entertained. When they docked at sea ports the sailors would bring fish with them ashore and share the game with the local people. According to the manners of the people of Southeast Asia took this game into their daily lives. It became a unique and acceptable practice among the people of these countries.

Physical Structure

Nowaday, structurally there is not much difference between the fighting fish practices in Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysian. The keeping, training, and equipment may vary slightly. The Thai fighters are small in physical size but fast and full of tricks. Whereas the Vietnamese fighters are bigger in physical structure with hard punches, but they perform rather slowly. And the Malaysian fighters are greatest in physical size with fighting endurance. Surely, nothing in this world is perfect.

Development

“Ca Xiem” had been introduced and developed in Vietnam, over 100 years ago. The “Ca Xiem” is very short and thick in physical structure. This pattern of body style is very rare and hard. Nowaday, Some breeders have imported Thai and Malaysian strains to crossbreed with their native strains. However, I am quite sure that in the coming years the Vietnamese fighters will be assimilated just as the Thai and Malaysian strains have been.