Gerald Griffin

Gerald started keeping fish at the age of nine and by ten bred his first fish species Colisa lalia, followed shortly by Colisa chuna (sota), Colisa fasciata and labiosa. At the age of twelve read All About Bettas by Walt Maurus and fell in love with wild Bettas, the only problem was that in the 1970s he could not find any living in Oklahoma. By the time he went to college heI found articles on wild Bettas in the school library and joined the International Betta Congress and started corresponding with various fish keepers and found some wild Betta stocks and started collecting them and writing articles.

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In college he took Ichthyology classes and is a trained Ichthyologist. While studying he managed the Ichthyology laboratory at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

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He runs over 80 tanks dedicated to a number of different fish. As he became more involved in his local fish club, the Oklahoma City Aquarium Association, he started keeping a variety of species and has spawned various Barbs, African Cichlids, Killifish, Native American fish, American Cichlids, Livebearers, and a number of miscellaneous fishes including some saltwater fishes (clownfish and seahorses). Wild Bettas and Anabantoids will always be his first love and the primary fish he keeps.

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He is currently the Judging Board Chair of the International Betta Congress and the editor of FLARE! magazine. He is involved in his local aquarium club, serving as BAP chair and the President of the Oklahoma Aquarium Association. In previous years have been their HAP and Presentations Chair. He is the Treasurer for the American Labyrinth Fishes Association as well as the President of the Oklahoma Betta Breeders Association. He is a board member and the Secretary of FOTAS (Federation of Texas Aquarium Societies), a multistate regional organization that covers Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana) as well as the editor of the FOTAS Fish Tales Magazine.