In this Nov. 7, 2016, photo, a Siamese fighting fish with colors resembling the Thai national flag swims in a fish tank in Kalasin, Thailand. Pictures of the fish's blue, red and white horizontal stripes went viral upon being posted on a private Betta fish auction group on Facebook since its colors closely resembled the Thai flag and sold for a record breaking 53,500 baht (1,528), making it the most expensive Betta fish to ever be sold. AP
In this Nov. 7, 2016, photo, a Siamese fighting fish with colors resembling the Thai national flag swims in a fish tank in Kalasin, Thailand. Pictures of the fish's blue, red and white horizontal stripes went viral upon being posted on a private Betta fish auction group on Facebook since its colors closely resembled the Thai flag and sold for a record breaking 53,500 baht (1,528), making it the most expensive Betta fish to ever be sold. AP

BANGKOK: A Siamese fighting fish with colors resembling the Thai national flag has been bought for a record breaking 53,500 baht ($1,530) at an online auction, making it the most expensive Betta fish to ever be sold.

Pictures of the fish, with its blue, red and white horizontal stripes mimicking the Thai flag, went viral after its breeder Kachen Worachai posted them on a private Betta fish auction group on Facebook.

Kachen said Thursday he expected someone to buy the fish for a few thousand baht but was shocked when the bid hit 10,000 baht ($285) on the second day. He says “I never expected my fish to go for this price.”

Betta fish have been bred previously to reproduce the colors of the Thai flag but none have come close. --AP