Gouramis, or gouramies, are a group of freshwater anabantiform fish that comprise the family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from the Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia and northeasterly towards Korea. The name "gourami", of Indonesian origin, is also used for fish of the families Helostomatidae and Anabantidae.
The three spot gourami, also known as the opaline gourami, blue gourami, and gold gourami, is a species of fish native to southeastern Asia, but also introduced elsewhere. This gourami gets its name from the two spots along each side of its body in line with the eye, considered the third spot. This species is of minor commercial importance as a food fish in its native range and is also farmed. It is also popular in the aquarium trade. The species reaches 15 cm in standard length.
The fork tailed paradisefish, or paradise gourami is a species of gourami found in most types of fresh water in East Asia, ranging from the China to northern Vietnam. This species can reach a standard length of 6.7 cm, though most are only about 5.5 cm . Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fish available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported 1869 to France by the French aquarium fish importer Pierre Carbonnier in Paris. The paradise fish is one of the more aggressive members of its family. It is more aggressive than the three spot gourami, yet less pugnacious in nature than the less commonly kept combtail.
The Siamese fighting fish, commonly known as the betta, is a freshwater fish native to Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is one of 76 species of the genus Betta, but the only one eponymously called "betta", owing to its global popularity as a pet; Betta splendens are among the most popular aquarium fish in the world, due to their diverse and colorful morphology and relatively low maintenance.
The dwarf gourami is a species of gourami native to South Asia.
Bubble nests, also called foam nests, are created by some fish and frog species as floating masses of bubbles blown with an oral secretion, saliva bubbles, and occasionally aquatic plants. Fish that build and guard bubble nests are known as aphrophils. Aphrophils include gouramis and the synbranchid eel Monopterus alba in Asia, Microctenopoma (Anabantidae), Polycentropsis (Nandidae), and Hepsetus odoe in Africa, and callichthyines and the electric eel in South America. Most, if not all, fish that construct floating bubble nests live in tropical, oxygen-depleted standing waters. Osphronemidae, containing the bettas and gouramis, are the most commonly recognized family of bubble nest makers, though some members of that family mouthbrood instead. The nests are constructed as a place for fertilized eggs to be deposited while incubating and guarded by one or both parents until the fry hatch.
The croaking gourami is a species of small freshwater labyrinth fish of the gourami family. They are native to still waters in Southeast Asia and are distributed worldwide via the aquarium trade. Croaking gouramis are capable of producing a "croaking" noise using their pectoral fins.
The pygmy gourami, also known as the sparkling gourami, is a freshwater species of gourami native to Southeast Asia.
The Anabantoidei are a suborder of anabantiform ray-finned freshwater fish distinguished by their possession of a lung-like labyrinth organ, which enables them to breathe air. The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or labyrinth fish, or colloquially as gouramies. Some labyrinth fish are important food fish, and many others, such as the Siamese fighting fish and paradise fish, are popular as aquarium fish.
The moonlight gourami, also known as the moonbeam gourami, is a labyrinth fish of the family Osphronemidae native to Indochina. This peaceful species is a popular aquarium fish.
Betta smaragdina, commonly known as the emerald green betta, blue betta or Mekong fighting fish is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia. The species gets its green and blue colors due to refraction and interference of light that results from hexagonal crystals that are less than 0.5 micrometres. It is found in the aquarium trade.
Betta is a large genus of small, active, often colorful, freshwater ray-finned fishes, in the gourami family (Osphronemidae). The best known Betta species is B. splendens, commonly known as the Siamese fighting fish and often kept as an aquarium pet.
Betta coccina is a species of betta native to Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra, Indonesia. It grows to a length of 5.6 cm (2.2 in). It can be found in the aquarium trade. Betta coccina, commonly known as the wine red betta or red fighting fish, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Osphronemidae. It is endemic to the peat swamps of Indonesia and Malaysia, where it inhabits acidic, slow-moving waters. The species is known for its striking red coloration and relatively peaceful temperament compared to other Betta species.
Microctenopoma fasciolatum or the banded bushfish is an Anabantoid fish of the genus Microctenopoma. It is native to the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and a few rivers in Cameroon, occurring in the lower and central parts of the Congo River. This species has numerous irregular dark stripes running vertically across its body, with a horizontal lighter stripe separating them. The banding becomes more pronounced as the fish ages. In males, the dorsal and annal fins are more pointed, and - in some populations - have bright iridescent blue spots. This species, like many related anabantoids lays its approximately 1000 eggs into a bubble nest. This fish grows to a size of 9 cm (3.5 in).
Trichogaster fasciata, the banded gourami or striped gourami or Colisa or Kholshe, is a tropical labyrinth perch found in some Asian countries like Bangladesh, Eastern India, Northeastern India, Nepal, Upper Myanmar, China and Pakistan.
Betta cracens is a species of gourami endemic to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. It is an inhabitant of freshwater swamp forest. This species grows to a length of 5.7 cm (2.2 in), typically inhabits blackwaters that have very soft and very acidic water and is a bubble nest brooder. The Latin term cracens means "slender" or "elegant" and is so named because of the fish's slender body. It was first described in 1996 by Heok Hui Tan and Peter K. L. Ng in The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology.
Betta akarensis, the Akar betta, is a species of gourami endemic to south-east Sarawak, and whose species name akar was so named after where it was originally found in the river Sungai Akar. This species is a mouthbrooder, and grows to a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) SL. According to Linke, they "live predominantly in mineral-poor, slightly acid water enriched with humic substances".
Betta antoni is a species of gourami endemic to the Sanggau area in the Kapuas region. The species name antoni is named after Irwan Anton "in recognition of his generous help and gift of specimens". This species grows to a length of 8 centimetres (3.1 in) SL. According to Linke, they live in "densely vegetated, narrow watercourses with very soft, very acidic water".
Betta mahachaiensis is a species of bubble-nesting betta native to Thailand, where it occurs naturally near the Gulf of Thailand. It is typically seen in stagnant waters in swamps, pools, and ponds. The species can be found in brackish waters, with salinity levels between 1.1 and 10.6 parts per thousand. Betta mahachaiensis is capable of living in both fresh water and brackish water, a trait unique among fish in the genus Betta. This species grows to a length of 5 to 6 cm. It is found in the aquarium trade.
Betta pi is a species of gourami belonging to the genus Betta. It is found in the Pru Toe-Daeng peat swamps in Narathiwat Province in Southern Thailand, but its range also extends into northern Peninsular Malaysia, most notably the states of Kelantan and Terengganu. It is primarily found in well-shaded peat forest blackwater swamps and creeks where the pH can be as low as 3.0 or 4.0. It is benthopelagic. It can grow to a maximum length of 9.0 cm (3.5 in). It is a fish of mild importance in the aquarium industry. Its diet consists of aquatic invertebrates in the wild, but will also eat frozen, live and dried foods such as larva of Chironomidae, Daphnia, and brine shrimp in aquariums.
