Tilapia is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the coelotilapine, coptodonine, heterotilapine, oreochromine, pelmatolapiine, and tilapiine tribes, with the economically most important species placed in the Coptodonini and Oreochromini. Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes, and less commonly found living in brackish water. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisanal fishing in Africa, and they are of increasing importance in aquaculture and aquaponics. Tilapia can become a problematic invasive species in new warm-water habitats such as Australia, whether deliberately or accidentally introduced, but generally not in temperate climates due to their inability to survive in cold water.
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 Korean Peninsula 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 73 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.
Theodore Edward Cantor (1809–1860) was a Danish physician, zoologist and botanist. He described several new species of reptiles and amphibians, and six species have been named in his honor.
The spotted betta or Java fighting fish is a species of gourami endemic to Indonesia where it inhabits relatively cool, 22‒25 °C (72‒75 °F), highland streams of Java. In 1967, D. S. Johnson reported the species to be common in blackwaters of southern Malaya.
The Krabi mouth-brooding betta, Betta simplex, is a species of gourami endemic to Krabi Province, Thailand. It inhabits karst springs and wetlands, where it lives amongst vegetation close to the banks. This species can reach a length of 8 cm (3 in). This species can also be found in the aquarium trade and is taken from the wild for this purpose. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being "critically endangered" due to over-exploitation and the degradation of its restricted habitat by pollution and development of the surrounding land for farming.
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.
The peaceful betta or crescent betta is a species of gourami native to Southeast Asia.
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 bellica. the slim betta or slender betta, is a species of betta native to eastern Sumatra in Indonesia and Peninsular Malaysia. It is an inhabitant of swamp forests and peat swamps. This species grows to a length of 10 cm (3.9 in). It can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Betta gladiator is a species of gourami endemic to Sabah, Malaysia. It is an inhabitant of the acidic waters of heath forest. It is known as a particularly territorial and aggressive species, especially in captivity. This species grows to a length of 5.6 centimetres (2.2 in) SL and are facultative air-breathers.
Betta ferox is a species of gourami endemic to Thailand. It is only found in rivers in Songkhla Province, where it resides along shallow riverbanks among vegetation. This species grows to a length of 6.3 centimetres (2.5 in) SL. This species is closely related to Betta pugnax and is also a paternal mouthbrooder. Males and females are dimorphic, with males displaying elongated ventral fins, elongated caudal fins, and green coloration on the gill plates. Females typically display two horizontal brown bars across their bodies, shorter fins, and a more rounded body shape.
Zenarchopteridae, the viviparous halfbeaks, is a family in the order Beloniformes. The Zenarchopteridae exhibit strong sexual dimorphism, practicing internal fertilisation, and in some cases ovoviviparous or viviparous. The members in the family are mainly found in fresh and brackish water of tropical Asia and New Guinea, but the genus Zenarchopterus also includes marine species from the Indo-Pacific. Several, such as the wrestling halfbeak, have become commonly traded aquarium fish.
The Arabian toothcarp, known also as the Arabian pupfish or mother-of-Pearl fish is a species of killifish belonging to the family Cyprinodontidae. It can be found from the shores of the Red Sea south to Ethiopia, the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and along the Persian Gulf east to Pakistan and India. It is also found in the Suez Canal, the northern coast of the Sinai Peninsula, and in one location on the Israeli coast. There are two recognized subspecies: A. d. dispar found throughout the range, and A. d. richardsoni, the Dead Sea toothcarp endemic to the Dead Sea.
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 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 taeniata is a species of gourami endemic to the Southeast Asian island of Borneo, where it lives in inland waters.
Betta omega is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it occurs in the state of Johor in Malaysia. The species reaches 14.77 cm in total length. It was described in 2018 by Heok Hui Tan and Amirrudin B. Ahmad based on its distinctive patterning. It is believed to be either already extinct or very near extinction, although it has not yet been evaluated by the IUCN. FishBase does not yet list this species.
