Fighting fish better known as betta
Betta Splendens

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It belongs to the family anabantidae

Click here to learn more about Anabantoids, and what makes them unique.

Cost: $2-3

Origin:
Malayan peninsula and Thailand

Description:
General shape, slender-bodied, compressed sides that give it a skinny look. Fins, long,broad anal fin, with a long and tall dorsal fin. It has narrow, pointed, and elongated pelvic fins. Gets up to 2 ½” (6cm)

Color:
Many variations.

Sexual distinction:
The females look much plainer then males.

Tank Conditions:
Temperature 77-86 degrees Fahrenheit (25-30 Celsius.) The higher temperature is for breeding only. Ph and water hardness are not really that important. It’s recommended, that if possible, that softer water be used. The tank needs moderate to good lighting. The tank should be sooted with medium to thick vegetation. The water level should be a little on the low side to prevent the fish from jumping out. The substrate should be soft with a thin layer of humus. A well covered tank with some floating plants will finish this magnificent fish’s living space.

Food:
Mostly live food such as brine shrimp or I use guppy fry, but a high quality dry food will be fine.

Behavior:
The males are extremely aggressive and will compete in vicious battles.

Sexual maturity and reproduction:
Builds bubble nests among the plants and decorations in the tank. They use the bubbles to support the eggs. After the spawning process has finished the female will need to be removed, the male will look over the new brood. Once the eggs begin to hatch (24-30 hours later) the male will need to be removed.

Compatibility:
Do not keep the males of the same species together in the same tank. Best if just kept in specie tanks.

Giant Gourami
colisa fasciata

It Belongs to the family Belontiidae

Click here to learn more about Anabantoids, and what makes them unique.

Cost: $2-7+, with the adults being more expensive.

Origin:
Bengal, Burma, Thailand, Malayan Peninsula

Description:
A very compresses and elongated body, with long anal and dorsal fins. The pelvic fins are elongated like threads. Gets up to 4 ¾ inches (12cm0.

Color:
Highly varied, things that define the colors are provenance and breeding strain. It’s very colorful ads great color to any tank. Some are brown with a greenish sheen, and with several thin orange to red stripes that are slanting diagonally to the back.

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The back is a fairly dark brown, with the chest and belly being a blue to green color, also there is a purple sheen to both the back and belly. Usually you will see a beautiful blue-green spot placed on the gill cover.

Sexual distinctions:
Females will be duller in color, and will have rounded anal and dorsal fins. On the males these fins are elongated and come to a point on the male.

Tank conditions:
Temperature 75-82 degrees Fahrenheit (24-28 Celsius). Ph and water hardness not to important. Needs a well planted tank with plants that a feathery-leaved. The plants will need to take up from 2/3 to ¾ of the tank space. Besides having plants in the substrate you should have some floating plants as well, this will give the Giant Gourami some cover. Make sure though that the remains space is left for swimming. If you really want you can even add some humus to the bottom, a good addiction to a Giant Gourami tank but not totally necessary.

Food:
Omnivorous

Behavior:
The Giant Gourami is timid until it can fully adjust to your tank. But once is acclimated it is a lively fish.

Breeding:
It’s a bubble nest builder and is very productive.

Compatibility:
Peaceful and is easily kept with other fish.

Dwarf Gourami
colisa lalia

It belongs to the family Belontiidae.

Click here to learn more about Anabantoids, and what makes them unique.

Cost: $3-5

Origin:
Indian subcontinent.

Description:
A very compressed, elongated ovoid. The anal and dorsal fins almost reach the caudal fin. The pelvic fins are like long antenna looking things. Gets up to 2 inches (5cm).

Color:
Very colorful. Basic color is a bright red, with the males having a slanted double row of luminous light blue-green spots which also extend onto its fins. The head to the back of the gill area and belly are a brilliant blue green. The end of the anal fin and the caudal are red. The pelvis fins are orange.

Sexual distinction:
The color on a female will be much paler, and she will have rounded anal and dorsal fins.

Tank conditions:

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The main thing is that you need to keep your water warm. Temperature 75-82 degrees Fahrenheit (24-28 Celsius). Other then that no special requirements. A good healthy tank would have plenty of plants and medium lighting and a tight cover.

Food:
Will eat live or a high quality dried food.

Behavior:
Will be territorial, but usually will not inflict damage on to its tank mates.

Breeding:
Builds bubble nests. Algae and floating leaves and plant stems will be incorporates into the nest. Will demonstrate multiple acts of spawning. The male will look after the eggs.

Compatibility:
Will coexist with other territorial species.

CAUTION!!!
This is an extremely good jumping fish and needs a very tight lid fixture.

Anabantoids are considered by some to be the most diverse, and varied of all freshwater fish. In this group there are bubble nesting Bettas (siamese fishting fish), and the Gouramis from S.E Asia. The thing that makes this group unique is that they all posses an auxiliary breathing organ. So in addition to their gills they have what’s called a labyrinth organ, which consists of a series of folded membranes located in the head between the gills. What this allows for Anabantiods to do is breath atmospheric air, which they can take in at the surface of the water. This gives Anabantoids the ability to live in oxygen-poor conditions that would kill other fish that just rely on their gills.

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Just make sure that they have access to the surface of the water or they will drown.
The great thing about the Anabantoids group is that most of them can be integrated into many community tanks, where their colors and unique behavior will enhance any aquarium.

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