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Labyrinth Fish
/ Belontiidae / Snakeskin Gourami
Snakeskin Gourami
Trichogaster pectoralis | Pictures
Synonyms: Trichopodus
pectoralis
Physical description: An elongated, moderately compressed fish with a small dorsal fin.
The anal fin nearly the length of the
body and the pelvic fins are long and thread-like.
The back is olive and the flanks are greenish gray with a silver iridescence.
An
obvious black band extends from the snout, through the eye, and to the caudal penuncle.
The underparts are white.
The
rear part of the body may be marked with faint transverse stripes.
The fins are also gray-green, and the
iris of the eye may be amber under favorable water conditions.
Size/Length: To 12" (30 cm), although not usually more than 6" (15 cm) in captivity.
Similar species: None
Habitat: Rice patties, shallow ponds, and swamps in Southeast Asia; Cambodia, Thailand, and
Southern Vietnam.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: A 24" (61 cm) or 10-20 gallon (38-76 L) tank is sufficient for fish to 4"
(10 cm) in length.
Larger specimen should be kept in a 32" (81 cm) or 30 gallon (114 L) tank.
As
for set-up, follow suggestions for T.
leeri.
Water chemistry: pH 5.8-8.5 (6.8), 2-30 dH (7), 72-86°F (22-30°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful fish that can be kept in a community tank.
Males are relatively nonaggressive even
at spawning times.
Suggested companions: Barbs, Danios, Tetras,
Corydoras, Angelfish, Loaches, Gouramis, Loricarids.
FOOD: Live; Tubifex
, insects, insect larvae, crustaceans; flakes; pellets; chopped spinach and lettuce
Sexual differences: The dorsal fins of male fish are pointed and the pelvic fins are orange to red.
Breeding techniques: Follow suggestions for
T. leeri.
Breeding potential: 6.
Breeding is not difficult.
Remarks: This fish is not as frequently imported as other gouramis.
This species is eaten in its native
lands.
Difficulty of care: 2.
A hardy, peaceful species recommended for the beginner's community tank.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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