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Labyrinth Fish

Family: Osphronemidae Sub-Families: Osphroneminae, Belontiinae, Macropodinae, Trichogastrinae.Paradise Fish Macropodus opercularis Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy David Brough

Click on the small images or names in each category below
to access information on each type of Labyrinth Fish.

   Perhaps the most famous of the Labyrinth tropical fish are the Betta (Siamese Fighting fish) and the Paradise Fish which is called the “founding fish of the aquarium hobby”!

   The Labyrinth fish are a group known for their ability to breath atmospheric oxygen in the event the water they live in becomes depleted of oxygen or polluted. The organ that allows these fish to breathe oxygen is called the Labyrinth. It is located in the head just behind the gills. The labyrinth looks like a maze which traps air in its' many folds. The oxygen from this air is then absorbed directly into the bloodstream from the labyrinth organ.

   Dr. Jungle says, "What curious fish...males build bubble nests!"

   In an aquarium, you can see the cluster of bubbles on the top of the water. Once the female lays the eggs, the male will pick them up in his mouth and put them in his bubble nest. The male will continue to guard the eggs until they hatch. See: Breeding Freshwater Fish for more information.

For more Information on keeping freshwater fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Gouramis
Balloon Kissing Gourami	Blue Gourami
Helostoma temminkii	Trichogaster trichopterus
Dwarf Gourami	Flame Dwarf Gourami
Colisa lalia	Colisa lalia
Giant Gourami	Giant Red Tail Gourami
Osphronemus goramy	Osphronemus laticlavius
Gold Gourami	Honey Gourami
Trichogaster trichopterus	Trichogaster chuna
Kissing Gourami	Moonlight Gourami
Helostoma temminkii	Trichogaster microlepis
Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami	Opaline Gourami
Colisa lalia	Trichogaster trichopterus
Pearl Gourami	Platinum Gourami
Trichogaster leerii	Trichogaster trichopterus
Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami	Snakeskin Gourami
Colisa lalia	Trichogaster pectoralis
Sunset Gourami
Colisa labiosus

Labyrinth Fish
Paradise Fish	Siamese fighting fish
Macropodus opercularis	Betta splendens

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