Trichopsis vittata (Cuvier, 1831)
Croaking gourami
Trichopsis vittata
photo by Vierke, J.

Family:  Osphronemidae (Gouramies), subfamily: Macropodusinae
Max. size:  8 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; pH range: 6 - 8; dH range: 5 - 19
Distribution:  Asia: Thailand to Viet Nam and the islands of Sumatra, Borneo and Java. Distributed to many countries through the aquarium trade industry (Ref. 3814).
Diagnosis:  Anal spines: 6-8. Has 24-28 branched anal-fin rays; 13 transverse scale rows; and 2 or more stripes along the body (Ref. 12693). Anal fin with a few elongate, filament-like rays extending backwards almost to tip of caudal fin; black blotch above pectoral base (Ref. 43281).
Biology:  Occur in shallow sluggish or standing-water habitats with a lot of vegetation. Common throughout the middle and lower Mekong (Ref. 12693). Found in flooded fields in the middle Mekong (Ref 12975). Feed on zooplankton, crustaceans and insect larvae. Eggs sink to the bottom and were then collected by one or both parents and were embedded among the foam bubbles in the nest (Ref. 41595). An air-breathing species (Ref. 118402). Usually not fished commercially, occasionally sold as part of mixed catches in markets and regularly seen in the aquarium fish trade (Ref. 12693).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 21 January 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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