gourami

gourami , tropical freshwater fish of the labyrinth fish family. Like other members of their family, gouramis have a labyrinthine breathing apparatus connected to each gill chamber that enables them to utilize atmospheric oxygen. They can therefore live in oxygen-poor water. Gouramis are native to SE Asia and Africa. The true gourami, Osphronemus goramy, reaches a length of 2 ft (60 cm). It originated in Indonesia, but has been introduced in China and S Asia, where it is cultivated as an important food fish. Certain smaller members of the family, popular as aquarium fishes, are also called gouramis. Best known is the white, 10-in. long (25-cm) kissing gourami ( Helostoma temmincki ). Other popular gouramis are the moonlight gourami ( Trichogaster microlepis ) of Thailand, a 6-in. (15-cm) long, silvery-blue fish with long, threadlike ventral fins, and other Trichogaster species. The talking, or croaking, gourami ( Trichopsis vittatus ), a 2-in. (5-cm) long fish, is noted for the curious sounds produced by the males when they surface for air at night. The labyrinth fishes also include the betta , or fighting fish, and the so-called climbing perch , or walking fish, of SE Asia. They are classified in the phylum Chordata , subphylum Vertebrata, class Osteichthyes, order Perciformes, family Anabantidae.

gourami See BELONTIIDAE.