Order Perciformes ( Perciformes )
Suborder Anabantoidei ( Anabantoidei )
Family Osphronemidae ( Osphronemidae )
Subfamily ( Macropodusinae )
Genus Pseudosphromenus — Pseudosphromenus.
These labyrinth fishes naturally inhabit the waters of Southeast Asia — India and Indochina. The body is relatively low, laterally compressed, the dorsal and anal fins have a long base, the caudal fin is torch-shaped, and the first rays of the ventral fins are extended into a small filament. Males have more elongated and pointed fins than females. Peaceful fish that prefer to stay in dense vegetation.
It is best to keep them in a group of 5 or more individuals, especially since sex determination is difficult, and a group of 5 will surely contain at least one pair. They get along well with other fish in an aquarium with broad-leaved plants and hiding places. Suitable tank mates include any fish that will not eat them, such as small barbs and tetras, angelfish, apistogrammas, and other non-aggressive labyrinth fish.
The aquarium should be densely planted with live plants and feature shelters made of driftwood and coconut shells. Floating plants on the surface are desirable (Pistia, Riccia, Hydrocharis), and floating leaves of Nymphaea are also good. Fine dark substrates are preferred, and a dark background is also desirable. Lighting should be slightly subdued, as long as it is sufficient for normal plant growth. A filter is optional; the main thing is to change the water regularly, about 20-30% weekly.
Hydrochemical conditions do not play a critical role, but naturally, slightly acidic and soft water is better. These fish are good jumpers, so the aquarium must be tightly covered. They are non-aggressive, fights to the death never occur between them, even during spawning the male never kills the female, and fights between males are mostly ritualistic, with maximum damage limited to slightly torn fins.
They are undemanding in feeding and can eat any food — dry, frozen, though live food is certainly preferred. Vegetable matter should be added to live and dry foods. They reach sexual maturity at 5-6 months. Spawning is in pairs and can take place in either a general or a densely planted breeding aquarium. Nests are usually not built; eggs are deposited in shelters near the bottom or under plant leaves. Spawning can also occur in shelters (caves, grottoes). The male cares for the eggs. Recommended keeping parameters: temperature 22-26°C, water hardness 2-18°, pH 6.5-7.5.
— Brown Spiketail Paradisefish, Common Spiketail — Pseudosphromenus cupanus [Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1831]. Synonyms: Polyacanthus, Macropodus cupanus. (English: Day’s Paradise Fish, Palmyra Fiber, Fibre Fish, Rosy Paradise Fish, Spiketail, Spiketailed Paradisefish). Southern India, Sri Lanka — coastal zone of small freshwater and brackish water bodies. Males up to 10 cm, females up to 6 cm, smaller in aquarium conditions. The body is elongated, cylindrical in front, slightly laterally compressed towards the tail.
A variable species, colored in light, reddish, or dark brown tones with a greenish metallic sheen. Black stripes run along the sides from the head to the tail — two wide ones in the middle and two narrow ones along the back and belly. There are no longitudinal stripes or red coloration on the tail, only occasionally a black spot appears at its base, and very rarely traces of very pale vertical bars can be seen.
The fins are gray-blue with small reddish spots. The ventral, anal, and lower half of the caudal fin are red with a dark margin. The caudal fin is pointed. The male differs from the female in having more elongated and pointed dorsal and anal fins. In addition, the tip of the oval caudal fin bears 4-5 long filaments in males. During spawning, the male’s fins become bright red, and the border of the caudal fin and tips of the ventral fins glow (not just colored, but glowing) with a bright blue flame. When excited and during spawning, the fish changes color: the male turns light reddish-brown, and the female becomes dark brown.
Peaceful, calm, timid, readily hiding in plant thickets. Can be kept in a community aquarium; gets along well with calm, not too large species. The fish is a poor swimmer, often sitting on the bottom or on plant branches. They are considered among the most secretive of the labyrinth fishes. The fish constantly stay in pot-caves, appearing only for food or to gulp air. The aquarium should have plenty of shelters such as stones, driftwood, and large-leaved plants.
The more hiding places, the safer they feel, and the more often you will see them. A densely planted aquarium around the perimeter, placed in the shade with aged water, is required. They are unpretentious regarding water composition. Water filtration and aeration are unnecessary; on the contrary, the fish prefer calm water. Weekly partial water changes are required. They feed on various live and vegetable foods, as well as substitutes.
They mature at 6-8 months. The male builds a bubble nest near the water surface, under a leaf, or in a shelter. He places it in a corner of the aquarium among stems protruding from the water or near floating plants. The foam cap rises 1.5-2 cm above the water, with a diameter of no more than 5 cm. In nature, they also build nests and spawn deep among plant roots, under stones, or in caves. You can provide an overturned flower pot with a chipped edge placed on the bottom. They build a foam nest inside the pot of the same size as the surface one. Lifespan up to 7 years. pH 6.5-7.5; dH 5-15°; T 22-26°C.
— Day’s Spiketail, Brown Spiketail, Striped Macropod — Pseudosphromenus dayi [Kohler, 1909]. Synonyms: Pseudosphromenus cupanus dayi, Macropodus cupanua dayi. (English: Brown Spike Tailed Paradisefish, Spike Tailed Gourami). Western India, Southern Vietnam, Myanmar, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra. 7 cm, about 6 cm in the aquarium. The fish have an elongated, slightly laterally flattened body. The main body color ranges from light to dark brown, with the throat, chest, and belly being reddish-brown to blood-red. The tail is torch-shaped with a series of elongated central filamentous rays.
Characterized by 2 distinct dark longitudinal stripes on the body extending from the edge of the eye to the base of the tail, which merge with the general body coloration during the pre-spawning period. A brightly colored caudal fin is also characteristic. The dorsal fin has brown spots and a bright blue edge; the middle elongated rays of the caudal fin are black-blue, bordered by a black-blue margin. The anal fin is red with a weaker bluish border. The ventral fins are red at the base with white-blue tips.
Adult males can be distinguished by the longer tips of their dorsal and anal fins. Their body is slimmer, and the throat area has a reddish tint. Furthermore, the extended central rays of the caudal fin, characteristic of both sexes, become even longer in older males, bearing 4-5 long filaments. Sex is easiest to distinguish during spawning: the male turns reddish-brown, and the female becomes dark brown.
Peaceful and very calm. They get along without problems with other peaceful species. The aquarium should have dense vegetation at the sides and back, as the fish love to hide among the leaves. A few floating plants on the surface under which bubble nests are built. The fish really appreciate stone caves; place stones and interestingly shaped driftwood in the aquarium.
They are considered among the most secretive of the labyrinth fishes. The more hiding places, the safer they feel, and the more often you will see them. Water soft to moderately hard. Weekly partial water changes are required. Besides dry foods, they greedily eat daphnia, tubifex, and bloodworms.
They mature at 5-6 months. When setting up the breeding aquarium, remember that the bottom substrate must be sand, not gravel or pebbles, otherwise the offspring may be partially or completely lost. The eggs are heavier than water and often sink to the bottom. Later the male picks them up, but many manage to settle, and if the substrate is stony, they slip between the pebbles where parents cannot retrieve them. Reaching a pebble-covered bottom, larvae get stuck and cannot escape. Fry grow very rapidly. Lifespan is about 8 years. dH up to 15°; pH 6.5-7.2; T 27-29°C.
Identification: Genus Pseudosphromenus — Pseudosphromenus.
Trichopsis pumila, Trichopsis schalleri, Trichopsis vittata.
Parosphromenus deissneri, filamentosus, nagyi, paludicola. 
