Osphronemus

A bizarre and very recent addition to the genus, O. exodon is infrequently imported to the hobby, but has been seen occasionally. It has specially adapted mouthparts whereby it has greatly enlarged teeth. An extra set of teeth can also be seen growing in concentric bands on the outer lips! These are used in nature to literally 'pick' fruit from overhanging branches, with the fish often leaping from the water to grab a particularly juicy fig or other fruit. When the mouth of the fish is...

An incredibly hardy, long-lived fish which can survive for over 20 years in captivity. These fish develop real personality and can learn to recognise their owner. They are often sold as cute juveniles in aquatic shops with no information provided as to their adult size. The young have an attractive barred patterning which fades as the fish grow, which they do very quickly. A golden variety also exists in aquaria. O. goramy is cultured commercially for food on a large scale in several countrie...

Still relatively rare in the hobby, this fish was only described to science in the early 1990s. It's not yet being mass-produced in any great numbers, and demand is high, so it's quite pricey when it is available. It's a stunning fish when adult, developing bright red fin edges with filamentous extensions, and a body colour varying between blue-green and almost black. It makes a great pet as it can develop real personality and learn to recognise its owner....