Labyrinth Fish

Anabaptism are a very popular group of fishes from Asia and Africa, most of which are known as georamas. These fish have a special extra breathing organ called the 'labyrinth',which is a bunch of folded tissues with many blood vessels within it. This organ enables the fishes to extract the oxygen from air taken in at the surface, which is very useful in water with low oxygen levels. However, georamas have evolved to depend so much on this organ that now they cannot exist without regularly taking air from the surface, regardless of the water's oxygen content. The air is also used to construct what are usually described as `bubble nests'. The male fishes build these nests on the surface of the water with air and their saliva and attach them to any floating debris. Most anabatic are undemanding and relatively peaceful compared to other fishes,although often they do not get along too well with their own kind.

The pearl, or lee ri, Agoura(Trichinas lee ri) grows to 10cm(4in). Its long, compressed body is blue-brown with a smothering of pearl spots. Maintain the water at 2.5.5°C(78°F) and carry out regular water changes. The fish accept all foods, but relish lire food. They spawn in a bubble nest; raise the fry on liquid fry food or brine shrimp.

In the three-spot Agoura(Trichinas tricksters) the body is light blue with several darker vertical patches. There is a black spot in the middle of the body and at the base of the tail, and the eye makes up the third spot. There are several other variants of this species,including light blue specimens with no spots or even gold specimens.Take care when keeping this species in pairs, as male scan he very aggressive towards females and may bully them to death if there is no escape. Provide plants for cover and some open space for the fish to swim around in. These fish accept all foods, but prefer live food.