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Colisa labiosa, Day, 1878

Origin: Burma; Shan states, Irriwaddy river, Sittang river and Tenasserim, in standing shallow water, and in Bangladesh( Possibly introduced).

Etymology: Labiosa=lip, referring to the thick lips of the fish.

Synonyms:Trichogaster labiosus, Day, 1878, Colisa labiosa, Myers, 1923.

First European import: Germany, 1904, by H. Stüve.

Description:Very similar to C. fasciata, thick upstanding mouth, pointy dorsal fin. The anal fins are rounded and lack the red region found in Colisa fasciata.

Care:Less sensitive to the environment than C. fasciata and more suited for the community tank. Since the fish can get quite big a 80 cm tank minimum, preferably with some floating plants. Very peaceful and easy fish that does well in a community tank.

Temperature: 22-28 degrees

Feeding: Flake food is taken.

Size: 9.5 cm, usually smaller in tanks(7.5 cm)

pH: 6.0-7.5

Breeding: Bubblenester, males build a large nest which will sometimes cover a third of the tank. Adding many floating plats will help keep the nest together, since the fish don't use plant parts like Colisa lalia. Up to 600 floating eggs, that will hatch in a day, and be free swimming after another 2 days.

Sexual dimorphism:Males are much more colorful than the females.

Prices: Netherlands: € 3-5

Additional: Hoedemann describes that during the breeding season (december-march) the males turn darker and display brighter colors. Several colormorphs have been bred, like the yellow variety on the left and below.

Picture references:All pictures: E. Naus.

References:

Richter, H. J. (1979): Das Buch der Labyrinthfische. Verlag Neumann-Neudamm, Melsungen, Germany.

Baensch, H. A., Riehl, R.(1982): Aquarien Atlas I. Mergus Verlag, Melle, Germany.(click on the link to buy this book)

Linke, H.(1980): Labyrinthfische - Farbe im Aquarium. Tetra Verlag, Melle, Germany.

Hoedeman, J. J.(1969): Aquariumvissen encyclopedie 5. Elsevier Nederland B. V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

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