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Hi all,

Picked up some fish a couple of weeks ago. They were wild caught locally(I live in Java). The guy I bought them from could only tell me the local name.

I thought they were croaking gourami, but I have seen photographs of wild Betta Picta that look very similar. So trying to positively id them.

They are very peaceful, not shy as such but they spend a lot of time poking around the thick vegetation (they love being in the Cambomba), but when they do make an appearance they are not bothered by my presence at all. The photos don't really show, it but the fins have an irridesence, strangely one has a blue tint and the other has a red tint. The feeler fins start wide like a betta but then turn into the real thin like gourami feelers.Both have incredibly bright blue/green eyes.

If anyone got any ideas I'd love to know.

bensaf attached this image:

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

One that gives a better idea of the color

bensaf attached this image:

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Very nice Of course this got my attention

Personally I'm thinking gourami, the main reason is the shape of the face. It seems to have the longer, pointed face of a gourami rather than the almost snout-like face bettas have.

These are sites I checked pictures on:

http://aquaworld.netfirms.com/Labyrinthfish/Betta/Betta_picta.htm

http://www.ibc-smp.org/species/picta.html

Ok I went to take some quick shots of my three-striped croaking gouramis...while this isn't a good pic of the fish themselves, for the first time I noticed red irridescence on them like you mentioned seeing on yours:




Last edited by Theresa_M at 08-Oct-2004 10:52[/font]

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Hi.hmmm..if you ask me i would say its a Betta Picta..guesing here though

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I know human beings and fish can co-exist peacefully.

I think it looks like a female betta personally, but I could be wrong. Whatever it is, it's very pretty.

Looks just like my female betta!

The head is wrong for B. picta, if you look, the head of this fish ends much sooner, B. picta has longer fatter gill covers, and it also has irridescence.
It could be in the B. picta family, but i'd say that it isnt the fish known as picta.

The concave muzzle, is that a camera trick?

Where abouts did it come from? do you know?
Or do you know the native name for it? That might help narrow it down (unless the name is 'fish', thats a bit too ambiguous)

Actually, the best thing you could do right now is try to get a picture of under the chin, thats where most of the distinctive markings will be if its a betta.

Also, what are the ventral fins like? they are hard to make out in the photos.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Not sure but looks like a betta pica. Don't forget that every fish is different. i might have a betta that isn't as long as one in the picture. WHat do u have to say about that. DONT rely on photos!!!!!!]:|

Not sure but looks like a betta pica. Don't forget that every fish is different. i might have a betta that isn't as long as one in the picture. WHat do u have to say about that. DONT rely on photos!!!!!!]:|

Theresa M,
Thought it might spark your interest

Catt,
The muzzle is not a camera trick, it's got quite a pointy slightly upturned muzzle.

As to where it's from, more then likely one of the streams or ponds near my apartment, which is in a small town in West Java, about 25 miles east of Jakarta.

The ventral fins start out looking like a betta but about a quarter of the way down turn into typical Gourami feelers, although I've never seen the fish use these feelers in typical gourami fashion.

The mouth does seem to be too small to be a mouthbrooding Betta.

Tothose it said it looks just like your female Betta, the one thing I am sure of it is definately NOT a female Splendens!

As it's a local wild caught, it's probably some variety of either Gourami or Betta that is not commonly found in the aquarium trade. The guy I bought it from said he could catch loads of them locally. He was using them as feeder for some pretty fierce looking eels. He was very surprised I wanted to buy them. Looking at them I could see the slight coloration and loved the way they moved. The eyes are magnificent and can be seen across the room, I have a feeling with a bit of care they can turn into a stunning little fish.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

I am pretty sure I have made a 100% i.d. now. Thank’s to the websites posted by Theresa.

It seem what I have are a couple of Trichopsis Vittatus . A type of Croaking Gourami. There is a very good picture on the web page http://aquaworld.netfirms.com/Labyrinthfish/Trichopsis/Trichopsis_vittatus.htm. The fish is identical to mine. The real giveaway is the anal fin where the last 2 rays are elongated and the 2 spots at the base of the body just before the tail.
Judging by the size stated on the web page what I have are still young and just over half their full grown size. Also my suspicions that given good care they will color up seem to be confirmed. I look forward to watching them grow up.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Looks spot on Bensaf! can you try to keep a picture diary of the ugly duckling/swan thing? I'd like to see if its a big difference (i personally like the duckling, but hey )

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Well congrats on the identification I frequently use those sites, lots of good info and pics.

My sparklers and the three-striped croakers both have those fascinating blue eyes

Last edited by Theresa_M at 09-Oct-2004 15:42

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Catt,
I probably will keep a record of the changes. So far they are fascinating little fish. I don't see much of them and strangely I've never seen both together at the same time. It's not that they are shy or timid, when they do pop out they don't seem bothered by my presence. It's not that they hide either, because they pop up all over the place. They seem happiest poking and search around the thick vegetation, the thicker the better, and I seen one or the other pop out of strange places. It's been 2 weeks and I've never seen them eat, but they have got a bit plumper so they are finding food from somewhere just don't know what.

All in all they seem very happy and settled in easily. Got a very "natural" behavior. Definately looking better, a bit more shine to them now, and the fins are lenghtening and showing brighter coloring.

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Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.