All fish / Anabantidae

Climbing Perch

Anabas testudineus

Also known as climbing gourami, walking fish, koi fish (asia), common climbing perch, anabas, ปลาหมอ, ปลาหมอไทย, ikan puyu, puyu, キノボリウオ, ikan betok, papuyu

A stocky olive to greyish green fish with spiny fins and a dark spot near the tail, famous for breathing air with a labyrinth organ and crawling short distances over land. It is kept mainly as a curiosity by keepers interested in hardy, unusual species.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

18 cm

Temperature

22 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 8

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Singly or with robust fish of similar size

Diet

Carnivore: pellets, earthworms, prawns, insects and small fish

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

South and Southeast Asia, from India and Sri Lanka to southern China, Indonesia and the Philippines

Breeding

It scatters large numbers of floating eggs without building a bubble nest and gives no parental care. Spawning occurs fairly readily in large tanks with warm water, and the adults should be removed afterwards.

Good to know

Keep a tight lid as it can escape and travel across floors, and it will eat any fish it can swallow. It is an invasive species of concern in Australia and possession is banned there and in some other regions.