Here's an anabantid you don't see every day

[Fruitbat]

This is the Combtail, Belontia signata, an anabantid from slow-flowing streams and rivers in Sri Lanka. They reach lengths of 6 - 7 inches and are a bit more aggressive than your standard gouramis (a bit like a Paradise Fish in temperament).

The one in the picture is the female of my new pair. Though a much smaller fish than the male she is the one who is 'out front' in the aquarium. The male ducked into a large clump of Java Fern when they were introduced to the tank and he jets back into the fern whenever he sees the camera.

-Joe

 

[CAPSLOCK]

Pretty. It looks like it has the more pointed "nose" like the leopard fish anabantids I've seen. Do you know if they could be kept together?

How big a tank do you have these in?

 

[Lotus]

Looks great I'm guessing Fruitbat either has a really good supplier, or knows a lot of people going on collecting trips Congrats on the new fish

 

[Fruitbat]

Capslock....

Right now the Belontia are in my 26-gallon bow front 'Asian' tank with some large 'Opaline' gouramis, some big Tiger Barbs and a bunch of loaches. You could probably keep the Combtail with Ctenopoma species, though the Combtail is definitely more aggressive than the Bush Fish are. My 'Opaline' gouramis are holding their ground against the Combtails and the Tiger Barbs aren't impressed by the Belontia antics at all!

Lotus...

I've got a REALLY good LFS with good sources for more 'unusual' fish. I work closely with the guy that does the ordering to prod him into getting fish that are out of the ordinary. Fortunately he likes 'oddballs' too....so it isn't much of a struggle to have him get some fun stuff in!

-Joe