Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

The Anabantoidei is a suborder of perciform ray-finned freshwater fish distinguished by their possession of a lung-like labyrinth organ, which enables them to breathe air. The fish in the Anabantoidei suborder are known as anabantoids or labyrinth fish. Some labyrinth fish are important food fish and many others, such as the Siamese fighting fish and paradise fish, are popular as aquarium fish. Labyrinth fish are endemic to freshwaters of Asia and Africa. In Asia, they are found throughout East, Southeast, and South Asia, especially but not exclusively in the warm, slow-flowing, low-oxygen waters. In Africa, significantly smaller numbers of labyrinth fish can be found in the lower half of the continent, with concentrations in the rainforest waters.

The characteristics of the fish habitats are indicators of the size of the labyrinth organ, as the organ size is negatively correlated with the level of oxygen in the waters. Species native to low-oxygen waters are more likely to have larger and more complex labyrinth organs than species found in fast-flowing, oxygen-rich waters.

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish

Labyrinth Fish