Bony fish · Perciformes · Anabantidae

Climbing Perch

Anabas testudineus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The climbing perch, or climbing gourami, is a fish native to Asia, where it lives from eastern India to China and the Wallace Line. It has also been introduced into certain countries outside its native range. This species reaches 25 cm long. It is important as a food fish in South East Asia, since its ability to survive out of water for extended periods, provided it is kept damp, improves its marketability. In Assam it is called kawoi or koi, and it is commonly found in ponds.

Size

up to 25 cm

Lifespan

8 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

FreshwaterOmnivore Fish Freshwater

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Fun facts

It can cover several hundred metres over land using its pectoral fins and gill covers, which is where its name comes from.
It has the most developed labyrinth organ in its whole family relative to body size, which lets it breathe air and live in water almost devoid of oxygen.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bony fish)
Habitat & environment: Canals, lakes, ponds, swamps, paddy fields and estuaries of turbid, stagnant water in South and South-East Asia; it spends the dry season buried in the mud

Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anabas_testudineus