Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Brown Spike-tailed Paradise Fish
No federal permit to keepBrown Spike-tailed Paradise Fish
Pseudosphromenus dayi
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
Pseudosphromenus dayi or Indian spiketail betta is a species of freshwater ray finned fish from the subfamily Macropodusinae, part of the gourami family Osphronemidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 3.0 in / 7.5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater (tolerates brackish).
- Temperature: 77–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–7.5.
- Hardness: 4–15 dGH.
- Layout: An open-water swimmer: needs long, open swimming space with few obstacles.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 24 × 12 in (roughly 14 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–82 °F, pH 6–7.5, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; in a pair; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Can be maintained in a fully-decorated aquarium although many breeders prefer not to use a substrate for ease of maintenance.”
- Diet: “Likely to prey on insect larvae and suchlike in nature, and should be offered small live or frozen Daphnia, Artemia, white worm, grindal worm, etc., in captivity.”
- Tankmates: “This species is peaceful but does not make an ideal community fish due to its small size and rather timid nature.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Gouramis and labyrinth fish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Warm, still, vegetated waters. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Planted, calm tanks with floating plants; they breathe air at the surface, so leave a gap under the lid.
Diet
- Food acceptance is species-specific. Parosphromenus deissneri needs tiny live invertebrate foods and commonly refuses dried foods; a pellet/flake staple cannot cover every labyrinth fish.
Health watch
- Males are territorial; dwarf gourami iridovirus.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It occurs in Kerala on both the coastal regions and the Western Ghats. It is a species of still or slow flowing waters, especially lakes, ditches and swamps in both fresh and brackish waters.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Pseudosphromenus dayi” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater and brackish water. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 77–82 °F (25–28 °C), pH 6.5–7.5, hardness 4–15 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 77–82 °F.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Pseudosphromenus dayi or Indian spiketail betta is a species of freshwater ray finned fish from the subfamily Macropodusinae, part of the gourami family Osphronemidae. It occurs in Kerala on both the coastal regions and the Western Ghats. It is a species of still or slow flowing waters, especially lakes, ditches and swamps in both fresh and brackish waters. Pseudosphromenus dayi is a bubble nester, the male creates a nest made of bubbles under an overhang or a leaf. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Male builds bubble nest; both parents guard and tend the nest, returning eggs and larvae that have falling off. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Occurs in lentic environment. Found in ditches and swamps. Eggs shrink to the bottom and were then collected by one or both parents and were embedded among the foam bubbles in the nest. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 12 in (about 14 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Parosphromenus deissneri Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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