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No federal permit to keepSpiketail paradisefish
Pseudosphromenus cupanus
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
Pseudosphromenus cupanus, also known as the spiketail paradisefish or Spiketail betta fish, is a species of medium-small gouramies native to southern India and Sri Lanka.
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: 75–81°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6.5–7.8.
- Hardness: 0–15 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
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, 2–25 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.”
- Breeding: “Secretive bubble nester, with males preferring to construct nests under an overhang or in a cavity if available, though if not surface vegetation, leaves or roots may be chosen.”
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
This species is often found in shallow, slow-moving or stagnant water, such as ditches and paddy fields. P. cupanus eats insects and zooplankton.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Pseudosphromenus cupanus” (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. Uses both the bottom and open water. Often found in ditches, paddy fields and shallow water not far from tidal influence. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater / brackish water, 75–81 °F (24–27 °C), pH 6.5–7.8, hardness 15 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: nesters. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 75–81 °F.
- It tolerates or needs brackish water; check salinity needs before setup.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 98°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 70°F (down to 59°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 76–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 72–78% on average (driest month about 66%) |
| Rainfall | about 2820 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 25 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
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 cupanus, also known as the spiketail paradisefish or Spiketail betta fish, is a species of medium-small gouramies native to southern India and Sri Lanka. This species is often found in shallow, slow-moving or stagnant water, such as ditches and paddy fields. P. cupanus eats insects and zooplankton. Males are known to gather eggs in its mouth, and to guard the nest after eggs are hatched. — 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 gathers the eggs in his mouth and spits them into the nest, sometimes female assists. Male guards the nest and the young until they reach the free-swimming stage, which is about a week later. Male has also been observed building more than one bubble nest and moves the eggs from one nest to the other. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Often found in ditches, paddy fields and shallow water not far from tidal influence. Prefer stagnant or slow-flowing water with thick vegetation such as grasses, roots and floating plants. Feed on insects and zooplankton. — 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.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 12 in (about 14 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Why is Pseudosphromenus cupanus (Teleostei: Osphronemidae) reported from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Pakistan? Kullander SO et al., Zootaxa 2015
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
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.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
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