Anabas testudineus – Climbing Perch

Anabas testudineus – Climbing Perch

Anabas testudineus is a torpedo looking, perch shaped fish. The body is elongate, the dorsal fin has a longer base than the anal, dorsal and anal reach backwards to the beginning of the caudal and that the posterior edge of the gill cover bears two strong spines. Colour is of a ‘muddy’ appearance of olive-grey. Young specimens have a dark spot on the caudal peduncle (point at which the body ends and tail starts). Young are often confused with Ctenopoma species.

Danger? – The gill covers are equipped with various spines that are used as a defensive mechanism and are said to cause pain (if my experience of badly swollen fingers and large blisters caused by the ventral fin spines of Synodontis species ‘Nigeria’ is similar to this then such contact is best avoided and only plunging my hand into extremely hot water took this swelling down) if they catch a fishkeepers hand.

The fish got their common name Climbing Perch thanks to a myth. According to this myth, specimens of this species have been found on the tops of trees. They could climb these trees on their own. However, this ability has not been scientifically proven. If it is the case that they have actually been seen in trees, then it is more likely that birds left them here.

Synonyms: Anthias testudineus, Amphiprion testudineus, Antias testudineu, Antias testudineu, Anabas tastudineus, Anabas testudinens, Perca scandens, Anabas scandens, Lutjanus scandens, Sparus scandens, Amphiprion scansor, Lutjanus testudo, Anabas spinosus, Anabas variegatus, Anabas macrocephalus, Anabas microcephalus, Anabas trifoliatus, Anabas elongatus, Anabas testudineus lacustri, Anabas testudineus ricei, Anabas testudineus riveri.

Scientific Confusion?

With several slight colour and morphological differences in Climbing Perch found throughout their natural range it may well be that, in the future, we will see some of these given alternative scientific names besides Anabas testudineus.

Origin

Thailand, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, South China, Vietnam, Cambodia.

The Aquarium

In his Tetra published book Labyrinth Fish – The Bubble-Nest-Builders, Anabantid expert Horst Linke recommends that these fish be maintained in aquaria of 70x40x40cm with a temperature of between 20 and 25 C. Linke recommends keeping these fish in a well-planted aquarium. From a conversation with well-known aquatic photographer Mr. Kevin Webb, maggots and large sized commercial aquarium fish food pellets make good foods for these particular fish. These fish have a predatory nature so are NOT for the community aquarium. The two Climbing Perch I care for live fairly peacefully alongside large Loricarins, Synodontis pardalis, Sajica Cichlids, Doradids and a Garra species.

Please remember that these are labyrinth fish so leave a gap between the water surface and condensation shield (in order to keep the labyrinth organ working properly) and watch for signs of velvet disease.

Breeding Anabas testudineus – Climbing Perch

The sexes are told apart by girth, as that of the female is larger (particularly when in spawning condition). Males may be darker in colour and have more of a knife-edged anal fin than females. Use a large aquarium with plenty of floating plants. These fish do not build nests spawning in open water. Unlike their Gourami relatives they do not entwine in a full embrace. Spawning is said to be a very vigorous affair.

Eggs are clear in appearance and rise to the water surface. Once spawning is complete remove the adults, as they are prone to eating their eggs. Any fry which hatch (said to be from day 3 onwards) would be very delicate and require either green water or egg yolk paste as a first food with newly hatched brine shrimp to follow after the first week or so. The fry would be tiny and prone to velvet disease.

Video

Author

David Marshall This article was written and publish on the website of the Ryedale Aquarist Society, Pickering, North Yorkshire, England.

Source: Aquarticles.com (original website no longer available)

References

Labyrinth Fish – The Bubble-Nest-Builders by Horst Linke, Tetra Press.
Labyrinth Fish by Helmut Pinter, Barron’s Publishing.
Star Animals Series – See & Discover Fish (English edition) – Elsa editions.
Dr. Axelrod’s Mini-Atlas, TFH Publications.