Vaillant's chocolate gourami

Vaillant's chocolate gourami is a labyrinth fish of the family Osphronemidae, native to blackwater streams and peat swamps of Borneo. It has a warm reddish-brown body crossed by iridescent turquoise-blue bars, more subtle than its bright appearance under good conditions suggests. It is a delicate omnivore that feeds on small invertebrates and takes prepared foods reluctantly at first. Unlike many gouramis it is an egg-layer rather than a mouthbrooder in the same way as its relatives, with the female mouthbrooding the eggs in this species. It demands soft, very acidic blackwater conditions with tannin-stained water, gentle flow, and pristine quality, which makes it a species for experienced keepers. A dimly lit, densely planted tank with leaf litter suits it best, alongside only small, calm tankmates. It prefers small live and frozen foods such as daphnia and brine shrimp. Precise breeding details in this species are somewhat uncertain.