Giant gourami | |
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Adult | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Anabantiformes |
Family: | Osphronemidae |
Genus: | Osphronemus |
Species: | O. goramy
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Binomial name | |
Osphronemus goramy Lacépède, 1801
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Native range in green (widely introduced elsewhere, not shown) | |
Synonyms | |
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The giant gourami (Osphronemus goramy) is a species of large gourami native to freshwater habitats in Southeast Asia.[2] It has also been introduced elsewhere. The species is commercially important as a food fish and is also farmed.[3] It can be found in the aquarium trade, as well.[4] The species has been used for weed control on highly invasive aquatic plants like Salvinia molesta, as the giant gourami can be a voracious herbivore.[5][6]
It is capable of breathing moist air, so can survive out of water for long periods. It is much larger than most gouramis (only the other Osphronemus species reach a similar size), growing to a maximum standard length of 70 cm (28 in), though most are only around 45 cm (18 in).[4]