Chocolate gourami Chocolate gourami The chocolate gourami ("Sphaerichthys osphromenoides") is a species of gourami native to the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Chocolate gouramis reach a length of . These fish have a chocolate colour with golden bands running down their bodies. "Sphaerichthys selatanensis" has sometimes been treated as a subspecies of "S. osphromenoides". They are restricted to peat habitats. Unlike many other labyrinth fish, which breed by incubating their eggs in a bubble nest, this species is a mouthbrooder. Even more unusually, this species is a maternal mouthbrooder, with the female incubating the eggs in her mouth; all other anabantoid mouthbrooders
Three spot gourami to breed, the male builds a bubble nest and then begins to entice the female by swimming back and forth, flaring his fins and raising his tail. The female may lay up to 800 eggs. After spawning, the females often are removed to a separate aquarium as the male may become aggressive toward her. The male protects the eggs and fry, but normally is removed after they become free-swimming. After hatching, frequent water changes, especially during the third week, are used to ensure the health of the fry, as this is when the labyrinth organ is developing. Three spot gourami