Gourami whereas others ("Parosphromenus" and "Sphaerichthys", for instance) are very shy or have specific water requirements and thus will be outcompeted by typical community fish. The name "gourami" is used of several other related fish that are now placed in different families: Gourami Gouramis, or gouramies , are a group of freshwater anabantiform fishes that comprise the family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from Pakistan and India to the Malay Archipelago and northeasterly towards Korea. The name "gourami", of Javanese origin, is also used for fish of the families Helostomatidae and Anabantidae. Many gouramis have an elongated, feeler-like ray at
Pygmy gourami Its native habitat is slow rivers, rice paddies, ditches and small ponds. It is most commonly found in standing not stagnant water (including waters with low oxygen levels) that has a dense cover of floating plants. The pygmy gourami can survive in these waters because of its labyrinth organ, which allows it to breathe air from the surface. Its native habitat has a pH of 6.0 - 7.5, dH of 5 - 19, and temperature 25 °C to 28 °C (77 °F to 83 °F). It feeds on zooplankton and aquatic insects. The pygmy gourami can be found in the