When I was in Otley today, I visited Waterworld in Stephen H Smiths Garden Centre. I noticed two fish in a tank, I’ve not seen for sale in a very long time. They were labelled as Archer fish, but they we clearly not Archer fish and labelled incorrectly. Oddballs of the tropical fish world, so I snapped them both up.
The fish I bought are Spotted climbing perch (Ctenopoma acutirostre), commonly called the Leopard bush fish or African leaf fish, not to be confused with the real leaf fish from South America. The Spotted climbing perch is endemic to the Congo river basin in Africa. (Ctenopoma acutirostre distribution map) It is part of the unique Anabantidae family, that is freshwater fish that originate from South East Asia and Africa and is therefore related to the Siamese fighting fish (Betta Splendens) and all gourami species. The Anabantidae family can breath atmospheric air using a accessory organ called a labyrinth and create bubblenests to breed.
Spotted Climbing Perch, Leopard Bush fish, African Leaf fish (Cteponoma acutirostre)
Must not keep them with anything small, as they are predators!
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Tags: African leaf fish, Ctenopoma acutirostre, Leopard bush fish, Spotted climbing perch