Giant gourami

The giant gourami lives in fresh and brackish water and originates from rivers, swamps and lakes in south-east Asia. The giant gourami belongs to the labyrinth fish. They are a group of fish that have a specialty, the labyrinthine organ that allows them to take in oxygen above the water surface. The labyrinth respiratory system has evolved because these fish often live in oxygen-poor waters. The respiratory system is able to take in atmospheric air at the water surface and the fish can therefore live in waters where the oxygen content is so low that breathing through the gills alone does not meet the fish's oxygen needs.