Those are my favourite of the
sphaerichthys genus - I adore them. The downside is that, like all other chocolates, they are extremely sensitive. Pink Panther, the fish you posted is a different species (though it's in the same genus). It's
sphaerichthys osphromenoides - commonly reffered to as the 'chocolate gourami'. Both are sensitive fish but, because it has been bred less and kept less in aquarium conditions,
vaillanti is the more picky of the two. I could tell you some more about them myself but I'm lazy
so here's an article I found on the Practical Fishkeeping website (I think you need to sign up and log in to see it so I've just copied it onto here):
Vaillant's chocolate gourami, Sphaerichthys vaillanti
Vaillant's chocolate gourami, Sphaerichthys vaillanti, is one of the most stunning anabantoids in the hobby. Andrew Smith explains how to keep it.
Common name: Vaillant's Chocolate gourami
Scientific name: Sphaerichthys vaillanti (Pellegrin, 1930)
Origin: Semitou Kalimantan in the Kapuas drainage in south western Borneo.
Size: Both sexes reach a maximum size of about 7cm/3".
Diet: Live foods, such as daphnia and mosquito larvae. Prepared foods seem to be rejected out of hand with wild specimens like these.
Water: Soft, acidic water is best. In the 1990s, these were found in coloured water with a pH of about 5.3 and a temperature of 29°C/84°F. These were being kept in hard water and looked extremely colourful, but they're likely to do much better in softer conditions.
Aquarium: My experience of these fishes is limited to three I kept a couple of years ago. These fish were the first ones I'd ever seen alive and I kept them for about six months in a heavily planted 45 x 20 x 20cm tank containing lots of Java moss and Salvinia pots and pipes for decor. The fish were not aggressive towards each other, and the only displaying of note was some circling near the water surface. Its potential as a community fish has not yet been fully determined. Aggression does not seem to be a problem, but species tanks are recommended.
Sexing: Males are slightly larger when fully grown. Females are smaller with a more rounded appearance with more prominent colouration under ideal conditions: red brown with vertical stripes and a green sheen.
Breeding: This species, like others in the genus Sphaerichthys group of Chocolate gouramies are mouthbrooders. The female initiates the spawning and it is the male that undertakes the mouthbrooding of the young, which lasts for two to three and a half weeks. The young are released gradually over a couple of days. The fish usually spawns in the evening and the two fish can sometimes be seen embracing on the base of the tank.
Notes: This fish was first described by M Leon Vaillant in 1893 who incorrectly thought it was Ctenops nobilis.
Availability: Rarely available in the shops, but imports are now more frequent. These were imported by specialist fish and reptile wholesaler Tom Halvorsen Ltd (www.tomhalvorsen.co.uk; 07977 098127).
Price: These stunning gouramis are currently selling for £15-25 each.
If you go to the site and sign up, you'll also be able to see the picture that accompanies that article, which is a beautiful fish. Meanwhile, if you want to see the difference between a male and female, and feast your eyes on some more lovely fish, here's a (slightly blurry) pic:
http/www.fischhaus-zepkow.de/Illustratio...s_vaillanti.JPG
Just a few notes on this article, firstly, by 'colored' water it means water containing tannins (tanic acid is usualy found in wood such as bog wood and stains the tank water a yellow color whilts also lowering pH). You can also get something called blackwater extract or similar commercialy-produced products that have a similar effect. I personaly would avoid altering pH, however, unless you are certain you know what you are doing. A better way to keep a stable, low pH, is to use RO (reverse osmosis) water and add whatever you need to that. It also mentions that the author had only owned 3, idealy, you should keep them in a larger group. I also don't know how up-to-date the price it mentions is. Also, pay very close attention to the part about feeding live foods - most of these gouramies are wild-caught and won't accept anything else. They can be very difficult to train onto flake or pellet food as well though, with a lot of patience, it's possible.
Regardless, this is not a good gourami to start with. If you are interested in gouramies, post your tank details - size, fish currently in it and number, whether it's planted, water parameters, pH and temperature and several people are sure to offer you some options (I'm sure I will anyway).