New from Glaser: Mini-Gourami 'Vietnam'

[Innesfan 3]

Discovered last year in a remote corner of Vietnam, and yet to be described, is this striking little thing which Glaser has dubbed "Mini-Gourami Vietnam." It is not only a new species, it is likely to represent a new genus as well. Tiny, maxing out at under 2cm. Perhaps others have heard about it. I did not.

 

[anewbie]

Very interesting fish - i presume it is a blackwater fish ?

 

[Innesfan 3]

This is all Glaser has to say. If someone has access to the referenced issue of "Labyrinth," perhaps there's more:

Mini Gourami “Vietnam”
A literal little sensation has reached us from #Vietnam: a new miniature gourami that does not belong to any previously described genus or species. And these tiny fish, which grow to only 1–2 cm in length, are also exceptionally pretty!
The little fish were discovered by Vietnamese nature enthusiasts, who first found them in September 2025. The area where they are found is in central Vietnam, not far from the famous imperial city of #Hue. The habitat is depicted in the English hobbyist magazine “Labyrinth,” the publication of the Anabantoid Association of Great Britain (AAGB) (Issue 216, Spring 2026: 7–8). It is a fairly open habitat at the foot of a mountain range. The water chemistry: 22–26°C, TDS 40 (which is about 2° dGH), pH 5.5.

 

[anewbie]

This is all Glaser has to say. If someone has access to the referenced issue of "Labyrinth," perhaps there's more:

Mini Gourami “Vietnam”
A literal little sensation has reached us from #Vietnam: a new miniature gourami that does not belong to any previously described genus or species. And these tiny fish, which grow to only 1–2 cm in length, are also exceptionally pretty!
The little fish were discovered by Vietnamese nature enthusiasts, who first found them in September 2025. The area where they are found is in central Vietnam, not far from the famous imperial city of #Hue. The habitat is depicted in the English hobbyist magazine “Labyrinth,” the publication of the Anabantoid Association of Great Britain (AAGB) (Issue 216, Spring 2026: 7–8). It is a fairly open habitat at the foot of a mountain range. The water chemistry: 22–26°C, TDS 40 (which is about 2° dGH), pH 5.5.

Interesting - so not really blackwater though very acidic - i wonder if there is a wide variance in seasonal temperature and if they require that seasonal change. I presume 22-26c was collection time and not the full range.

 

[GaryE 135]

I saw photos of that one a few weeks ago, but it wasn't looking that colourful.

There is still so much to be found in this world, assuming the habitats will still be there for us to find what's in them.

 

[Innesfan 3]

I saw photos of that one a few weeks ago, but it wasn't looking that colourful.

Glaser also provided other photos of them in a more subdued mood.

 

[Back in the fold 9]

What an exquisitely beautiful little Gourami ! Have the British established them into the hobby yet or have they even been spawned in captivity ?

 

[Innesfan 3]

What an exquisitely beautiful little Gourami ! Have the British established them into the hobby yet or have they even been spawned in captivity ?

Don't know. But if Glaser is selling it there's a quantity of them out there.

 

[Back in the fold 9]

Don't know. But if Glaser is selling it there's a quantity of them out there.

If I felt that I could do them justice I’d jump on these instantly but since they’re new I think they should be left to expert Gourami aficionados .

 

[anewbie]

Microsphromenus sp. "Vietnam" - Tropical Freshwater Fish For Sale Online

Microsphromenus sp. "Vietnam" | Healthy, happy, quality tropical freshwater aquarium fish for sale online! Flat rate shipping and quick order turn around. Largest selection of rare and common fish in stock since 1999.

www.wetspottropicalfish.com

 

[Innesfan 3]

Microsphromenus sp. "Vietnam" - Tropical Freshwater Fish For Sale Online

Microsphromenus sp. "Vietnam" | Healthy, happy, quality tropical freshwater aquarium fish for sale online! Flat rate shipping and quick order turn around. Largest selection of rare and common fish in stock since 1999.

www.wetspottropicalfish.com

You beat me to it. Just saw it on the updated list posted last night. Not a very flattering photo...or the Glaser photos are too flattering

 

[anewbie]

You beat me to it. Just saw it on the updated list posted last night. Not a very flattering photo...or the Glaser photos are too flattering

My guess if these behave like dwarf cichild is glasser photo is breeding dress which is infrequent and wetspot is the normal look. Though of course if they are young that is also an option but the photo appears to be an adult or young adult fish.

 

[Innesfan 3]

So the generic name as it appears on the Wetspot listing, "Microsphromenus," has no validity, is made up, and is being replicated by vendors and hobbyists writing about the species. Here's a snippet from the facebook post where the generic name was first coined. We've all griped about the situation with made-up common names, but this is a new one on me: a made up scientific name. Sure, we've had bogus scientific names for varieties--A. australe hjerreseni , Barbus schuberti and the like--but never in my memory a bogus genus.

<<now I will simply label them as sp. Vietnam. But I can make up a fake genus name which I think very suitable for them:
Microsphromenus= micro gourami since they are so small that they are most likely the smallest species of all anabas."