climbing perch definition of climbing perch in the Free Online Encyclopedia.

climbing perch or walking fish, member of the labyrinth fish family, adapted to living in oxygen-depleted water or on dry land. It is not related to the true perch. Labyrinth fishes are spiny-finned fishes of Africa and SE Asia, which have a labyrinthine chamber over the gills that enables them to absorb and retain atmospheric oxygen. Members of some species can remain out of water for several days and will even suffocate (drown) if held underwater. The climbing perch, Anabas testudineus, of SE Asia, is brown and reaches a length of 10 in. (25 cm). Climbing perches travel in search of water when their ponds dry up; they walk with jerky movements, supported by the spiny edges of the gill plates and propelled by the fins and tail. They are said to climb low trees. The family also includes the paradise fishes paradise fish, brilliantly colored freshwater Asian fish, Macropodus opercularis, often kept in aquariums. The males reach a length of 3 in. (7.6 cm) and turn reddish with blue bars during mating season.
..... Click the link for more information. , the betta betta (bĕt`ə) or fighting fish, small, freshwater fish of the genus Betta,
..... Click the link for more information. , and the gourami gourami (g
..... Click the link for more information. ; all are popular aquarium fishes. The land-walking mudskipper mudskipper, name for several fishes of the genus Periophthalmus, of the goby family, found in coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans. They live chiefly on mud flats and in brackish mangrove swamps and are adapted for remaining on dry land when the
..... Click the link for more information. is of a different family. Climbing perches are classified in the phylum Chordata Chordata (kôrdā`tə,–dä`–)
..... Click the link for more information. , subphylum Vertebrata, class Osteichthyes, order Perciformes, family Anabantidae.