| Ornate paradisefish | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anabantiformes |
| Family: | Osphronemidae |
| Subfamily: | Macropodusinae |
| Genus: | Malpulutta Deraniyagala, 1937 |
| Species: | M. kretseri |
| Binomial name | |
| Malpulutta kretseri Deraniyagala, 1937 | |
 | |
| Red:present, Light red:possibly extinct | |
The ornate paradisefish (Malpulutta kretseri) or spotted gourami, is a species of gourami endemic to Sri Lanka. [1] [2] It is the only recognized species in its genus. [3]
It inhabits shallow, slow-flowing streams in forested areas shaded with plentiful vegetation near the edges and a substrate covered by leaf litter. It is a carnivore, preying on plankton, fish fry, and the larvae of insects. They can reach a length of 4 cm (1.6 in), though most are only around 2 cm (0.79 in). This species can also occasionally be found in the aquarium trade, [2] where it is reportedly exceedingly shy. The specific name of this fish honours the Sri Lankan lawyer and judge Oswald Leslie De Kretser II. [4]
