Trichopodus

{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Trichogaster trichopterus2004.jpg

| image_caption= a blue morph of the three spot gourami (T. trichopterus)

| image_upright = 1.2

| taxon = Trichopodus

| authority = Lacépède, 1801

| type_species = Labrus trichopterus

| type_species_authority = Pallas, 1770{{Cof record|genid=472|title=Trichopodus|access-date=14 December 2019}}

| synonyms = * Colisa Cuvier, 1831

• Deschauenseeia Fowler, 1934
• Lithulcus Gistel, 1848
• Polyacanthus Cuvier, 1829
• Stethochaetus Gronow, 1854
• Trichopus Shaw, 1803

| synonyms_ref = {{Cof family|family=Osphronemidae|access-date=14 December 2019}}

}}

Trichopodus (formerly included in Trichogaster{{cite journal|last=Töpfer|first=Jörg|author2=Ingo Schlindler |title=On the type species of Trichopodus (Teleostei: Perciformes: Osphronemidae)|journal=Vertebrate Zoology|date=2009-05-15|volume=59|issue=1|pages=49–51|url=http://www.vertebrate-zoology.de/vz59-1/06_Vertebrate_Zoology_59-1_Schindler.pdf|accessdate=12 November 2011|publisher=Museum für Tierkunde Dresden|location=Dresden|doi=10.3897/vz.59.e30948 |doi-access=free |issn=1864-5755}}{{cite journal|last=Paepke|first=Hans-Joachim|title=The nomenclature of Trichopodus pectoralis Regan, 1910; Trichopodus cantoris Sauvage, 1884 and Osphronemus saigonensis Borodin, 1930 (Teleostei: Perciformes: Osphronemidae)|journal=Vertebrate Zoology|date=2009-05-15|volume=59|issue=1|pages=53–60|url=http://www.vertebrate-zoology.de/vz59-1/07_Vertebrate_Zoology_59-1_Paepke.pdf|accessdate=12 November 2011|publisher=Museum für Tierkunde Dresden|location=Dresden|doi=10.3897/vz.59.e30949 |doi-access=free |issn=1864-5755}}) is a genus of tropical freshwater labyrinth fish of the gourami family found in Southeast Asia. Gouramis of the genus Trichopodus are closely related to those of Trichogaster (formerly Colisa); species of both genera have long, thread-like pelvic fins (known as "feelers" in the aquarium trade) used to sense the environment. However, Trichopodus species have shorter dorsal fin base and, when sexually mature, are much larger, with the largest, the snakeskin gourami (T. pectoralis), capable of reaching a length of over {{convert|8|in|cm|abbr=on}}.Pinter, H. (1986). Labyrinth Fish. Barron's Educational Series, Inc., {{ISBN|0-8120-5635-3}}

Along with the Trichogaster species, Trichopodus gouramis are popular in the aquarium trade. The three spot gourami (T. trichopterus), with its several aquarium variants, each known by a different trade name, is perhaps the most common aquarium gourami. Trichopodus species are also used as food fish in its native range. The snakeskin gourami, in particular, is one of the top five aquacultured freshwater fish in Thailand.{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/fi/website/FIRetrieveAction.do?dom=countrysector&xml=naso_thailand.xml|title=National Aquaculture Sector Overview - Thailand|publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations}}