Pseudosphromenus is a small genus of anabantoid labyrinth fish closely related to the paradisefishes (Macropodus), native to India and Sri Lanka. The genus's 2 species in the atlas are compact, reaching about 3 in, with the elongated body, pointed unpaired fins, and labyrinth organ that let anabantoids breathe atmospheric air and tolerate poorly oxygenated water. They typically inhabit shallow, vegetated streams, ditches, and rice-paddy margins across their South Asian range.
Both species have a following among gourami and labyrinth-fish keepers: the spiketail paradisefish (Pseudosphromenus cupanus) and Day's licorice gourami (P. dayi) are peaceful, hardy fish that build bubble nests at the water surface, a breeding behaviour shared with their Macropodus relatives and one that has made the genus a common introduction to bubble-nesting anabantoids for hobby breeders. The conservation picture is mixed - one species is rated Least Concern, the other Vulnerable - suggesting some regional populations face more habitat pressure than others.