The sexes can be easily distinguished, since males have elongated black dorsal and ventral fins, and are usually a little darker than females.

Due to ornamental fish business and pollution, their numbers have been dramatically reduced.

These fish dwell in streams and estuaries, ranging from fresh to mildly brackish water.

Most of their day is spent hiding among the leaves of plants, where they eat small worms, insects, or vegetable debris.

If conditions are favorable spawning may occur nonstop for months, but they often eat their eggs.