Paradise fish

Macropodus opercularis

Family : Osphronemidae

FishFreshwatergourami

The Paradise fish is a hardy fish with bright colors, known for its aggressive behavior. It can live in cooler waters than most gouramis.

Paradise fish — photo 1 sur 4 — No machine-readable author provided. A-kun--a~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims). · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain1 / 4

Popularity

Community fish

classic in freshwater aquarium

Availability

Common in shops

Shop availability

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Description

The Paradise fish reaches up to 10 cm. Males display blue and red stripes with long fins. Females are smaller and less colorful. It has a labyrinth organ. It is very territorial and aggressive, especially towards conspecifics. It prefers cooler waters (18-26°C). It builds a bubble nest. Its lifespan is 3 to 5 years.

Habitat

Region :

Rice paddies, ditches, stagnant and shallow waters

Distribution :

Recommended parameters

Temperature18–26 °C

pH6–8

GH5–15 °dGH

KH3–10 °dKH

NO₃

≤ 20 mg/L

PO₄

≤ 0.5 mg/L

Care

Difficulty

2/5

Diet

Omnivore

Min. tank

80 L

Min. group

Adult size

10 cm

Lifespan

4 years

Temperament

Aggressive

Propagation

Bubble nest builder

Care notes

Temperature: 18-26°C, pH 6.0-8.0. A minimum tank size of 80 liters is recommended. Moderately hard water (GH 5-15). Varied diet: flakes, pellets, brine shrimp, bloodworms. Plant densely and provide hiding spots. Avoid overly peaceful or small tankmates. Ideal in a species-only tank. A lid is necessary as it jumps. Can tolerate lower temperatures in winter.

Track this species in your tank