Paradisefish
Macropodus opercularis
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The paradise fish from East Asia (southern China to northern Vietnam) was one of the first ornamental fish brought to Europe, to France, in 1869. It lives in shallow waters — ditches, rice paddies, canals and backwaters — and breathes air, which lets it live in still, oxygen-poor water. It eats small animals, including fish fry. Males fight each other. The male builds a bubble nest.
- Scientific name
- Macropodus opercularis
- Family
- Osphronemidae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Osphronemidae
- Order
- Anabantiformes
- Synonyms
- Chaetodon chinensis, Labrus opercularis, Macropodus chinensis, Macropodus ctenopsoides, Macropodus filamentosus, Macropodus venustus, Macropodus viridiauratus
Origin
- Native region
- Ásia, Europa
Water
- Temperature
- 10–22 °C
- pH
- 6–8
- General hardness (GH)
- 5–20 °dGH
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 8 cm
- Lifespan
- 8 years
- Minimum tank (volume)
- 72 L
- Minimum tank (length)
- 80 cm
Behavior
- Social life
- Pair
- Swimming level
- Middle
- Diet
- Carnivore
Care
- Care difficulty
- Moderate
Reproduction
- Breeding strategy
- Bubble nest
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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