Paradise Fish – Macropodus opercularis

Common name: Paradise Fish

Scientific name: Macropodus opercularis

Average Adult Fish Size: 4.7 inches (12cm)

Place of Origin: South China, Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan

Typical Tank Setup: Heavily planted with some open areas for the fish to swim out into

Recommended Tank Size: 20 – 30 gallon long

Compatibility: Two male paradise fish are not recommended together as they are intolerant of each other. Females and juvenile males can live together.

Temperature: 16 – 28 degrees Celsius

Water Chemistry:  5.8 – 8.0 pH

Feeding: They will eat flakes as well as some live and frozen foods

Sexing: Males are larger and endow more color and females are smaller and don’t have as much color.

Breeding: Males will create bubble nests and collect the females eggs and place them in the nest. The eggs hatch within a day and the male and female will protect the fry from other fish.

Additional Information: They are very much like bettas but not as extreme. Males and females can be kept on pairs and they create bubble nests.