Paradise fish
Macropodus opercularis
One of Europe's first aquarium fish: a hardy, striped labyrinth fish that lives without a heater, but males are pugnacious.
Key facts
- Body length
- 3.1 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 23 gallons
- Group
- Alone is fine
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Care level
- 1 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Frozen and live bloodworm, brine shrimp, pellets
- Origin
- Southern China, Taiwan and northern Vietnam
- Hardier than98%
- Bigger than51%
- Calmer than28%
Water: their range vs yours
Paradise fish tank mates
- Panda corydorasGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black widow tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Bronze coryGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Cherry barbGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Chinese algae eaterGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Clown loachGets along in shared water.Good mates
- DemasoniGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Firemouth cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Golden mbunaGets along in shared water.Good mates
- KribensisGets along in shared water.Good mates
- MollyGets along in shared water.Good mates
- MultiesGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Cherry shrimpParadise fish can eat young or small Cherry shrimp; adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- AngelfishParadise fish nips fins; Angelfish is vulnerable (long fins).Risky
- Tiger barbTiger barb nips fins; Paradise fish is vulnerable (long fins). Risk is reduced: the group is at least the recommended size.Risky
- Amano shrimpParadise fish eats dwarf shrimp: Amano shrimp (PROP).Risky
- Blood parrot cichlidParadise fish nips fins; Blood parrot cichlid is vulnerable (slow swimmer).Risky
- Bristlenose plecoParadise fish nips fins; Bristlenose pleco is vulnerable (slow swimmer).Risky
- Neon tetraParadise fish can eat Neon tetra: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- Harlequin rasboraParadise fish can eat Harlequin rasbora: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- Fancy guppyParadise fish can eat Fancy guppy: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- OtocinclusParadise fish can eat Otocinclus: prey body depth 0.7 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
- BettaParadise fish attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Betta.Avoid
- Black neon tetraParadise fish can eat Black neon tetra: prey body depth 0.8 cm ≤ mouth 2.0 cm.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for paradise fish: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 8 cm (SL)
- Adult mass
- 12.02 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 5.78 BU
- Min. water
- 72 L net
- Min. footprint
- 80 × 30 cm per pair
- Group
- 1+ (best 3)
- Swims in
- top, middle
- Flow
- low
- Body / fins
- labyrinth, long trailing fins
- Diet type
- carnivore
- Fin nipper
- occasional
- Sensitive to
- —
Sources: Seriously Fish: Macropodus opercularis · FishBase: Macropodus opercularis
Care notes
Paradise fish come from floodplains, rice paddies and canals of southern China, Taiwan and Vietnam and grow to about 3 inches. They do well at room temperature, around 61–72 °F.
Keep one male with two or more females in a 30-inch tank of 20 gallons, with a lid and calm surface water. Males fight each other and other similar-shaped fish, and long fins may occasionally be nipped.
Questions
What size tank does a paradise fish need?
At least 23 gallons (72 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 3.1 inches without fins.
How many paradise fish should be kept together?
One is fine. They do not need company of their own kind.
What water do paradise fish need?
61–72 °F, pH 6–8 and 5–20 dGH. Paradise fish come from Southern China, Taiwan and northern Vietnam.
How long do paradise fish live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with paradise fish?
Good tank mates include Panda corydoras, Black widow tetra, Bronze cory, Cherry barb and Chinese algae eater. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.