Paradise Fish

Paradise Fish
(Macropodus opercularis)

Paradise fish are well known to tolerate cool conditions and when first imported to Europe in the nineteenth century were apparently sometimes kept in unheated containers. They come from China and Korea, so it is likely that they adapt to cool conditions by virtue of they sheer toughness rather than originating from cooler waters. A suggested minimum temperature is 10° C, though 15° C is more realistic. The albino colour variety may be less hardy than the normal coloured. Older fish seem to be especially hardy and I have one large male that has lived for some four years in an outdoor pond. When outdoors they show stronger colour than indoor fish. They breed happily in the outdoor pond, building bubble nests and caring for the fry, during the warmer months of summer without any intervention from the aquarist.

Paradise fish are marginal as community fish. They can be fin nippers, so they need watching. And the males constantly spar for dominance, with the result that the less dominant fish can be treated roughly or even killed. Nevertheless their hardiness makes them a desirable species. These days they are sold cheaply and their splendid, subtle coloration is underestimated by that of the more brilliant new colour varieties of, for instance, the latest and greatest Bettas. A hundred years ago there was no question that the Paradise Fish was the King of Aquarium Fish.

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