Paradise fish care
Macropodus opercularis · East Asia
Paradise fish are tough, striped labyrinth fish that need no heater in most homes.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 61 to 79 °F (16 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- Alone (one male per tank)
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 3.5 in
- pH
- 6 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 19 dGH
- Lifespan
- 8 to 10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep paradise fish
Paradise fish are tough, striped labyrinth fish that need no heater in most homes. Keep one male in a 20 gallon or larger covered tank with fish too big to swallow; males fight each other.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Top of the tank.
Paradise fish tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Clown pleco
3.5 in · 20+ gal · 73–82 °F
Five-banded barb
3.5 in · 29+ gal · 74–84 °F
Bolivian ram
3.2 in · 29+ gal · 72–80 °F
Molly
3.9 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Indian glassfish
3.1 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Kribensis
4 in · 29+ gal · 75–80 °F
Kuhli loach
4 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Upside-down catfish
4 in · 29+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
Green neon tetra: Adult paradise fish eat fish under about 1.2 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Chili rasbora: Adult paradise fish eat fish under about 1.2 in; chili rasboras grow to 0.8 in.
Celestial pearl danio: Adult paradise fish eat fish under about 1.2 in; celestial pearl danios grow to 1 in.
Betta: Bettas fight with gouramis, their close relatives.
Pygmy corydoras: Adult paradise fish eat fish under about 1.2 in; pygmy corydoras grow to 1 in.
Salt-and-pepper corydoras: Adult paradise fish eat fish under about 1.2 in; salt-and-pepper corydoras grow to 1 in.
What a paradise fish tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a cover, and the equipment below. Paradise fish are comfortable at room temperature, so a heater is optional in a normal home.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon paradise fish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon paradise fish tank without being built for a far bigger one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding paradise fish.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, but its display reads 64 to 86 °F, so it can’t show the bottom of the 61 to 79 °F paradise fish range. Check it with a second thermometer that reads below 64 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common paradise fish problems
- They eat very small fish and shrimp.
- Two males fight.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Macropodus opercularis. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Paradise fish André Karwath; edited by Muhammad, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Five-banded barb NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bolivian ram HenryC88, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Molly LPA74, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Indian glassfish opencage, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kribensis André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kuhli loach Iidkk, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Upside-down catfish John P. Friel Ph.D., CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pygmy corydoras Birger A, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Salt-and-pepper corydoras D.W., CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf gourami Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl gourami h080, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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