Paradise fish
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[Photo] English: This image shows a Paradise fish (Macropodus opercularis). Deutsch: Dieses Bild zeigt einen Paradiesfisch (Makropode, Macropodus opercularis). Danke an Familie Leidenberger f??r die Fotoerlaubnis. Date 2006-01-28. Author Andr?? Karwath aka Aka http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Aka

The paradise fish or paradise gouramis (Macropodus opercularis), are small freshwater labyrinth fish found in ditches and paddy fields in East Asia, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to Northern Vietnam.

Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fishes available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported to Europe as early as the 1800s. These small fish (adults are typically about 3" (7.5 cm)) are ideal lone inhabitants of aquariums, being physically robust, somewhat colorful and more alert/behaviorally interesting than goldfish.

Behaviour
Paradise Fish are fairly combative, harassing and attacking each other as well as potentially killing small fish. In the wild, they are predators, eating insects, invertebrates and fish fry. The popularity of this species has waned in recent decades as much more colorful (and often, less pugnacious) species of gouramis have become widely available to hobbyists.

Habitat and Diet
Paradise gouramis are tolerant of virtually any water conditions, surviving in cool and warm waters alike. They can be kept in outdoor ponds, or even the simplest of unheated aquariums. They will accept virtually any food, but should be given a reasonably high-protein diet (as opposed to vegetable-based foods of the sort sold for goldfish.)

Reproduction
As is typical of most bettas and gouramis, spawning involves a male building a bubble nest (a floating mat of saliva-coated air bubbles, often incorporating plant matter) and attracting a female to it. If the female accepts the male's advances, the fish will 'embrace' in open water, releasing both eggs and sperm into the water. The male gathers the fertilized eggs after each embrace, spitting them up into the bubble nest. After spawning, the male has no further use for the female and may violently attack her (and any other fish that approaches the nest.) Once the fry hatch and have begun to swim freely, the male is best removed and the fry raised on infusoria or newly hatched brine shrimp.

There is an albino form of Macropodus opercularis available. Many aquarist authorities consider this form to be less aggressive than the wild type.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_fish

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