Black Paradise Fish

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Scientific Name

Macropodus spechti

Min. Tank Size

30 gallons

Personality

Peaceful/Breeding males will quarrel

Temperature

68-78°F

pH

6.0-7.0/5-20°dGH

Size

4"

Diet

Carnivore

Breeding

Egglayer

Compatibility

Best kept alone in a species only tank; can be kept with school Cyprinids such as Danios, Barbs and Rasboras.

Black Paradise Fish

This species is endemic to the Quang Ninh province of Vietnam, though the full extent of its natural range is unknown. Black Paradise Fish are typically found in lowland habitats such as rice paddies, streams and marshes as well as slow-moving rivers. Black Paradise Fish have dark bodies and males of the species typically exhibit red fringing on the fins – females may be lighter in color. Males of the species are also larger than females and may develop more extended fins.

Tank Set-Up

These fish prefer a relatively large, well-planted tank ornamented with dim lighting to mimic their natural environment. The tank should be maintained with high water quality and low water movement. Because Black Paradise Fish can be very aggressive, especially during mating, they are generally not recommended for a community tank. These fish are best kept alone or with schooling fish like Danios and Rasboras.

Feeding

Black Paradise Fish feed primarily on invertebrates and small fish in the wild but will accept a variety of foods in the home aquarium. Offer these fish a staple died of high-quality dried flakes or pellets supplemented with small live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, Artemia and Daphnia. The addition of live foods to the diet will help these fish achieve their best coloration.

Breeding

Little is known about breeding this species but they are believed to engage in breeding behavior similar to other paradise fish. The breeding pair should be conditioned with live and frozen foods in order to encourage the male to build the bubble nest. At this point, it may be wise to turn off the filter in the breeding tank so the water flow does not disturb the bubble nest. Following spawning, the male will transfer the eggs to the bubble nest and guard them until hatching. The female plays no part in parenting and should be removed from the tank at this point.