Black Paradise Fish - Macropodis Concolor

[fishnovice]

Amazing alternative to betta -sound too good to be true!

Just seen Macropodus opercularis concolor juviniles advertised. Never heard of them but seriously tempted. They look like betta but (according to some sources) are non-aggessive community fish, easy to breed and can tolerate temp from 25degrees to near freezing!Internet research gives conflicting info about their agression, from peaceful community fish to very aggressive males that will kill each other and smaller fish just like betta. One source even recommended keeping them with cichlids like jewels, cons and firemouths.

Has anyone kept them and if so what are they really like?

 

[Gunngee]

Interesting fish. I looked them up after reading your post. Apparently you don't feed them in the winter time and they don't like temperatures above 25 degrees in the summer time.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Well, Baensch has them as 'suitable for normal community tank' (whereas normal ones are 'specialised community tank'), but taking the general group behaviour I would say they they would be generally OK with community fish, but with a degree of 'depends on the individual', and I would expect a bit of fighting between individuals, especially males. They're also quite big chunky fish, so I wouldn't really call them a 'betta alternative' because they'd need a considerably bigger tank.

Overall, you should be fine if you choose tankmates carefully- so community fish that can tolerate any aggression, but equally won't bother the paradise fish.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi fishnovice

I just read this article a few days ago and think you might like to see it too. For everyone else, there's a picture of this fish on the bottom of it.

http/www.hku.hk/ecology/porcupine/por26/26-vert-parafish.htm#index1

They do look interesting but do have an alternate plan if you are thinking about adding them to a community tank. Paradise fish can be quite aggressive.

BTW, if you like anabantoids but not a regular betta splendens, why not look into some of the wild betta species? There are many available including mouth brooding varieties.

 

[fishnovice]

Hi fishnovice

I just read this article a few days ago and think you might like to see it too. For everyone else, there's a picture of this fish on the bottom of it.

http/www.hku.hk/ecology/porcupine/por26/26-vert-parafish.htm#index1

They do look interesting but do have an alternate plan if you are thinking about adding them to a community tank. Paradise fish can be quite aggressive.

BTW, if you like anabantoids but not a regular betta splendens, why not look into some of the wild betta species? There are many available including mouth brooding varieties.

 

[fishnovice]

Well, Baensch has them as 'suitable for normal community tank' (whereas normal ones are 'specialised community tank'), but taking the general group behaviour I would say they they would be generally OK with community fish, but with a degree of 'depends on the individual', and I would expect a bit of fighting between individuals, especially males. They're also quite big chunky fish, so I wouldn't really call them a 'betta alternative' because they'd need a considerably bigger tank.

Overall, you should be fine if you choose tankmates carefully- so community fish that can tolerate any aggression, but equally won't bother the paradise fish.

Thanks everyone. There's a lot of conflicting information on the internet, hence my query hoping to get advice from forum members who have personal experience of keeping these fidh.The person sellinh them claims rhwy are suitablw fo rcommunity tanks and yu can even keep males together. Others say that they are as aggressive as betta -male swill fight eah other to the death and will kill small fish like guppies and tetra. If that's the case I can't risk losing my lovely guppies.I've nothing against betta -they're lovely fish - except fot their aggression which means keeping them in several small tanks and I really have no room for more tanks.If these paradise fish turn out to be vicious killers I might as well get a normal betta. Haven't seen any wild less aggressive betta for sale locally but you never know. Maybe I'll visit the breeder at home and see how he keeps his paradise fish , alone or in communnity tank as he claims

 

[Inchworm]

Maybe I'll visit the breeder at home and see how he keeps his paradise fish , alone or in communnity tank as he claims

That's a good idea, fishnovice. Please let us know what you find out.

 

[fishnovice]

I've emailed him twice but still no reply. Didn't give his phone no in the advert. I'll keep you informed

 

[GreenEyedTerror]

my friend kept one in a betta type set up, but his only mistake was keeping it with a corydoras as well, and did not do water changes as often as he should. It was moved into a larger tank with tetras, and supposedly it killed everything in the tank. IMO it was the water quality, but my friend alleges that he saw the paradise fish beating up the tetras. I'm not sure if this helps at all.