Paradise Fish?

[LyraGuppi]

Hmm...recently my fish/pet store has been getting in albino paradise fish. I am smitten, even without their colors. What is the min. tank size for these guys?
I could request the normal ones.
I've learned they only grow to 3 inches, is this true ? They always seen bigger IRL.
How do you sex them, and could they live together?
 
Sorry if I sound like a little kid, I've just been looking all over the place for these guys!

 

[fish48]

 Males have Slightly longer fins and are more colourful. Females more  plumper it is best to keep a pair. males will fight and can end up with damaged fins. I keep one adult pair to each 10 gallon tank  A pic of breeding pair of black paradise fish 

 

[Ruskull]

Just as fish48 said, male Paradise Fish have longer fins and they're more colorful.  Both can be aggressive but the females aren't nearly as bad.  I had a single female in a 36 gallon tank with assorted Gouramis, Cherry Barbs & Glass Catfish and she "spread out her aggression" on all of them!  Nobody got hurt............
 
I wouldn't recommend a pair of these in a 10 gallon though, I'd think a single male or female would be fine in a 10 gallon depending on what other tank mates you have.  A 20 gallon would be good for a pair, preferably a 20 Long rather than a 20 High due to the larger footprint.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Oh, thanks guys.

 

[fish48]

i mention  keeping a pair in a 10 gallon i keep only the one pair no tank mates, plenty of plant cover. males can get aggressive at breeding time . A larger tank is always better for any fish

 

[fish48]

 red type male   there nice looking fish  colour don't look good as a photo
  

 

[Ruskull]

Nice fish!  I like the highlighted tips on the fins.  I had a blue/red striped female that started out a wimp but as she grew so do her dominance and temper.  The other Gouramis were all much larger but she held her own.  
 
Oh, and I didn't mean to offend you by saying I think a 10 gallon would be too small. I was just going by my personal experience.  I only had a single female but I did have her for years, probably 3 or so.  She was cool and I'd get another one but I don't have a tank plan for that yet.  Maybe down the road I'll hook up a 20-40 gallon with a male and like 4 females and see what happens!  I don't stand for too much aggression in may tanks............it's all about balance for me.

 

[Ruskull]

Here's some pictures of "Banshee" my female Paradise:  (Note the 4 inch long female Pearl Gourami she's swimming with)
 

 

[LyraGuppi]

Gorgeous!

 

[simplyfish]

Are these ok for tropical, I always had it in my head these were cold water fish. Not sure where I got that from apart from seeing them in my LFS in the cold water section though.

 

[LyraGuppi]

They are tropical, probably put in coldwater because they are related to bettas, and...
 
"Bettas are fine in freezing water!"

 

[Baccus]

Actually Paradise fish were some of the first fish that survived the extended travel time/ shipping back to England from Asia and then survived the English cold. So although they are considered to come from a "tropical" climate they are not strictly a warm water fish.

 

[Ruskull]

Gorgeous!

 
Thanks!  

 

[fish48]

nice pic. i like the Pearl Gourami 
 
Although the Paradise i[SIZE=13.63636302948px]s considered to be tropical it has quite a wide temperature range of 60f-up to the high 70s I find they do well  keeping and breeding them at 70 to 76F [/SIZE]

 

[Ruskull]

nice pic. i like the Pearl Gourami 
 
Although the Paradise i[SIZE=13.63636302948px]s considered to be tropical it has quite a wide temperature range of 60f-up to the high 70s I find they do well  keeping and breeding them at 70 to 76F [/SIZE]

 
Thanks, and you're def. correct in saying these fish can handle a wide variety of temps.  I seen them kept successfully with Goldfish!  Not that I would, but it can be done if the tank is large enough.