is the paradise fish a gourami?

[amitnarain]

is the paradise fish a gourami? my lfs sells it as the paradise gourami.
is it anyhow related to the gouramis?

btw is it a labyrinth fish?

 

[Devilishturtles]

It is a gourami. They share many, if not all of the same characteristics. And yes, it has a labyrinth organ. To the best of my knowledge, your lfs is right.

 

[amitnarain]

ok thx

 

[Guest]

but most people don't realize that the gouramis and betta fish are of the same family because they are both labyrinth fish. Also the paradise blue gouramis is the most closly related and they can fight almost as feircly as male bettas so you should only keep one. I know i got two once on accident... Also have you noticed that female bettas and male paradise blue gouramis look very similar?

 

[malkore]

I'm no expert, but I disagree. See, gourami are of the genus Trichogaster
While the paradise fish is of the genus Macropodus

Yes, they have similar body shapes, and yes they are both labryinth fish, but that's it. When LFS's sell the Paradise Gourami, it's a misnomer IMO. They may not be that different, but the paradise fish is not a true gourami.

Ashley is also correct that paradise fish can be quite aggressive to each other, and similar looking fish, though its mainly the males that behave this way. I was able to keep 2 males and 1 female in my 75 gallon. Eventually one male died, so now the pair I have gets along quite well.

Lesser known fact: paradise fish were the first tropical fish to be kept in the home aquarium, back in victorian times.

 

[Guest]

Malkore, is it true that the paradise fish are related to the betta? Thats just what i found out from reading about them online.. and i just got a female betta and she looks a lot like a paradise fish except for the top fin is different.

 

[malkore]

Yes, betta and paradise fish aren't too far apart genetically, or in temperment. Don't try to keep them in the same tank. The betta will lose, due to is diminuative size.

 

[Zezmo]

I have a nice book on labrynth fishes, that also talks about Paradise fish. As indicated above, though related to gouramis, the way betas are related to gouramis..they are not a type of Gourami.

That same book describes them being kept in tin boxes by ancient sailors.

 

[amitnarain]

ok. but they definitely look more like the gouramis than the bettas. (i mean their overal body and fins shapes)

 

[qwertie]

yes but surley if bettas and paradise fish were guramis they would have the trademark gourami shapes.
they dont look like eacother but they are inthe same family!.
saying that female bettas look a bit gouramiish and short finned ones.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I'm no expert, but I disagree. See, gourami are of the genus Trichogaster
While the paradise fish is of the genus Macropodus

Yes, they have similar body shapes, and yes they are both labryinth fish, but that's it. When LFS's sell the Paradise Gourami, it's a misnomer IMO. They may not be that different, but the paradise fish is not a true gourami.

There are also many different genus of gourami. The kissing gourami is of the genus Helostoma while the sparkling gourami is of the genusTrichopsis. All still gourami, but not the same genus. Tricky, huh?

A quick search to www.liveaquaria.com and www.thatpetplace.com shows the blue paradise(and other paradise fish) listed under the Gourami section, but also notes that it's also commonly called a paradise fish.

I suppose it could also be that there is only one genus of paradise fish, so they are convienently listed as a gourami because they have such similar characteristics.

Interesting thoughts. Learn something new everyday, don't ya?

 

[Toirtis]

I'm no expert, but I disagree. See, gourami are of the genus Trichogaster
While the paradise fish is of the genus Macropodus

Of course excepting gouramis of the genera Colisa, Parosphromenus, Trichopsis, etc.

Malkore's argument may be flawed,, but he is correct, the paradisefishes are a labyrinth fish that are closely related to the gouramis and bettas, yet are neither.

I have a happy family of 10 paradisefish (4 blue M. opercularis, 4 albino M. opercularis, and 2 M. concolor)...I am on the hunt for another pair of the latter and a couple of pair of Pseudosphromenus cupanus, Macropodus ocellatus, and some Macropodus spechti.

 

[caudelfin]

The Paradise Fish is often called by lfs's a Paradise Gourami. It is of the Anabantoid family. It grows to about 8 cm and while young, two males get along together. When grown they will fight to the death of one or both. They are more closely akin to the Betta than any of the other anabantoids except the Croaking Gourami or so says Dr. Baensch. He and Dr Axelrod agree that they are in the same family as the Betta's along with the Croaking Gourami.

The three belong to the suborder Belitiidae. The Paradise Fish is of the family Macropodus opercularis of Anabantoids. They are listed as unsuitable for a community tank in most books while the tri spot gourami is a peaceful fish except with other males of his species and females also, except in breeding season, but soon after he will kill or try to kill the female. I had to separate mine into two different tanks when I had both. Now I will soon be putting one of the Paradise males in a different tank unless one finds a hole in the tank cover and jumps out, for they are jumpers. If you have a Paradise Fish I would try to cover as much of the top of the tank as possible. If I did not group the species just right over look it please and if you know correct me.
caudelfin

 

[Toirtis]

If I did not group the species just right over look it please and if you know correct me.
caudelfin

Heh..OK...

The three belong to the suborder Belitiidae.

Actually, subfamily Macropodinae of family Osphronemidae of order Perciformes.

There are, as you may have concluded from my previous post, a number of paradisefish species:

Macropodus opercularis
Macropodus ocellatus
Macropodus erythropterus
Macropodus hongkongensis
Macropodus spechti

Pseudosphromenus cupanus
Pseudosphromenus dayi

..and, arguably:
Belontia signata

 

[megladonsharky]

SOrry to hijack... lfs told me I could put one pardise fish in a two gallon tank... and it would be happy .. I was warry when seing they can get 4 inches..

 

[Fruitbat]

The Combtails (Belontia) are in the subfamily Belontiinae in the Family Osphronemidae while the Paradise Fish (Macropodus) and the Spiketail Paradise Fish (Pseudosphronemus) are in the subfamily Macropodinae. That being said....there are significant similarities between the genera. In fact, an old (invalid) name for the Ceylon Combtail (Belontia signata) was Macropodus signatus. The Betta species are also included in the subfamily Macropodinae. Oddly, most of the commonly-available 'gouramis' are placed in the subfamily Luciocephalinae (according to FishBase) along with the Asian Pikehead.

megalodonsharky....

In my opinion, the smallest aquarium that can comfortably house an adult Paradise Fish would be a 10 gallon tank and that wouldn't really be enough to house a pair unless you're REALLY careful. Males have a nasty tendency to be really rough on the females if the girls aren't ready when the male is 'in the mood'.

-Joe