Family: Osphronemidae
A semi-aggressive carnivore osphronemidae from the Korean Peninsula, China — beginner-friendly.
Macropodus ocellatus of the family Osphronemidae is an aquarium-kept Osphronemidae. Semi-aggressive; one male per tank and carnivore; quality prepared foods with variety; regular frozen or live foods, it grows to 6–8.6 cm and prefers 4–25 °C water. Other Macropodus species in our database include Macropodus opercularis, Macropodus erythropterus, Macropodus hongkongensis.
Mostly no. It's one of the most cold-tolerant labyrinth fish, comfortable from 4–25 °C, and will overwinter in an unheated room. But cold water means slow metabolism and poor appetite — hold 18–22 °C for good condition, and around 24 °C when breeding.
No — like bettas it has a labyrinth organ and breathes air directly, so low oxygen won't drown it. Keep a filter running anyway: labyrinth fish are just as sensitive to ammonia, and a small sponge or hang-on filter is plenty. Avoid strong current.
Not advisable. Both are surface-dwelling labyrinth fish; males will treat each other as rivals and fight, and the betta's flowing fins are an irresistible target. At 6–8.6 cm the paradisefish isn't big enough to dominate a betta safely. One male per tank is the rule.
Yes, it's an excellent beginner fish. It tolerates cold, forgives sloppy maintenance, and accepts a huge water range (pH 6.0–7.5, GH 5–25). A single male in 30 L is a complete setup. The only real requirements: a lid (labyrinth fish are jumpers), one male per tank, and a varied diet.
It's carnivorous but takes prepared food readily. Use quality small pellets or flakes as the staple, supplemented with bloodworms or brine shrimp 2–3 times weekly for color and condition. Cheap single-food diets fade the fish. It feeds at the surface, so floating foods suit it best.
Yes. The male builds a bubble nest at the surface, courts the female beneath it, and guards the eggs after spawning. Eggs hatch in 2–3 days; remove the male once fry are free-swimming or he may eat them. Feed infusoria or powdered fry food. 24–26 °C and floating plants help.
Same logic as bettas but subtler: males have longer, more spread fins, richer color, and a slimmer build; females are shorter-finned, rounder in the belly, and show a white ovipositor tube when in breeding condition. Sexing juveniles is unreliable before 3–4 cm.
Three usual causes. Long-term cold (below ~15 °C) puts it in energy-saving mode; a one-note diet lacking carotenoids bleaches it; or a bright, bare tank makes it insecure. Fix each: warm to 20 °C+, add krill/spirulina-rich foods, and provide floating plants and cover. Improvement shows within two weeks.
Females and juveniles can be kept in a small group, but males must be one per tank. A multi-male setup needs 60 L+, dense planting, and simultaneous introduction — yet fighting remains likely. For display value, a single male in his own tank shows the best condition.
The round-tailed paradisefish (M. ocellatus) comes from Korea, NE China, and the Russian Far East, with a rounded tail and extreme cold tolerance. The fork-tailed paradise fish (M. opercularis) ranges across southern China, has a forked tail and richer color. Same care logic — choose ocellatus for unheated northern rooms, opercularis for warmer setups.