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THE PARADISE FISH 



HARRY W. BALLEISEM 



The Paradise fish, Macropodus viridi- 

 auratus, of Asia, has long been a 

 most familiar aquarium fish. In a num- 

 ber of characteristics it is a splendid fish 

 for the novice fancier of exotic fishes. 

 It is beautifully colored, sufficiently dif- 

 ferent in shape from just an "ordinary 

 fish," and has interesting breeding habits. 

 But the most important feature concerns 

 winter conditions. Most tropical fishes 

 must be maintained constantly at not less 

 than 65 degrees, which is not an easy 

 feat, even in a well-heated home. The 

 Paradise fish, in contrast, can endure 45 

 degrees, but it is well to keep it warmer 

 if possible. In addition, being a labyrinth 

 fish, and provided with the means to use 

 atmospheric air, coming to the surface at 

 intervals for a supply, it can endure foul 

 water. In other words, it will not suffer 

 like other fishes if you neglect the aqua- 

 rium. 



Now for the one detrimental character- 

 istic. Our subject is a fighter, and is well 

 able to maul another, male or female, 

 unmercifully. But this can be overcome 

 by keeping a goodly number together, 

 each individual, wary of an attack from 

 behind, perforce becomes pacific. Not all 

 fin-tearing, however, will be eliminated, 

 but the rents will soon mend. Though a 

 slow fish, in the sense that it is not gifted 

 with nervous activity, it is a jumper, and 

 for this reason the aquarium should be 

 covered with a piece of glass, which has 

 the added advantage of conserving and 

 equalizing the temperature. 



During the spring and summer, when 

 the temperature is 75 degrees and above, 

 the male puts on his brilliant colors, 

 which are hard to describe in detail. The 



body is brown, with a greenish cast, with 

 apparent vertical stripes of blue, plus a 

 reddish hue ; fins of various shades of 

 red, with some brown, blue and yellow. 

 His fins are long, sharp-ended, and rib- 

 bon-like ; now contracted, again spread 

 like the tail of the proverbial peacock. 

 The female is smaller, with rounded fins ; 

 light brown in color, which changes to a 

 gray tone when breeding. 



Macropodus viridi-auratus (Paradise Fish) 



When a male and a gravid female have 

 mated, a procedure sometimes made of 

 many battles, even unto the death of an 

 undesired female, the male builds his 

 floating nest of bubbles, rising to the sur- 

 face for air and discharging it, coated 

 with mucus, in the selected location ; re- 

 peating the operation innumerable times. 

 Then, coaxing the female to a position 

 below, he winds himself about her, a 

 gentle pressure expelling the eggs. These 

 he catches dexterously in his mouth, even 

 recovering those falling to the bottom, 

 and blows them into the nest. Spawning 

 may continue throughout the day, and 



