Hong Kong paradise fish

Macropodus hongkongensis

Also known as Hong Kong black paradise fish

FreshwaterFish

Hong Kong paradise fish (Macropodus hongkongensis) — Chong Fat · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 54–77°F (12–25°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 3 in (7.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 25 gal (95 L)
Temperament: Aggressive
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Hong Kong and adjacent Guangdong lowlands, China
Family: Osphronemidae

Overview

The Hong Kong paradise fish is a tough, territorial coolwater relative of the common paradise fish, and it is best kept singly or as a single breeding pair, never two males together, in a tank of at least 95 liters. It ranges through the middle and upper water and will bully or fight, so tankmates must be fast, robust, and chosen with care, with nothing small or long-finned. It takes most meaty foods readily: live and frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp, small earthworms, and quality pellets. A planted tank with cover lets a subordinate fish escape, and a lid contains its jumping.

In the wild

Macropodus hongkongensis is native to Hong Kong and adjacent parts of Guangdong in southern China, in hillside marshes, slow streams, and vegetated lowland water. Its range has a cool season, so it wants an unheated tank, roughly 12 to 25 degrees Celsius across the year, not tropical warmth. Give it dense planting, cover, and gentle flow, with a pH from 6.0 to 7.5. Dried leaves and a dark substrate suit it.

Good to know

This paradise fish in the family Osphronemidae was described by Freyhof and Herder in 2002 and grows to around 7.5 centimeters. Like its relatives it is a bubble-nest builder: the male constructs a nest at the surface, often under a leaf, and guards the eggs and fry, which makes breeding of medium difficulty. Its dusky, dark-bodied coloring separates it from the familiar paradise fish. Development is squeezing its small range.

Did you know

It is a paradise fish endemic to one of the most densely built corners of the planet, clinging on in marsh and stream fragments tucked between Hong Kong's housing estates and hillsides.