Ornate paradisefish

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep a pair or small group in a heavily planted 45 litre tank at 22 to 28 C with soft, slightly acidic water around pH 6.0 to 7.5, dim light, and leaf litter. Feed small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, artemia, grindal worm, and micro worm, since dried food is usually refused. It is peaceful and shy, so keep it in a species tank or with very calm nano fish. Gentle filtration and lots of cover help this delicate fish settle.

In the wild

Lives in slow, shaded streams and pools in Sri Lanka's rainforest wet zone, where the soft water is stained and slightly acidic. It stays among leaf litter, roots, and submerged plants in dim conditions. The species is restricted to a small area and is considered threatened in the wild. It is small and secretive, keeping to cover.

Good to know

Malpulutta kretseri was described by Deraniyagala in 1937 and is the only species in its genus, in the family Osphronemidae. Males develop long, pointed extensions on the tail and unpaired fins and show a lilac to purple sheen. It is a threatened endemic found nowhere else on Earth.

Did you know

Males build tiny bubble nests hidden under a leaf, a rock overhang, or even inside a small cave.

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