I am thinking about getting a Paradice Fish but I doin't have a good idea of their needs. I have a heated 1gal. tank that has an under gravel filter. I used water and gravel from a cycled tank and I have had it running since Augest and don't know when I will be able to go the 30 minuet drive to the only store that my family knows that carries the species.
Paradice Planning
- Thread starter Anabantid Guy
- Start date
I kept a betta in a 1gal. tank and it lived for almost two years despite no water changes ever, over feeding, and an unheated tank. Now I know better. From what I know a good fish store I know has a paradice fish on display in a tiny bowl smaller than a common bowl. So really I have no idea what they require to thrive.
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You could do one in a 5-10g tank really. They get to about 3-4 inches long I believe, so they wouldn't have room in a 1g tank. I had one in a 10g tank for a long time, and I liked it a lot better than a betta, but they don't get along with other fish so you have to be careful what you put with one. They are also superb jumpers and can find little holes to escape through, so you have to make sure that the tank is very well covered.
It turned out that my sister's female betta got stuck in the filter of her two gallon and died. Third time it happened, too. My family nicknamed it "The Widower". Anyway, my sister got the 5 gal. I am still wondering if a Paradicefish can thrive in a 1 gal. I know that unwritten law and CAPSLOCK discourage it, but I have heared stories that they can be quite happy in a one gallon tank (by the way, my tank is pentagon-shaped). I have also heared that they only eat blood worms or other live or frozen food. Is this true? If you know, please tell. Thanks! 
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They are carnivores and may eat flakes but cant be vegetable flakes. They maybe able to survive but you cant say they can be quite happy in anything less than a 10 gallon... Some places say even a 20. I still suggest shrimp or snails... I just cant see a fish being able to live a good life in 1 gallon of water.
I have one paradise fish in a 24G with some other tank mates..he is 3in long..so by the 1in per G rule I would say no...just because it lived and thrived doesnt mean happy or unhapPY..lol...these fish in the wild live in little pools that commonly dry up to mere puddles..so while everyone else here say 10g I say that anything better than a crappy puddle would be ok.. that was sarcasim..LOL..seriously just because you can do it and they will survive doesnt mean it should be done in captivity. But having some knowledge of what needs to be done it may be better off with you in a 1g than it would be in the hands of the typical betta buyer...kids/uninformed parents.
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I would just like to state that the one-inch-per-gallon rule does not acurrately tell how many fish will fit into an aquarium. Size is a key factor, but other things such as the amount of food given, how often you change the water, waste made by the fish and the shape of the tank matter more in some cases.
You are correct but as a general rule it works. if we explore all of the key issues you pointed out then it is definately a bad idea..unless your going to change the water every day or 2, feed them very little, etc...I could not find dimesions for a 1 g but considering a 2.5g is only 12in long you are only giving that fish 8in of length to swim in..6in in width...so he has enough room to turn around and thats about it, not a very good life no matter how happy you think they are..but as I SAID probably better than a cup.
Brian
Brian