Description
Paradise fish or Paradise Gourami (Macropodus opercularis) are small freshwater labyrinth fish found in ditches and paddy fields in East Asia, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to Northern Vietnam. Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fishes available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported to Europe as early as the 19th century. These small fish (adults are typically about 10 cm (4″) are ideal, easy fish to keep in most habitants of community aquariums.
This is an albino form of the labyrinth fish group. Although labyrinth fish have gills, they also have a special organ that allows them to also breathe directly from the air. As a result, they prefer to have access to the surface of the water in the aquarium. The fins and tail have a feather-like appearance, like that of a Betta.