Country Species Summary

Macropodus opercularis in Hong Kong
Paradise fish

Macropodus opercularis (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family:	Osphronemidae (Gouramies) , subfamily: Macropodusinae	picture (Maope_uc.jpg) by CAFS
Order:	Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class:	Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name:	Paradise fish
Max. size:	6.7 cm SL (male/unsexed; Ref. 43281)
Environment:	pelagic; pH range: 6 - 8; dH range: 5 - 19
Climate:	tropical; 16 - 26°C; 30°N - 20°N
Global Importance:	fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
Resilience:	High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tm<1; Fec=100-500 times 6-12 spawning events)
Distribution:	Asia: China, from Yangtze basin to the south, on Hainan Island, in Taiwan, north Viet Nam; introduced to the tropical and subtropical world (Ref. 42924). Very popular with aquarists and has been widely transported around the world.
Diagnosis:	Dorsal spines (total): 11-17; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5-10; Anal spines: 7-22; Anal soft rays: 9-15; Vertebrae: 27-29. Caudal fin forked, both lobes elongate in males (Ref. 559), with filamentous extension in each lobe (Ref. 43281); lower margin of preorbital sharply serrated (Ref. 559); conspicuous dark brown opercular spot with whitish posterior margin (margin red in life); body with 7-11 bold, dark bars on pale yellowish background in preserved specimens (blue bars on reddish background in life); dark stripe crossing eye connecting opercular spot with eye; top of head and predorsal body with dark spots; posterior tip or margin of scales on body not darker than scales (Ref. 42924).
Biology:	Inhabits any kind of lowland habitats from heterogeneous structured margins or backwaters of large rivers to small streams and irrigation channels on farmland (Ref. 42924). Can colonize stagnant water bodies with very low oxygen content (air breather). Found in streams, paddy fields and ditches (Ref. 5258). Feeds on small aquatic animals including small fish. First ornamental fish to be brought to Europe (France 1869, Germany 1876) after the goldfish (Ref. 13371). Males will fight each other (Ref. 1672). Aquarium keeping: minimum aquarium size 80 cm (Ref. 51539)
Threatened:	Not Evaluated, see IUCN Red List , (Ref. 36508)
Dangerous:	harmless
Coordinator:
Main Ref:	Freyhof, J. and F. Herder. 2002. (Ref. 42924)
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Hong Kong country information
Common names:	Tin tong ue, Chinese fighting fish, Fa sau gun, Paradise fish, Tong kam pei, Tsung gok dau ue	Ref: Man, S.H. and I.J. Hodgkiss, 1981
Status:	native	Ref:
Salinity:	freshwater
Uses:	no uses
Country Information:	www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/hk.html
Occurrences:	Occurrences Point map
Main Ref:	Man, S.H. and I.J. Hodgkiss, 1981
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Modified: Sampang, Arlene G.

Entered: Torres, Armi G.

CGNET - US

Page created by: Eli, 20.10.03, last modified by Eli, 26.06.07

	Ref.:		Glossary
		(e.g. 9948)		(e.g. cephalopods)
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