Paradise fish eccentrics

[Wippit Guud]

So, last night I aquired a 3in black paradise fish and a 2in dwarf gourami, currenly enjoying their (lack of) surroundings in a 20g tall. Just has 2 live plants in it at the moment, planning on picking up 2 more and a piece of driftwood tonight.

So, other than the typical shock of moving (he faded in color for a bit), he seems to be extremely hyper, and is constantly running into the glass... I think he's trying to attack his reflection.

Is that normal?

[TKOS]

Try leaving the light off for a couple of days and see if that helps calm him down.

[delmore]

Is the black paradise fish a different morph of the common blue/red variety?

[Wippit Guud]

Different species, actually
Normal is macropodus opercularis, black is macropodus concolor

[OrionGirl]

Blacks are frequently much more aggressive than the red/blue species. Mine will not tolerate another mid-water fish in with him--he kills them quickly.

[Wippit Guud]

Originally posted by OrionGirl
Blacks are frequently much more aggressive than the red/blue species. Mine will not tolerate another mid-water fish in with him--he kills them quickly.

he's actually completely ignoring the gourami in the tank, and instead attacking the glass... I'm pretty sure he's going after his reflection, the tank of them at the LFS was just one big mass of fish aggression.

[Aquarius0015]

You *will* have pics for us, won't you?

[Wippit Guud]

As soon as I get a digital camera... give me a couple of weeks (2 from this Friday, if i have my way)