Paradise Fish Tank Mates

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brewster320

Registered Member
Jun 10, 2013
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Hey this is my first post on this site. To get to the point though I have some questions about fish that are compatible with Paradise fish. Basically I've have a large man paradise fish for several years and throughout that time hes been moved through several tanks and is now in my 40 gallon "community". I very much enjoy paradise fish as they are gorgeous, a good size, and are pretty active. However I've learned they are extremely aggressive. During the time I've had him he's tormented everything I've put with him other than bottom feeders. This includes a Ram cichlid he tormented to death and an entire school of rainbow fish he killed his self. I hoped moving his up into large tanks would take some of the aggression off the other fish but unfortunately it doesn't seem so.

His setup right now is a 40gallon tank filled with about 30 gallon of water, heavily planted with live and fake plants(hopefully switched them to all live over time), and filtered by 2 Eheim canister filtered rated for 30 gallons. His tank mates are a school of 5 albino cory cats, a bristle nose pleco, a juvenile common musk turtle, and a pair of jewel cichlids. He leaves the bottom fish alone and after first trying to confront the turtle months ago when I first put them together and getting put in his place he leaves the turtle alone too. The jewel cichlids though he has completely dominated and they hide all the time due to him relentlessly chasing them once they come out. So I have this nice tank with lots of activity down near the bottom between the cats and the turtle but none in the midsection or the top. So does anyone have any advice for some tank mates that could tolerate him and liven up the tank a bit?

Also for anyone whose unfamiliar with turtles don't freak out. Common Musk Turtles(aka Stink Pots) aren't highly predatory like sliders, snappers, and other commonly kept turtles. They are a small(5" max for a big male), slow growing(10 years to reach adulthood), and poor swimming turtle that usually just walk along the bottom rather than swim. They are mainly scavengers, they will eat a fish thats already dead but they won't even both hunting a live fish. I've had this turtle for 2 years, kept with fish the entire time, and I've never had a fish lost to him.

Heres a picture of the setup, pretty empty as you can see.
IMG_8024.jpg

IMG_8024.jpg
 

Jayhawk

AC Members
May 12, 2001
1,358
4
38
Lawrence, KS
Any fast moving schooling fish should do well. I've kept paradise fish with white cloud mountain minnows and zebra danios without any problem in 20 longs. In a 40 gallon tank, you should be more than fine.

FWIW, I agree they are awesome fish...very high personality.

Eric
 

OrionGirl

No freelancing!
Aug 14, 2001
14,053
342
143
Poconos
Real Name
Sheila
Paradise really aren't good with friends. I had one in a 55 with brichardi, and they were terrified of him. Best advice--don't try putting anything else in with him. Let him have the tank. Set up something else for the other fish.
 

67chevelle

Basset Hound
Jul 30, 2008
2,286
2
38
I have never kept paradise fish, so don't have much advice on tank mates.

BUT, I like your tank. Get rid of the fake plants and get some more real ones in there. Your turtle is awesome too.
 

brewster320

Registered Member
Jun 10, 2013
2
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0
31
Thanks for the advice everyone. I have added a small school of rummynose tetras and it has worked wonders. He hasn't chased any of them. If anything it's calmed him down and he's less aggressive towards the other fish. Like wise all the other fish in the tank seem much calmer and don't hide constantly. Now the setup if a flurry of activity. I've also slowly started adding live plants and phasing out the fakes. Here's a picture. Sorry I haven't had time to lighten up, my iPhone only wanted to focus of the brightness of everything above the water line.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

ImageUploadedByMonsterAquariaNetwork1371581864.848582.jpg
 

Jayhawk

AC Members
May 12, 2001
1,358
4
38
Lawrence, KS
Excellent! Paradise fish are not evil monsters...they're smart little buggers and feel more comfortable alone or with schooling fish. Very cichlid-like in some ways.

Eric
 

Ziraili

Registered Member
Feb 24, 2014
4
0
0
Minnesota
I have my Blue Paradise Fish in with some Black Phantom tetras and they get along fine. Never had any chasing or anything... They are neat fish and very amusing to watch.
 

henningc

AC Members
May 11, 2013
657
38
31
Everytime I have had Paridise Fish they have been good tank citizens. Just no bettas or gouramis or all bets are off.
 

zackperry15

Registered Member
May 5, 2015
4
0
0
29
i have a male and female paradise fish and keep them with a bala shark, four tiger barbs, and a florida spotted gar. believe it or not my female paradise fish and my gar are best friends. they swim together and hide in the same spots side by side. its kind of strange the way they act together. the gar has never once tried to harm her or any other of the fish in the tank except for the guppies i feed him.
 

Bottomfeeder2

Lancelet
Aug 31, 2008
287
3
18
28
My female paradisefish lives with three dwarf bumblebee cats. She doesn't pay them any mind... I assume they're too fast to get her attention, and they work the night shift while she sleeps.

Last year, I ended up with a single corydoras (??long story) and put it in the tank, and she beat it up pretty badly. It seems that they can be quite unpredictable... I've heard of some paradisefish that staunchly refuse to play nice with any tankmates, and some that are peaceful.
 
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