# Paradise fish with no tail?



## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

The fish room I frequent has had a tank of gorgeous, healthy Paradise fish in for a few weeks. I went back this weekend and saw one in particular remained - a pale one with no tail. I ended up taking her (I think it's female?) home for a nice discounted $1 price... she is so sweet and very curious, but still shy of me.









Can anyone give me any tips for care? Does this look like an old injury or a birth deformity?

She seems to swim just fine, she just isn't incredibly fast. I have her in with my grow out tank because I need a few more supplies for her tank... She will be set up on her own shortly.


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

moved her into a hospital tank today. slowly becoming more brave and ate some Omega 1 micropellets today


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## ChadS (Feb 5, 2016)

I can't really tell from the picture,and I'm not an expert at fish,but if it looks torn it's an injury and if it's just gone it's probably a birth defect.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Possibly infection. Any fuzz on her at all? Does the area seem to be sealed off or open?

Paradise fishes are cooler water fishes so anything from 68-76 is an ideal range if she's the normal Macropodus opercularis. They're care otherwise is pretty much identical to Betta's; they're adaptable to pH levels, clean cycled water is always best but tolerable to being used to cycle a tank as well. Lots of top cover for her, and she's a carnivore as well. Any question you had in particular for her care?


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

the area where her tail would be it completely clean and sealed with no visible injury, so I'm leaning toward birth defect. The anal fin ends after wrapping around the chopped looking part, so she's probably pooping out of her stub.

So floaters for her tank? I can do that 

Omega 1 micro pellets okay for her? Also, I like to feed Repashy Bug Pie, it's made from fry larvae - should be okay as well?

Just looking for info from anyone with experience  I'm glad care is similar to Bettas. Does body size get much larger than betta fish? I know the tails are super long, usually.


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

these might make her stub more visible:


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## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

Paradise fish are really nice fish. There are fish that are intentionally maimed called heart parrot fish. They cut their tails off to when they are young. I don't like this practice. However, I bring this up because apparently they still manage to live normal lives. So if your fish was born this way she will probably be fine.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/a2/3d/0b/a23d0b8393903a33c0c87bcd85b79c2c.jpg

I have found my paradise fish to be very gregarious and she loves, loves to eat. I feed her twice a day but she'd eat much more given the chance. I don't want her to to get too fat. She already is a nice size. I mostly feed her New Life Spectrum but she would eat Omega One if I offered it. She is bigger than my king betta due to her tail and in mass. Your fish should probably be a sole resident since she might not be as an adept swimmer as some fish.


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

I'm just glad no one has (successfully) tried to create a balloon betta, and then a heart betta...

Any photos of your girl? 

Yeah she won't be going in with other larger nano fish, she can't keep up. Do you think she would be okay with maybe some dwarf killi fish? They are local fish, very cute, tiny nano fish (the males are a pale yellow, the females with even less color).

lol just realized the anal fin is after, not before the anus... >_< so she doesn't poo from her nub. That would look odd...


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

Ah-ha, there have been successful attempts at balloon Betta's unfortunately. I had "rescued" one from Thailand not realizing the seller had like 15 more of them....I felt so bad that I gave money to that poor practice, had I known there were more, I wouldn't have bought him.

And lol yeah, I was going to say....her anus is under the ventrals just like a Betta! haha.

Yeah! Any foods that Betta's eat, she'll gladly take! Repashy is great! She'll love that!

Body size get's roughly to 3-4 inches on average, but since she's already with a birth defect, she might very well be stunted as well. And yes, she's the regular Paradise Fish/Gourami species so that makes it easy.

She may end up eating those fish, Paradise fish tend to be aggressive and territorial, usually they're kept in species only tanks or singly like a Betta would. However, it's good to test it out since she might be docile enough to live with some other larger schoolers. The Kili's may be fine depending on their size. My Paradise fish killed adult White Clouds when I tried and she was just a juvie then so it really depends! Worth a shot if you're able to get those kili's fairly cheap ^_^


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

I remember your little short body guy  I always wondered if they bred him like that on purpose or if it was just a fluke.

I gave her a chunk of fresh Repashy and that was devoured  so cute.

I wonder if her birth defect will affect her lifespan. It's not near most of her vital organs so who knows.

Haha... there are two killis I can try, least killifish and pygmy killies. It's $5/pair of pygmies and the seller sometimes throws in extras. I know its a risk... my giant boy just killed a juvenile molly I was testing him with. 0_o ate the whole thing.

Any photos of your h. Rotkeil?  I might be getting one soon, it depends on what the fish room gets in stock. I have a red spotted so looking to add.


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## lilnaugrim (Mar 27, 2013)

I'm pretty sure he was bred to be like that since there were a bunch of other ones; usually there aren't that many genetic defects unless the breeder intended it or didn't know what the hell they were doing. Since they're from Thailand, I have a feeling it was intended unfortunately.

Yay! Yeah, I love watching Paradise Fishes eat! Just like a Betta only more ravenous lol!

And yeah! She's just a juvie though, only about 2.5-ish almost 3 inches at the moment.
She's Orange Shoulder


About two weeks ago


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

what a beautiful little one!


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