Need an opinion on second fish...

[Emerson]

My husband and I adore little Napoleon (rescued last weekend from WMart), and I would give anything to have a second Betta but we just don't have the space. We rent, and there is no room to set up another 5 gallon aquarium in the living room. We keep the house pretty cold (due to hubby's health problems), so a tank large enough to heat is a necessity. An option that I'm considering is getting a 4 gallon "goldfish" bowl that our pet store carries, and getting a single Paradise fish to go in it.

I've read that Paradise fish tolerate cooler temps, they are a labyrinth fish and a bubble nester like Bettas, and supposedly they are intelligent and interactive similar to Bettas. They're just not as colorful.

I'd appreciate some feedback on whether this might make a good second choice. Has anyone out there kept a Paradise fish? Are they as friendly as Bettas? Does anyone know if one would do well without filtration? Would 4 gallons be adequate?

Thanks!

[SugarPlum]

Hopfully someone who has a Paradise fish and will reply, but heres a site that answers most of your questions one

Good Luck

[Megan]

I found this link:
www.geocities.com/shtinkythefish/pfish

which says they need large tanks to be really happy, due to how active they are... I don't know much about them though... I would just make sure to research as much as possible before you decide whether or not to get one. Most fish (other than bettas) are not happy in bowls.

[nene]

Have you ever considered White Cloud Mountain Minnows. They like cold water and can live in a bowl. They max out at 1.25". They are not as interactive as Bettas but I have some of them and find it very relaxing to sit and watch them as they are very gentle and get along well with each other. You can even keep them without a filter. They are comfortable in temps between 65 and 75 degrees and are very hardy.