Celestial Bidu Fish

The celestial bidu fish is a rare fish that is highly sought after as a showpiece by the wealthy despite its maintenance difficulties. With long, ornamental fins and a slow, graceful swimming style, the celestial bidu is a joy to watch. Although the demand for these fish is high, there are not many available due to their low birth rate and their high probability of an early death. As such, having even one of these fish is a symbol of wealth and status.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The celestial bidu gets its name from its exaggerated ornamental fins. Its three sets of pectoral fins are often described as wings and its caudal fin resembles the tail feathers of a bird. A crest of fins behind the gills is used to display aggression and fear along with its fringed dorsal fins. Along with its long, slender body, the fins make the fish appear like an elegant dancer in the water.

Ecology and Habitats

The celestial bidu thrives best when placed in an open-air pond with ample foliage cover. The fish tends to avoid areas of direct sunlight, preferring to swim in shaded areas or amongst aquatic plants to keep itself hidden. Most people place them in a pond beneath a garden pavilion which allows the fish the shade that it likes while also allowing people to appreciate the view of the fish elegantly swimming around the pond. Though some have tried to keep the fish in indoor tanks, doing so does not allow them to get the food they need and causes them to starve to death.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Like all bidu fish, the celestial bidu is an insectivore and will eat the bugs that alight on the surface of the pond. However, unlike its wild counterparts, domestication has rendered it unable to shoot water at prey from a distance, greatly decreasing its ability to feed itself. For this reason, many celestial bidu fish kept in unideal enclosures are unable to sustain themselves and die early. Unfortunately, the species is very adamant in only eating live insects even when starving and all attempts to supplement the fish's diet have failed.

Additional Information

Domestication

Selective breeding and domestication have caused the celestial bidu fish to be unable to survive in the wild. Its large ornamental fins do not lend themselves to speed and the poison that the bodies of wild bidu fish possess has been bred out, rendering it unable to fend off against predators. Additionally, its ability to catch prey away from the surface of the pond by shooting a stream of water has been lost as well. Intensive inbreeding due to small numbers have left the fish with a weak immune system.
Nevertheless, there is no small amount of wealthy people looking to own the fish for its beauty and grace despite the amount of care needed to keep it alive.

Lifespan

Up to 5 years

Conservation Status

Does not exist in the wild.

Average Length

9 in.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Three colors of celestial bidu fish exist: pearlescent, sunrise, and midnight. The pearlescent coloration has soft pink scales and pale teal fins. It is the most popular coloration, favored by many for its elegant and reserved appearance. The sunrise coloration, on the other hand, is far more flashy with bright golden scales and firey orange fins that shifts to red towards the tips. Though as popular as the former, the midnight coloration has deep purple scales with blue and black fins.