TankBud

Licorice gourami

Parosphromenus deissneri

Also known as Deissner's licorice gourami, Bangka licorice gourami, Liquorice gourami

FreshwaterFish

Licorice gourami (Parosphromenus deissneri)
Martin Fischer Parostoteles · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–82°F
22–28°C
pH
3.5–6.0
Adult size
1.5 in
3.8 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Endemic to Bangka Island, Indonesia, in acidic blackwater peat swamp forest.

Overview

The licorice gourami is a tiny, peaceful blackwater specialist. It is an expert-level fish, best left to experienced keepers.

Did you know

Courting male licorice gouramis glow with iridescent blue and red fin markings. They perform head-down displays inside their chosen cave.

Caring for the licorice gourami

Give the licorice gourami a dedicated species tank of at least 11 gal (40 L). Fill it with peat, leaf litter and tannins. It needs very soft, acidic water at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C), with a pH of 3.5 to 6.0.

Feed only small live and freshly hatched foods, such as baby brine shrimp, moina and mosquito larvae. It usually refuses dried food and often frozen food as well.

The licorice gourami is peaceful and stays low in the tank. Keep it alone or with a few tiny cyprinids such as Boraras, never with boisterous fish. It is easily starved or stressed. Breeding is hard.

Good to know

Parosphromenus deissneri was described by Bleeker in 1859. It is the type species of the licorice gourami genus in the family Osphronemidae, and one of the smallest gouramis. Many fish sold under this name are actually other Parosphromenus species.

In the wild

True Parosphromenus deissneri is restricted to Bangka Island, Indonesia. It lives in shaded blackwater swamps and streams with very soft, acidic, mineral-poor water stained dark by tannins. Sunlight barely reaches the tea-colored water, and the pH can drop below 5. The fish stays low among leaf litter, roots and submerged wood. These specialized habitats are shrinking fast due to land clearing.

Common questions

What size tank does a licorice gourami need?

A licorice gourami needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a licorice gourami need?

A licorice gourami is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 3.5–6.0.

What does a licorice gourami eat?

A licorice gourami eats only small live and freshly hatched foods, such as baby brine shrimp, moina and mosquito larvae. It usually refuses dried food, and often frozen food too.

How big does a licorice gourami get?

An adult licorice gourami reaches about 1.5 in (3.8 cm).

Related species