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
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Very rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Endemic to Bangka Island, Indonesia, in acidic blackwater peat swamp forest.

Overview

This tiny blackwater specialist needs a dedicated species tank of around 40 litres with very soft, acidic water at pH 3.5 to 6.0 and 22 to 28 C, filled with peat, leaf litter, and tannins. Feed only small live and freshly hatched foods such as baby brine shrimp, moina, and mosquito larvae, since it usually refuses dried and often frozen food. Keep it alone or with a few tiny cyprinids like Boraras, never with boisterous fish. This is an expert-level fish that is easily starved or stressed.

In the wild

Lives in shaded blackwater swamps and streams stained dark by tannins, with very soft, acidic, mineral-poor water. Sunlight barely reaches the tea-colored water, and 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.

Good to know

Parosphromenus deissneri was described by Bleeker in 1859 and is the type species of the licorice gourami genus in the family Osphronemidae. True deissneri is restricted to Bangka Island, and many fish sold under this name are actually other Parosphromenus species. It is one of the smallest gouramis, staying under 4 cm.

Did you know

Courting males glow with iridescent blue and red fin markings and perform head-down displays inside their chosen cave.

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.

How big does a Licorice gourami get?

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

Related species