Licorice gourami

Care at a glance

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.

Related species

• Anjungan licorice gourami

  Parosphromenus anjunganensis

  1.4 in (3.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
• Linke's licorice gourami

  Parosphromenus linkei

  1.4 in (3.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Channoides betta

  Betta channoides

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Chukai Betta

  Betta tussyae

  1.6 in (4 cm)11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)

• 

  Pygmy gourami

  Trichopsis pumila

  1.6 in (4 cm)15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)

• 

  Whiteseam betta

  Betta albimarginata

  1.2 in (3 cm)11 gal (40 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)