Nagy's licorice gourami
Parosphromenus nagyi
Also known as Pahang licorice gourami, Strawberry licorice gourami
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–81°F (22–27°C)
- pH
- 4.5–6.0
- Adult size
- 1.4 in (3.5 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 5 gal (20 L)
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Pahang and Terengganu blackwaters, Malaysia
- Family
- Osphronemidae
Overview
Nagy's licorice gourami is a slightly larger paro with a famously showy male, kept as a single pair in a shaded species tank of around 20 liters. It stays low in the water around caves, roots, and leaf litter. Keep it alone or with only a few very small, calm fish, and choose any tankmate with caution, as it is timid and slow to feed with competition present. Offer small live and frozen foods, newly hatched brine shrimp, grindal worm, and chopped bloodworm. Provide narrow caves for spawning and displaying, dim the lights, and keep the water soft and acidic for it to settle.
In the wild
Parosphromenus nagyi lives in blackwater on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, in the Pahang and Terengganu region, where the water is soft, acidic, and stained with tannins. Fit it out with roots, dried leaves, narrow caves, and low light. Hold the pH from 4.5 to 6.0 and the temperature from 22 to 27 degrees Celsius. Botanicals darken the water and help the male show his colors.
Good to know
Parosphromenus nagyi is a labyrinth fish in the family Osphronemidae, described by Schaller in 1985, and reaches about 3.5 centimeters. Displaying males turn smoky black with a glowing turquoise band running through the fins. Breeding is hard: the male builds a small bubble nest inside a cave and guards the eggs and fry in very soft, acidic water. It is classed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Did you know
The fish is named for Peter Nagy, the Austrian aquarist who first collected and imported it to Europe, one of many hobbyists whose names are written permanently into this genus.
Common questions
What size tank does a Nagy's licorice gourami need?
A Nagy's licorice gourami needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH do Nagy's licorice gourami need?
Nagy's licorice gourami are comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.0.
How big do Nagy's licorice gourami get?
An adult Nagy's licorice gourami reaches about 1.4 in (3.5 cm).
Where to buy
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…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Freshwater fish · Bettas & gouramis · Gouramis · Advanced fish · Nano fish · Community fish
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Related species
Quindecim licorice gourami
Parosphromenus quindecimFreshwater1.3 in (3.4 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Swamp licorice gourami
Parosphromenus paludicolaFreshwater1.5 in (3.7 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Bintan licorice gourami
Parosphromenus bintanFreshwater1.3 in (3.2 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Phoenix licorice gourami
Parosphromenus phoenicurusFreshwater1.3 in (3.2 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Alfred's licorice gourami
Parosphromenus alfrediFreshwater1.3 in (3.2 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Harvey's licorice gourami
Parosphromenus harveyiFreshwater1.2 in (3.1 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)