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Phoenix licorice gourami

Parosphromenus phoenicurus

Also known as Langgam licorice gourami

FreshwaterFish

Phoenix licorice gourami (Parosphromenus phoenicurus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–81°F
22–27°C
pH
4.5–6.0
Adult size
1.3 in
3.2 cm
Minimum tank
5 gal
20 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Osphronemidae
Origin
Langgam area, Riau, Sumatra, Indonesia

Overview

The phoenix licorice gourami is a blackwater dwarf for a dim, shaded species tank. It is a fish for experienced keepers.

Did you know

The phoenix licorice gourami's species name, phoenicurus, means red-tailed. A courting male glows with a flame-colored tail that stands out sharply against the near-black water of its home swamps.

Caring for the phoenix licorice gourami

Keep a single pair of phoenix licorice gouramis in a shaded species tank of at least 5 gal (20 L). Arrange driftwood, dried leaves and small caves around a dark substrate, and give each fish its own cave.

Hold the water soft and acidic, at a pH of 4.5 to 6.0 and 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C). Use reverse osmosis water where the tap runs too hard. Feed small live and frozen foods, such as newly hatched brine shrimp, grindal worms and mosquito larvae.

Keep it on its own or with only a few tiny, peaceful fish. It feeds slowly and yields ground to bolder company, so be cautious with tank mates.

Dim light and steady water bring the male into color and may prompt a pair to spawn. A dark tank shows his colors best. The male guards the clutch in a cave and tends the fry through their first weeks, and breeding is hard.

Good to know

Parosphromenus phoenicurus is a labyrinth fish in the family Osphronemidae. It was described by Schindler and Linke in 2012.

In the wild

The phoenix licorice gourami comes from peat swamp blackwater near Langgam in Riau province, Sumatra. The water there is soft, mineral-poor and strongly acidic.

Common questions

What size tank does a phoenix licorice gourami need?

A phoenix licorice gourami needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a phoenix licorice gourami need?

A phoenix licorice gourami is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.0.

What does a phoenix licorice gourami eat?

A phoenix licorice gourami eats small live and frozen foods, such as newly hatched brine shrimp, grindal worms and mosquito larvae.

How big does a phoenix licorice gourami get?

An adult phoenix licorice gourami reaches about 1.3 in (3.2 cm).

How does a phoenix licorice gourami breed?

Phoenix licorice gourami males guard the clutch in a cave and tend the fry through their first weeks. Dim light and steady water may prompt a pair to spawn, but breeding is hard.

Related species