Quindecim licorice gourami

Parosphromenus quindecim

Also known as Manis Mata licorice gourami, Queen licorice gourami

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–81°F (22–27°C)
pH: 4.5–6.0
Adult size: 1.3 in (3.4 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: Manis Mata region, West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Family: Osphronemidae

Overview

The quindecim licorice gourami is a relatively robust paro, but it is still kept the specialist way: a single pair in a dim, botanical species tank of about 20 liters, keeping to the lower levels around caves and fallen leaves. Keep it alone or with a few tiny, calm fish only, and weigh every tankmate choice carefully, as it competes poorly for food. Condition it on small live and frozen foods, brine shrimp nauplii, microworm, and moina. Provide narrow caves, keep the lights down, and hold the water soft and stable, and a settled pair will breed for a patient keeper.

In the wild

Parosphromenus quindecim lives in peat swamp blackwater in the Pawan river basin around Manis Mata in West Kalimantan, Borneo, soft, acidic, tannin-stained water shaded by forest. Use driftwood, a layer of 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, softening tap water by reverse osmosis to reach that range.

Good to know

Parosphromenus quindecim is a labyrinth fish in the family Osphronemidae, described by Kottelat and Ng in 2005, and reaches about 3.4 centimeters. Breeding is hard: the male guards eggs and fry in a cave, and the fry need very soft, acidic water. The name is Latin for fifteen, a reference to the fifteen spines in its dorsal fin, which help set it apart from related species. The IUCN lists it as critically endangered.

Did you know

The odd name is simply the Latin for fifteen, chosen not for any ranking but for the fifteen spines counted in the fish's dorsal fin, a small anatomical detail that helps tell it from its close relatives.