Sumatran licorice gourami
Parosphromenus sumatranus
Also known as Sumatranus paro, Fire red licorice gourami
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–81°F
- 22–27°C
- pH
- 4.5–6.2
- Adult size
- 1.2 in
- 3 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
- Eastern Sumatran lowlands, Indonesia
Overview
The Sumatran licorice gourami is a small, peaceful and retiring fish for a dim blackwater tank. It needs an experienced keeper.
Did you know
The Sumatran licorice gourami carries the name of a whole island, Sumatra, in its species epithet. That is unusual, since most licorice gouramis are known by obscure town and river labels rather than tidy names.
Caring for the Sumatran licorice gourami
A single pair of Sumatran licorice gouramis needs a dim tank of at least 5 gal (20 L). Several pairs can share a bigger tank, as long as each has its own cave. Furnish it with a dark substrate, leaf litter and botanicals, and add clay tubes or small caves for spawning.
Keep the water soft and acidic, at 72 to 81°F (22 to 27°C) and a pH of 4.5 to 6.2. Use gentle peat filtration. Offer small live and frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, microworm and daphnia, since it usually refuses flake.
It is timid and easily out-competed, so pick tank mates cautiously or keep it on its own. The Sumatran licorice gourami is a cave-spawner that tends a small bubble nest in soft, acidic water. Breeding it is hard, but worth the effort to support wild populations.
Good to know
Parosphromenus sumatranus, family Osphronemidae, is a facultative air-breather with a labyrinth organ. Described in 1955, it is one of the earlier-named licorice gouramis and the genus's Sumatran representative. It is often confused in the trade with the better-known Parosphromenus deissneri.
In the wild
The Sumatran licorice gourami comes from blackwater lowlands in eastern Sumatra. It lives in shallow, shaded water that is stained with tannins, soft and acidic.
Common questions
What size tank does a Sumatran licorice gourami need?
A Sumatran licorice gourami needs at least 5 gal (20 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Sumatran licorice gourami need?
A Sumatran licorice gourami is comfortable at 72–81°F (22–27°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.2.
What does a Sumatran licorice gourami eat?
A Sumatran licorice gourami eats small live and frozen foods, such as baby brine shrimp, microworm and daphnia. It usually refuses flake.
How big does a Sumatran licorice gourami get?
An adult Sumatran licorice gourami reaches about 1.2 in (3 cm).
How does a Sumatran licorice gourami breed?
A Sumatran licorice gourami is a cave-spawner that tends a small bubble nest in soft, acidic water. It is hard to breed.
Related species
1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Bukit Merah licorice gourami
Parosphromenus rubrimontis
1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Gunawan's licorice gourami
Parosphromenus gunawani
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1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Juelin's licorice gourami
Parosphromenus juelinae
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1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Opal licorice gourami
Parosphromenus opallios
1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
1.2 in (3 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Tweedie's licorice gourami
Parosphromenus tweediei
1.2 in (3 cm) · 5 gal (20 L)
1.2 in (3.1 cm)5 gal (20 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)Harvey's licorice gourami
Parosphromenus harveyi
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