All fish / Osphronemidae

Licorice Gourami

Parosphromenus deissneri

Also known as deissner's licorice gourami, deissneri, bangka licorice gourami, liquorice gourami, parosphromenus deissneri bangka, パロスフロメヌス・デイスネリ, cupang bangka, 戴氏副斗鱼, 巧克力娃娃

A tiny, slender gourami with dark and pale brown horizontal stripes, and males show black and iridescent blue edging on the unpaired fins when displaying. It comes from acidic peat swamp blackwater and is kept by specialists who enjoy recreating soft, tannin-stained biotopes.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3.5 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

4 to 6

Smallest tank

30 litres

Keep as

A pair or small group in a species-only tank

Diet

Carnivore: live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp nauplii, grindal worms and small mosquito larvae

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Bangka Island, Indonesia

Breeding

Males build small bubble nests under leaves or in caves and guard the eggs after an embrace beneath the nest. Breeding is achievable in very soft, acidic water with few disturbances, but broods are small.

Good to know

Many fish sold under this name are actually other Parosphromenus species, as true P. deissneri is restricted to Bangka and threatened by habitat loss. Needs very soft, acidic water and should not be kept with boisterous tankmates.