All fish / Osphronemidae

Kishi's Licorice Gourami

Parosphromenus kishii

Also known as kishi licorice gourami, kishii licorice gourami, parosphromenus sp. bangka, liquorice gourami kishii, kishii paro, パロスフロメヌス・キシイ, 岸氏小丑鱼, 岸氏锯盖足鲈

This is a tiny, slender licorice gourami with brown horizontal banding, and breeding males show black-edged fins with red and pale blue trim. Enthusiasts keep it for its subtle display colours and its interest as a rare peat swamp species that is threatened in the wild.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3.5 cm

Temperature

23 to 28 °C

pH

4 to 6

Smallest tank

20 litres

Keep as

A pair or small group in a species-only tank

Diet

Carnivore: live foods such as Artemia nauplii, micro worms, Daphnia, Cyclops and grindal worms

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Indonesia: Bangka and Belitung region, peat swamp blackwaters

Breeding

Males build small bubble nests under the roofs of caves or in leaf litter and guard the eggs and fry. Breeding is achievable in very soft, acidic water with live food, but fry need infusoria-sized first foods and output is small.

Good to know

It needs very soft, acidic blackwater and does poorly with lively tankmates, so keep it alone or with tiny peaceful fish. Wild habitats are being lost to plantations and tin mining, so captive-bred stock is preferable, and it is easily confused with other Parosphromenus species.