All fish / Osphronemidae

Nagy's Licorice Gourami

Parosphromenus nagyi

Also known as nagyi licorice gourami, nagy's licorice gourami, licorice gourami, liquorice gourami, parosphromenus nagy, chocolate licorice gourami, パロスフロメヌス・ナギィ, 纳吉小型丝足鱼

A tiny, dark brown blackwater gourami with pale horizontal banding, whose males show fins edged in iridescent blue when displaying. It is kept by enthusiasts of peat swamp fish and is valued as a threatened species worth maintaining in captivity.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

3.5 to 6

Smallest tank

30 litres

Keep as

A pair or small group, ideally in a species tank

Diet

Carnivore: live foods such as Artemia nauplii, daphnia, cyclops, grindal worms and mosquito larvae

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Peninsular Malaysia (Kelantan, Terengganu peat swamps)

Breeding

A cave-spawning bubble nester; the male builds a small nest under a ceiling of a cave and guards eggs and fry. It breeds readily in very soft, acidic, quiet water but raising fry needs tiny live foods.

Good to know

Needs very soft, acidic, tannin-rich water and gentle tankmates; it is threatened in the wild by peat swamp clearance, so captive-bred stock is preferable.