All fish / Osphronemidae

Pahu Licorice Gourami

Parosphromenus pahuensis

Also known as pahu licorice gourami, pahu liquorice gourami, parosphromenus sp. pahu, licorice gourami, liquorice gourami, パロスフロメヌス・パフエンシス, ikan api-api, 巧克力丽丽

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A tiny blackwater gourami with brown and dark horizontal stripes, while displaying males show dark fins edged in bright blue. Specialists keep it for its subtle beauty and interesting courtship in dimly lit tanks with leaf litter.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

3 cm

Temperature

23 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 Artemia nauplii, daphnia, grindal worms and mosquito larvae; frozen foods may be accepted

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Borneo: upper Kapuas basin, West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Breeding

The male builds a small bubble nest under a cave roof and guards the eggs and fry after the pair spawn. It is not difficult to spawn in soft, very acidic water, although raising the tiny fry requires very small live foods.

Good to know

Needs very soft, acidic water and is easily outcompeted, so keep it alone or with very small, peaceful fish. Wild habitats are threatened by peat swamp loss, and several similar licorice gouramis are often sold under the wrong names.