Licorice Gourami - Profile | Size | Care | Tank Size

The licorice gourami, scientific name Parosphromenus deissneri is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the subfamily Macropodusinae, a part of the family Osphronemidae, the gouramis.

Licorice Gourami is endemic to Bangka in Indonesia the place it’s discovered within the gradual, flowing streams with black waters related to peat swamp forests.

In this article, I am going to describe the Licorice Gourami, its size, care, tank size, tank mates, seriously fish, and shrimp, etc.

Licorice Gourami at a glance

Maximum Size
4.5cm (1.8″)
Temperature
24-28 deg C (75-82 deg F)
Water Parameters
Very soft & acidic. pH: 3.5-6.5, dH: up to 5 degrees.
Compatibility
Specialist softwater community
Lighting
Dim (can be brighter if diffused by plants)

Description

The Licorice Gourami Fish, often known as Parosphromenus deissneri, is a really shy and peaceable omnivore.

As one of many tiniest of the labyrinth fish, this fantastically colored creature wants entry of the floor of the aquarium to breathe and survive.

As a way to make this fish pleased, it requires an effectively planted 20-gallon or extra tank of barely acidic water that’s effectively filtered.

It needs to be housed with fish that share the identical peaceable temperament.

As an omnivore, this fish prefers algae primarily based meals in addition to meaty meals.

The dimensions of this fish at delivery are around 3/4″.

Measurement: max as much as 1.5″
pH: 5.6 – 7.8
Temp: 74 -82F
Origin: Malaysia, Singapore

Minimal buy quantity is 2 fish, however, we suggest shopping for extra. At the time of cargo, the fish will probably be about 3/4″ or extra.

Licorice Gourami Sexual Dimorphism

Tough to intercourse as a result of the capacity to vary color quickly.

Nonetheless, settled males are normally rather more vibrant with black anal, dorsal, and caudal fins which might be punctuated with a sequence of electrical blue oval formed markings alongside their lengths.

These fins are additionally bordered with a skinny bluish-white margin.

Licorice Gourami Care

The Licorice Gourami is understood from closely vegetated, slow-flowing, blackwater rainforest streams.

Right here the water is acidic, has a negligible hardness, and is tannin-stained from decaying plant matter.

The aquarium should be biologically mature earlier than this delicate species is added.

Present them with a myriad of hiding locations amongst tangles of bogwood, rocky caves, and dense planting, together with floating species to assist diffuse the sunshine.

A darkish colored substrate and background can even assist the fish to really feel extra assured and can convey out their finest colors.

Filtration needs to be environment friendly however water motion mild, and we might recommend using aquarium peat as a filter medium to assist emulate the pure water circumstances.

The addition of leaf litter would additionally assist in this respect – dried Indian Almond Leaves (Terminalia catappa) are perfect and are available.

A lot of consideration should be paid to water high quality since Licorice Gouramis is not going to tolerate elevated nitrates or swings in water chemistry; small partial water modifications need to be carried out on a frequent foundation.

These Licorice Gourami fish are finest maintained in pairs or small teams. If tankmates are desired, they need to be small, peaceable and thrive below tender acidic circumstances.

Good companions may embrace shoals of small cyprinids resembling Boraras spp., Eirmotus octozona, Kuhli loaches (Pangio spp.), Sundadanio spp., or Trigonostigma spp. Acclimatize very fastidiously. May be seen on sale as Liquorice Gourami.

Licorice Gourami Feeding

Small dwell or frozen meals resembling bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, daphnia, and many others. Unlikely to take dried meals.

Breeding

This species has been bred within the house aquarium. The male will discover an appropriate cave amongst the decor (heaped up leaf litter is usually chosen) and builds a bubble-nest inside.

With heightened coloration, he’ll then show to passing females to attempt to entice them into spawning.

If a feminine is receptive, the pair will embrace with the male wrapping its physique across the feminine, with eggs and milt launched concurrently.

The Licorice Gourami pair then connect the eggs to the bubble-nest within the ceiling of the cave. Every pairing normally produces 10-15 eggs, and this course will repeat till 40-100 eggs are laid/positioned within the bubble-nest.

When the feminine is spent of eggs, the male will drive her away and takes on brood care by himself.

The eggs ought to hatch inside 24-72 hours, with the fry free-swimming some 5-7 days later.

The younger would require infusoria adopted by child brine shrimp (Artemia nauplii) as they develop.

In a densely planted tank, some Licorice Gourami fry could survive, however for those who want to elevate bigger numbers, they need to be separated from the mother and father as soon as free-swimming.

It’s of utmost significance to take care of a heat layer of air between the floor of the water and the cover slides always while the Licorice Gourami fry is growing their labyrinth organ, crucial in the course of the first few weeks of their life.

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