Photo: YIE BABEL, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Licorice gourami
Parosphromenus deissneri
4 cm
Adult size
20 L
Minimum volume
2
Minimum group
5 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Parosphromenus
- Diet
- carnivore
- Social life
- pair
In the wild
Overview
The only recognised member of its genus for almost a century after its description in 1859, this licorice gourami has lent its name to many fish from other regions, since described as separate species. The true P. deissneri has probably always been very rare in the hobby. It is listed as endangered.
- Scientific name
- Parosphromenus deissneri (Bleeker, 1859)
- Classification
- Anabantiformes › Osphronemidae
- IUCN Red List
- Endangered (EN)
Natural habitat
Indonesia: endemic to Bangka Island, mainly in the north and east
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It lives among the vegetation of jungle swamps and streams, in slow, tea-coloured water. Under a dense canopy, light barely penetrates; the water, stained by humic acids, is almost free of minerals, with a pH that can drop to 3 or 4. Some populations now survive only in heavily degraded forest remnants.
Behaviour
It does not suit a community tank: its needs, its temperament and above all its conservation status call for a species tank, at most with a group of small peaceful cyprinids (Boraras, Sundadanio). Never mix Parosphromenus species, which can hybridise. A micropredator: varied small live prey (Artemia nauplii, Daphnia, Moina, mosquito larvae).
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth