Moonlight Gourami
Trichopodus microlepis
- Care level
- Beginner
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 81 litres
- Temperature
- 25–30 °C
Species profile
Licorice Gourami
Parosphromenus deissneri
Common names: Licorice Gourami
Recognized speciesGouramis
Adult size
Up to 4 cm
Up to 4 cm
Countries of origin
Good fit for your tank?
Good fit for
- A small, well-kept nano tank
- A dedicated tank built around this one fish
- A mature, stable aquarium
Think carefully if
- Your tap water is hard and you do not want to treat it
- Your tank is newly set up
A tiny, dark-banded gourami endemic to the island of Bangka in Indonesia, and the first liquorice gourami to be described. Keep alone or in a small group in 16 litres or more.
Appearance and Identification
A tiny, dark-banded gourami endemic to the island of Bangka in Indonesia, and the first liquorice gourami to be described. Males have fins edged in white to blue. It needs very soft, acidic blackwater.
Check the scientific name when buying, as common names vary between sellers and countries.
Males are usually brighter, with more pointed dorsal fins, and females are rounder.
Tank Requirements
- Suggested filter
- About 30–50 litres an hour
- Suggested heater
- About 25–50 W for this tank
- Minimum tank volume
- 16 litres
- Minimum tank length
- 40 cm
- Minimum group size
- 2
- Recommended group size
- 2
- Activity level
- Low
- Flow preference
- Low
- Planting preference
- Heavily planted
- Hiding places
- Yes
- Lid recommended
- Yes
- Jumping risk
- Moderate
Keep the water calm, with floating plants and tall stems for cover, and leave a little open water at the surface, because gouramis breathe air. A lid keeps the air above the water warm, which protects the labyrinth organ.
Behaviour and Tankmates
A calm, deliberate fish that explores with its long, thread-like pelvic fins and takes breaths of air from the surface.
Can be kept singly or in a small group. Males may squabble, so give them cover if you keep more than one.
Males can be territorial, especially when building a nest.
Usually suits a calm community of fish that are not too boisterous. Avoid fin nippers, which go for its long pelvic fins. It may eat baby shrimp. Choose its tankmates with care.
Water Parameters
Needs soft, acidic water.
Parameter caveat
Add this fish only to a mature, fully cycled tank, and keep up regular water changes.
Feeding
- Diet types
- Omnivore
- Feeding frequency
- Daily
- Preferred foods
- Quality pellets or flakeA good staple. Choose a size that fits its mouth.
- Frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimpOffer several times a week for colour and condition.
- Algae or vegetable-based foodInclude some plant matter for balance.
Takes prepared foods readily, along with live and frozen foods.
Feed small amounts, and remove anything left after a few minutes.
Breeding
- Breeding type
- Cave Spawner
- Breeding difficulty
- Moderate
- Parental care
- Variable
- Baby foods
- Newly hatched brine shrimpThe fry can usually take this from the start.
- Crushed flakeA simple addition as they grow.
Spawns inside a cave, and one parent guards the eggs and young. Provide a suitable cave for each pair.
Habitat and Origin
- Geographic origin
- Indonesia, Southeast Asia
- Natural habitat
- Blackwater, Ditch, Freshwater Stream, Swamp
- Aquarium contexts
- Nano Aquarium, Planted Aquarium, Species-Only Aquarium
- Audience level
- Intermediate
Classification
- Profile type
- Recognized species
- Genus
- Parosphromenus
- Family
- Osphronemidae
- Species group
- Fish, Gouramis
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Mottled Ctenopoma
Ctenopoma weeksii
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 10 cm
- Minimum tank
- 68 litres
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C
Ornate Ctenopoma
Microctenopoma ansorgii
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 7 cm
- Minimum tank
- 68 litres
- Temperature
- 20–27 °C
Paradise Fish
Macropodus opercularis
- Care level
- Intermediate
- Adult size
- 6–8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 70 litres
- Temperature
- 10–22 °C