Home / Fishes / Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads / Nagy's Licorice Gourami
No federal permit to keepNagy's Licorice Gourami
Parosphromenus nagyi
Fishes › Gouramis, bettas, snakeheads (Anabantiformes) › Osphronemidae (Gouramis and bettas)
Parosphromenus nagyi is a species of gourami.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 1.6 in / 4 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 68–75°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 4.5–5.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 16 × 8 in (roughly 4 US gallons); space needed is rated “any tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 72–82 °F, pH 3–6.5, 1–4 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament species tank; in a pair; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Can be maintained in a fully-decorated aquarium although many breeders prefer not to use a substrate for ease of maintenance.”
- Diet: “This species is chiefly a micropredator feeding on tiny aquatic invertebrates, therefore in the aquarium it must be offered a variety of small live foods such as Artemia nauplii, Daphnia, Moina, mosquito larvae, micro worm, etc.”
- Tankmates: “Not recommended for the general community aquarium for reasons already touched upon.”
- Breeding: “Normally spawns in small caves or among leaf litter and forms temporary pair bonds with the male solely responsible for egg and brood-care.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Gouramis and labyrinth fish
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Warm, still, vegetated waters. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Planted, calm tanks with floating plants; they breathe air at the surface, so leave a gap under the lid.
Diet
- Food acceptance is species-specific. Parosphromenus deissneri needs tiny live invertebrate foods and commonly refuses dried foods; a pellet/flake staple cannot cover every labyrinth fish.
Health watch
- Males are territorial; dwarf gourami iridovirus.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is native to Asia, where it is known only from the vicinity of Kuantan District in the state of Pahang in Malaysia. It is typically found in the deeper portions of creeks flowing through peat swamp forests.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Parosphromenus nagyi” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Recorded from peat-swamp forests. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 68–75 °F (20–24 °C), pH 4.5–5, hardness 5 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 68–75 °F.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Parosphromenus nagyi is a species of gourami. It is native to Asia, where it is known only from the vicinity of Kuantan District in the state of Pahang in Malaysia. It is typically found in the deeper portions of creeks flowing through peat swamp forests. The species reaches 4.0 cm in total length and is known to be a facultative air-breather. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Facultative air-breathing; Recorded from peat-swamp forests. In the deeper part of creeks. Males build bubble nests in caves, using atmospheric air. — FishBase |
Data and studies
Researched care notes
Researched care notes
Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.
Liquorice Gouramis (group)
Researched for this genus; applies to its species unless a species note says otherwise.
- The guideline describes soft, low-conductivity acidic water; pH preferences differ among species.1
- An unusual successful institutional water protocol is an exception, not evidence that all populations have broad tolerance. Confidence: LOW.1
- Suitable live microfoods are important; many species accept non-live foods unreliably.1
- Small pair breeding tanks and larger community displays are different contexts; food competition affects stocking.1
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 16 × 8 in (about 4 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Parosphromenus deissneri Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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