Licorice Gourami

About

Found in the blackwater peat swamps of peninsular Malaysia, Parosphromenus alfredi is one of roughly twenty species in the licorice gourami group. A collection of miniature labyrinth fish that remain poorly known in the hobby due to limited commercial availability. Most individuals reaching hobbyists have been collected and passed along through private networks rather than through the trade. Males are beautifully marked, with the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins showing black subdistal bands framed by iridescent bluish borders, reddish tones at the base of the caudal fin, and pelvic fins tipped in white to bluish filaments. Like its relatives, this species breathes atmospheric air using a labyrinth organ, though it surfaces less visibly than many other anabantoids. Keeping it alongside other Parosphromenus species is strongly discouraged. Females are notoriously difficult to tell apart and hybridization is a real risk. Small, peaceful cyprinids such as Boraras make better companions if a community setup is desired. Breeding is a genuine highlight: males perform near-vertical head-down courtship displays with fins fully spread, then guard eggs deposited inside a small cave while the female defends the surrounding territory. The conservation status of this species makes responsible captive husbandry and breeding genuinely worthwhile.