Licorice Gourami

About

Found on Bintan Island in the Riau Archipelago and Bangka Island off Sumatra, this small licorice gourami, Parosphromenus bintan, inhabits blackwater swamps and slow-moving streams stained dark by decomposing leaf litter. Like all members of the Anabantoidei suborder, it possesses a labyrinth organ that supplements gill breathing with atmospheric air, though it surfaces far less frequently than more familiar relatives like bettas or dwarf gouramis. Males are the more colorful sex, displaying striped dorsal and anal fins alongside a rounded caudal fin banded in white, black, and iridescent bluish-green. During courtship the male performs a dramatic head-down, nearly vertical display with fins fully fanned to draw females into a small cave territory. After spawning, the female guards the perimeter while the male handles all brood care, collecting wandering fry and returning them to the nest until they become free-swimming. This species rarely shows up in commercial trade and is mostly kept and bred by dedicated hobbyists within specialist circles. It should not be mixed with other Parosphromenus species due to hybridization risks, and its specific water chemistry needs and conservation status make a species-only setup or a carefully chosen group of tiny, peaceful companions the right approach. Best suited to keepers willing to dial in soft, acidic conditions consistently.