Angel Licorice Gourami – Mastering The Secrets Of This Shy Gem

Written ByHoward Parker

Have you ever peered into an aquarium and spotted a fish so small and mysterious it felt like you’d discovered a hidden jewel? A fish that doesn’t scream for attention, but rewards your patience with flashes of iridescent color and fascinating, subtle behavior?

For many of us in the aquarium hobby, the search for that unique centerpiece fish is endless. We see the same common species over and over. But there’s a whole world of cryptic, beautiful fish waiting for a dedicated aquarist to appreciate them. The stunning angel licorice gourami (Parosphromenus anjunganensis) is one such treasure.

Imagine a slice of a Borneo peat swamp right in your living room, with dark, tea-colored water, tangled botanicals, and these tiny, shimmering fish flitting between the shadows. It’s a challenge, yes, but an incredibly rewarding one. This isn’t just another fish; it’s a commitment to creating a specialized, naturalistic world.

Don’t worry—you don’t have to be a biologist to succeed. In this comprehensive angel licorice gourami guide, we’ll walk you through everything, step-by-step. You’ll learn the exact secrets to creating the perfect habitat, mastering their diet, and watching them thrive. Let’s dive in!

What is an Angel Licorice Gourami? A Tiny Fish with Big Personality

First things first, let’s get properly acquainted. The angel licorice gourami isn’t your typical, hardy gourami you might see in a big box pet store. They are part of a specialized group of labyrinth fish known as “licorice gouramis” (genus Parosphromenus).

Hailing from the incredibly soft, acidic, and tannin-stained blackwater peat swamps of Borneo, Indonesia, their entire biology is adapted to a very specific environment. This is the single most important thing to remember!

They are tiny, reaching a maximum size of just over an inch (about 3 cm). Their bodies are slender, with males displaying breathtaking iridescent blue, green, and red hues on their fins, especially when they are “flashing” to impress females or ward off rivals. Females are more subdued in color, but still lovely with their subtle earthy tones.

Behavior: The Art of Being Shy

These are not boisterous, open-water swimmers. Angel licorice gourami are cryptic and a bit shy. They love to lurk, explore, and hunt for microorganisms within complex environments. Their ideal day involves weaving through leaf litter, hiding in coconut caves, and investigating dense plant thickets.

Providing them with this kind of security is the key to seeing their true, confident personalities emerge. A happy gourami is one that knows it has a thousand places to hide in an instant.

Setting Up the Perfect Home: The Angel Licorice Gourami Tank

Creating the right environment is 90% of the battle and is central to any good angel licorice gourami care guide. Forget the brightly lit, minimalist aquascapes. We’re going for a dark, moody, and complex “clutter” that mimics their natural home. Think of it as decorating a cozy, secluded cottage for your fish.

Tank Size and Setup

Good news! You don’t need a massive tank. A 10-gallon aquarium is perfect for a pair or a trio (one male, two females). A 20-gallon long can comfortably house a small group. Bigger isn’t always better here; a smaller tank makes it easier to control water parameters and for the fish to find food.

  • Substrate: A thin layer of fine, dark sand is ideal. It’s naturalistic and won’t buffer your pH upwards.
  • Cover is Everything: This is non-negotiable. Your goal is to break up sightlines and provide endless hiding spots. Use driftwood, small coconut shell caves (huts), and dense plantings.
  • Leaf Litter: The secret weapon! A generous layer of dried Indian Almond (Catappa), Oak, or Guava leaves on the substrate is essential. It provides hiding places, releases beneficial tannins, and encourages the growth of microorganisms (a natural food source).

Filtration and Flow

These fish come from stagnant swamps, so they hate strong water flow. A powerful hang-on-back or canister filter will stress them out immensely. The best practice is to use a simple, gentle air-driven sponge filter. It provides excellent biological filtration with virtually no current.

Lighting

Dim is the word. Bright, intense lighting will keep your gouramis in permanent hiding. Use a low-output light, or better yet, diffuse a stronger light with a thick canopy of floating plants like Red Root Floaters, Salvinia, or Frogbit. The dappled light effect created by floating plants is perfect.

The Secret Sauce: Mastering Blackwater Conditions

If you want to know how to angel licorice gourami successfully, this is the section to memorize. You cannot keep these fish in typical tap water. You must replicate the soft, acidic blackwater of their home. It’s crucial for their health, color, and breeding.

Understanding Water Parameters

Here are the target numbers. They are very different from most community tanks!

  • pH: 4.0 – 6.5. Yes, that low! Aim for somewhere in the 5s to start.
  • GH (General Hardness): 0 – 3 dGH. This means the water should be incredibly soft.
  • KH (Carbonate Hardness): 0 – 1 dKH. A low KH allows the pH to remain stable at acidic levels.
  • Temperature: 72-79°F (22-26°C).

How to Create Blackwater

Unless your tap water is naturally liquid rock, you’ll need to use RO/DI (Reverse Osmosis/De-Ionized) water as your base. You can buy it from a local fish store or invest in your own unit. From there, you “remineralize” it slightly with a GH booster (like Seachem Equilibrium) to get to that 1-3 dGH range.

To get the pH down and add those beautiful tannins, you have a few fantastic options:

  1. Peat Moss: Place a small media bag of aquarium-safe peat moss in your filter. This will gradually lower the pH and tint the water.
  2. Botanicals: As mentioned, Indian Almond leaves are your best friend. Alder cones are also excellent for releasing tannins.
  3. A Pro Tip: A simple, cheap, and effective method is to brew a cup of organic, caffeine-free Rooibos tea, let it cool, and add a little to the tank. It’s a perfect natural source of tannins!

Feeding Your Finicky Friend: Diet and Nutrition Best Practices

Forget the flake food. Angel licorice gouramis are micropredators, meaning they hunt for tiny live organisms. Getting their diet right is one of the most important angel licorice gourami tips for vibrant health and color.

In the wild, their diet consists of tiny crustaceans, worms, and insect larvae. You must replicate this.

The Best Foods for Angel Licorice Gourami

  • Live Foods (The Gold Standard): This is what they truly crave. Microworms, vinegar eels, daphnia, and newly hatched baby brine shrimp are all perfect. Culturing your own is easy, cheap, and ensures a constant supply.
  • Frozen Foods (Excellent Alternative): Frozen daphnia, cyclops, and baby brine shrimp are great options. They may take some time to recognize it as food. Use a pair of tweezers to wiggle it in front of them to trigger their feeding response.
  • Dry Foods (Very Unlikely): Most will ignore pellets and flakes entirely. Don’t rely on these.

Choosing Peaceful Neighbors: Ideal Tank Mates

This is a simple section: the best tank mate for an angel licorice gourami is another angel licorice gourami. A species-only tank is highly, highly recommended. This allows them to feel secure and display their most natural behaviors without competition or stress.

If you absolutely must have tank mates in a larger setup (20+ gallons), you need to choose carefully. Any potential companion must be:

  • Tiny: So it doesn’t intimidate the gouramis.
  • Peaceful: No fin-nippers or bullies.
  • Blackwater-Adapted: It must thrive in the same soft, acidic conditions.

Good potential candidates include Chili Rasboras (Boraras brigittae), Phoenix Rasboras (Boraras merah), or certain Pygmy Corydoras species like Corydoras habrosus.

Common Problems with Angel Licorice Gourami (And How to Solve Them)

Even with the best care, you might run into a few issues. Here are some of the most common problems with angel licorice gourami and how to fix them.

Problem: My fish are always hiding!

Solution: This is almost always due to the environment. Add more cover! More leaf litter, more floating plants, more caves. Dim the lights further. They need to feel completely secure before they will venture out.

Problem: My fish won’t eat.

Solution: They are likely being offered the wrong food. Stop trying with flakes or pellets. Offer live baby brine shrimp or daphnia. The movement of live food is often an irresistible trigger for them to start eating.

Problem: My fish look pale and lethargic.

Solution: Check your water parameters immediately. This is often the first sign of stress from incorrect pH or hardness. An unstable environment can lead to diseases like Velvet, which these fish are susceptible to. Stable, correct water is the best medicine.

Sustainable & Eco-Friendly Angel Licorice Gourami Keeping

One of the hidden benefits of angel licorice gourami keeping is the connection it gives us to their fragile natural world. The peat swamps they call home are under severe threat from deforestation for agriculture, primarily palm oil plantations.

As responsible aquarists, we can make a difference. Opting for a sustainable angel licorice gourami is a fantastic step. This means seeking out captive-bred fish whenever possible. This reduces the pressure on wild populations and supports breeders who are dedicated to the species.

By creating a biotope tank that mirrors their natural habitat, you are also acting as a conservation ambassador. You are preserving a tiny piece of a threatened ecosystem and helping to educate others about its importance. This is a truly eco-friendly angel licorice gourami approach to the hobby.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Angel Licorice Gourami

Can a beginner keep angel licorice gourami?

They are not a typical beginner fish due to their specific water needs. However, a dedicated beginner who is willing to learn about and maintain blackwater conditions can absolutely be successful. It’s more about dedication than years of experience!

How can you tell the difference between males and females?

It can be tricky when they are young. Mature, dominant males are far more colorful, with vibrant blues and reds in their fins. Females are typically smaller and have a much plainer, brownish coloration. The difference is most obvious during breeding displays.

Why are my gouramis fighting?

Two males in a small tank will likely fight over territory. It’s best to keep a single male with one or more females, or a group in a larger tank with tons of visual barriers (plants, wood) to allow them to establish their own spaces.

How often should I do water changes?

Because their biotope is so stable, you don’t need to do huge water changes. A small, 15-20% water change once a week with properly prepared RO water is perfect. This maintains stability, which is more important than drastic “cleaning.”

Your Journey with a Blackwater Jewel Awaits

The angel licorice gourami is more than just a fish; it’s a rewarding project. It’s a chance to move beyond the ordinary and create a truly special, naturalistic aquarium that is teeming with subtle life and beauty.

Yes, they demand a little more from you. You have to become a student of water chemistry and a thoughtful aquascape designer. But the reward—seeing a brilliantly colored male flash his fins in the dim, tea-stained water you so carefully created—is one of the most satisfying experiences in the aquarium hobby.

You have the knowledge and the roadmap now. Go create a beautiful slice of Borneo, and enjoy the quiet wonder of these incredible little gems. Happy fishkeeping!

Howard Parker
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