Licorice gourami in a 20 high

[plantedtanks1052]

I have 8 neon tetras with a bolivan ram on this tank. Could I put a licorice gourami in this tank and things would  be peaceful. Thoughts?

[nabokovfan87]

I can't speak to their temperament, but in terms of scape this is what I found.

 

Quote

Tank Requirements

The wild licorice gourami lives in freshwater habitats with warm water temperatures. It prefers stained blackwaters, where the water has a dark color due to tannin-producing aquatic vegetation. You can find it in swampy water bodies with low visibility. However, some survive in channels and ponds with clear water.

Licorice gouramis are native to slow-moving blackwater streams of the Mekong River basin in Indochina. They are hardy in their natural environment, so they require an aquarium with the same water conditions to thrive.

The best tank set up for your licorice gourami is a warm 20-gallon aquarium (between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius), acidic to neutral pH, and densely planted with many floating plants. You need a tank that can hold at least 5 gallons of water for a pair, and a minimum 20-gallon tank is necessary for a group of these fish.

Tank Conditions

The licorice gourami prefers blackwater conditions, including a dark substrate to mirror its natural environment. To replicate this environment, you can use peat in your filter or substrate, which will turn the water dark brown or black, depending on how much you use.

Make sure that your aquarium also has some driftwood to provide hiding spots. Licorice gouramis like to find a spot and stay there for hours. They also enjoy plants on the top of the tank, as it helps them dart in and out of the vegetation when they feel threatened. Consider an efficient filtration system but with gentle water movement.

The aquarium should be about 16 by 8 inches (40 by 20 cm) and 24-28 degrees Celsius (75-82 degrees Fahrenheit). The pH level in the water should be between 6.8 and 7.2, and the water should be soft or medium-hard. Do not put salt in the tank as doing so will quickly harm your fish.

 

[PineSong]

Here is another thread with some licorice gourami info and other forum members with experience caring for these fish:

 

[Colu]

Typically you want small non aggressive fish with licorice gourami such as chilli rasbora neon green rasbora  as they are very timid fish that come from peat swamps and like a lower pH and tannin Rich water with plenty of hiding place  a thick covering of floating plants plenty of leaf litter and caves and low flow

Edited June 17, 2022 by Colu
Stupid auto correct

[plantedtanks1052]

@Colu I have water lettuce so it will have lots of cover. Also I can buy a betta log to help. 

 

@nabokovfan87 I'm at 78 degrees  and my ph is 7.1

Edited June 16, 2022 by plantedtanks1052

[Colu]

On 6/16/2022 at 3:33 AM, plantedtanks1052 said:

@Colu I have water lettuce so it will have lots of cover. Also I can buy a betta log to help. 

 

@nabokovfan87 I'm at 78 degrees  and my ph is 7.1

One the more common species of licorice gourami in the trade is parosphromenus deissneri they can be found in water with a pH below 4 and up to pH of 6.5 temperature of 71-82F 

[Opal Rae]

I keep 3 licorice gourami (2 males, 1 female - unable to sex when purchased) in a species only tank. They are very shy and are experts at hiding. They can be challenging to feed as they prefer live food and are slow eaters. I do not have experience with bolivian rams. I did try to add diamond head neon tetras to my community tank with sparkling gourami and the tetras were too aggressive. They dominated at feeding time and stressed out my sparklers.