Photo: Martin Fischer Parostoteles (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Fire Red Licorice Gourami (Parosphromenus sumatranus)
A jewel-sized blackwater gourami with flaming red fin margins — captivating, challenging, and unlike anything else in the hobby.
Will it live with a Fire Red Licorice Gourami?
We compare each fish against your fire red licorice gourami on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Amapá Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 24–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Amapá Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blackwing Hatchetfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.5 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Blackwing Hatchetfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blue Emperor Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Blue Emperor Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cardinal Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Cardinal Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Killifish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Clown Killifish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Crimson Red Betta✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.5 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Emperor Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–27 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Emperor Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Eyespot Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.5 cm · Medium care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–25 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Eyespot Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Flame Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Flame Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Ghost Shrimp✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Ghost Shrimp in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Glowlight Rasbora✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.5 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Glowlight Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Glowlight Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Glowlight Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Golden Dwarf Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Golden Dwarf Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Jelly Bean Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Jelly Bean Tetra in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Marbled Hatchetfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Marbled Hatchetfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Northern Glowlight Danio✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.5 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Northern Glowlight Danio in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Otocinclus✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Otocinclus in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Phoenix Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Phoenix Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Purple Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Purple Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Pygmy Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.2 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Pygmy Corydoras in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Red Phantom Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Red Phantom Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rosy Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the middle of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Rosy Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Sparkling Gourami✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are peaceful; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Tailspotted Oto✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 3.5 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Tailspotted Oto in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- African Dwarf Frog⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Different pH ranges (4–6.5 vs 6.8–7.8); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Water hardness preferences differ (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 0–4 vs African Dwarf Frog 5–12 dGH).
- Amano Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- Water hardness preferences differ (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 0–4 vs Amano Shrimp 6–15 dGH).
- Assassin Snail⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 8–20 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Black Darter Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Hard care · 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
- Black Darter Tetra is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Fire Red Licorice Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Blue Danio⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 4 cm · Easy care · 21–26 °C (70–79 °F)
- Water hardness preferences differ (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 0–4 vs Blue Danio 5–15 dGH).
- Keep Blue Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Cherry Shrimp⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 18–28 °C (64–82 °F)
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 6–15 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Keep Cherry Shrimp in a shoal of 10+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Endler's Livebearer⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 4–6.5 vs Endler's Livebearer 7–8.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 10–25 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Keep Endler's Livebearer in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Malaysian Trumpet Snail⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 21–27 °C (70–81 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 4–6.5 vs Malaysian Trumpet Snail 7–8) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 8–18 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Nerite Snail⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 2.5 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 4–6.5 vs Nerite Snail 7–8.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 8–18 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Pea Puffer⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 2.5 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 5–15 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Rainbow Emperor Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 3.6 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Rainbow Emperor Tetra and Fire Red Licorice Gourami are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add fire red licorice gourami in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Rainbow Emperor Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rummy Nose Rasbora⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 4 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 4–6.5 vs Rummy Nose Rasbora 7–8) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 8–16 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Keep Rummy Nose Rasbora in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Serpae Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Serpae Tetra and Fire Red Licorice Gourami are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add fire red licorice gourami in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Serpae Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Tiger Badis⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 4 cm · Medium care · 22–24 °C (72–75 °F)
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 5–15 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Tiger Badis is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Fire Red Licorice Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Trinidad Guppy⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 3 cm · Easy care · 19–24 °C (66–75 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 4–6.5 vs Trinidad Guppy 6.6–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 5–15 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Yellow Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 4.5 cm · Easy care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 5–20 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Keep Yellow Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (250 vs 3.5 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Fire Red Licorice Gourami as food.
- Different pH ranges (4–6.5 vs 6.8–7.8); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Expect Alligator Gar to harass Fire Red Licorice Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 3.5 cm Fire Red Licorice Gourami whole.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 5–15 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Clown Knifefish is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Fire Red Licorice Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (100 vs 3.5 cm): Fire Eel will treat Fire Red Licorice Gourami as food.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 5–15 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Expect Fire Eel to harass Fire Red Licorice Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 3.5 cm): Koi will treat Fire Red Licorice Gourami as food.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 9–18 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Size gap is too large (120 vs 3.5 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Fire Red Licorice Gourami as food.
- Redtail Catfish clearly outsizes Fire Red Licorice Gourami and is aggressive; risky unless the tank is big and well-planted.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 3.5 cm Fire Red Licorice Gourami whole.
- Spotted Gar is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Fire Red Licorice Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Size gap is too large (300 vs 3.5 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Fire Red Licorice Gourami as food.
- Water hardness preferences differ (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 0–4 vs Wels Catfish 5–15 dGH).
- Expect Wels Catfish to harass Fire Red Licorice Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Fire Red Licorice Gourami is bite-sized to a 72 cm predatory wolf cichlid — it will be eaten.
- pH preferences only just meet (Fire Red Licorice Gourami 4–6.5 vs Wolf Cichlid 7–8) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (0–4 vs 8–20 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Expect Wolf Cichlid to harass Fire Red Licorice Gourami at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Your 75 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Fire Red Licorice Gourami care specs
- Care level
- Hard
- Breeding
- Hard
- Max size
- 3.5 cm (1.4 in)
- Min tank size
- 40 L (10.6 gal)
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- pH
- 4–6.5
- Hardness
- 0–4 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- 2+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Osphronemidae
- Origin
- Sumatra, Indonesia — peat swamp blackwater streams of the Jambi province
What is a Fire Red Licorice Gourami?
The Fire Red Licorice Gourami (Parosphromenus sumatranus) is a miniature labyrinth fish endemic to the blackwater peat swamps of Jambi province, Sumatra. Adults top out at just 3.5 cm (1.4 in), yet males carry colour that rivals fish three times their size: a dark chocolate body set against fin margins that glow deep red with an inner cobalt-blue trim when the fish is displaying at full intensity. Females, by contrast, are cryptically brown with little iridescence — a dimorphism that makes sexing straightforward once you know what to look for.
Like bettas and true gouramis, P. sumatranus is a labyrinth fish equipped with a suprabranchial organ that allows it to gulp atmospheric air. This adaptation evolved for the warm, oxygen-depleted, tannin-stained waters of equatorial peat swamps — some of the most chemically extreme freshwater habitats on Earth. It is precisely that origin that makes this species such a challenge and such a reward: get the water right and you are keeping a near-impossible habitat in miniature; get it wrong and the fish declines quickly.
This is emphatically not a beginner’s fish. The care level is Hard, the water chemistry demands are non-negotiable, and the diet is almost exclusively live or frozen micro-foods. For the experienced aquarist who can meet those needs, the Fire Red Licorice Gourami offers extraordinary colour, subtle bubble-nest breeding behaviour, and a rarity in the hobby that few other species can match.
Where does the Fire Red Licorice Gourami come from?
Wild populations are restricted to the peat swamp forests of Jambi province, Sumatra, Indonesia. The streams and pools they inhabit are soft-bottomed, heavily shaded, and virtually motionless. Water chemistry is extreme: pH routinely 4.0–5.5, conductivity near zero, and water the colour of strong tea from dissolved tannins and humic acids. Submerged leaf litter, root tangles, and emergent vegetation form a dense microhabitat where these small fish hunt tiny invertebrates and display to one another in the dappled amber light.
The species is classified as Near Threatened, with ongoing peat-swamp drainage, palm-oil expansion, and peatland fires in Sumatra steadily reducing habitat. This makes responsible sourcing important: look for specimens from specialist breeders — particularly those connected to the Parosphromenus Project, a conservation network dedicated to this genus — rather than wild-caught imports whenever possible.
What size tank does a Fire Red Licorice Gourami need?
The minimum recommended tank size is 40 litres (about 11 gallons), though a species-only pair can be managed in a well-designed 30 L (8 gal) nano. More water is always easier with extreme water chemistry, because small volumes swing pH and temperature quickly. A longer, shallower footprint — such as a 60 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in) layout — suits the species better than a tall column tank.
Setup priorities for this species:
- Dense planting and cover. Java fern, Cryptocoryne, mosses, and floating plants (such as frogbit or salvinia) lower light and provide territory markers. These fish feel exposed in bare tanks and will stay hidden.
- Deep leaf litter. A 3–5 cm layer of dried Indian almond (catappa) or oak leaves on the substrate is as important as the plants — it provides refuge, contributes tannins, and encourages natural foraging behaviour.
- Minimal flow. A sponge filter running on a slow air pump is ideal; a strong return pump will stress fish this small. Aim for gentle surface agitation, not a current.
- Tight-fitting lid. Despite their tiny size, licorice gouramis can and do jump, especially when startled.
Dim lighting (or floating plants to diffuse it) dramatically improves colour display in males and reduces stress for both sexes.
What water parameters does the Fire Red Licorice Gourami need?
This species demands genuine blackwater chemistry. Compromise here is the single most common reason these fish fail in captivity.
- Temperature: 23–28 °C (73–82 °F). A mid-range of 25–26 °C (77–79 °F) suits them well year-round.
- pH: 4.0–6.5. Aim for 4.5–5.5 in practice. Anything above 6.5 causes long-term stress.
- Hardness: 0–4 dGH. These fish need genuinely soft water — not just “soft for your tap.”
Achieving these parameters almost always requires starting with RO (reverse osmosis) water or collected rainwater, then remineralising minimally and acidifying with peat filtration, Indian almond leaves, or commercially prepared blackwater extract. Standard tap water, even in soft-water areas, is rarely acidic or soft enough without treatment.
Test regularly with a reliable pH meter (not strips, which lose accuracy at low pH) and resist the urge to buffer towards neutral. Stability at 5.0 is far healthier for this fish than an unstable swing between 5.5 and 7.0.
What do Fire Red Licorice Gouramis eat?
Fire Red Licorice Gouramis are strict carnivores with mouths small enough that food size matters as much as food type. In the wild they pick tiny invertebrates — microcrustaceans, insect larvae, and similar prey — from leaf litter and the water column.
In captivity the preferred staples are:
- Baby brine shrimp (BBS) — the single most reliable food; newly hatched nauplii are ideal.
- Daphnia and Moina — eagerly taken and beneficial for gut health.
- Micro-bloodworms or white worms (sparingly, as a treat).
- Small mosquito larvae (live or frozen).
Many individuals flatly refuse dry food. Some can be coaxed onto frozen cyclops or high-quality nano pellets after weeks of conditioning, but do not buy these fish expecting them to take flake. Always have live or frozen micro-foods in supply before acquiring specimens. Feed small amounts once or twice daily; remove uneaten food promptly, as water quality in a tightly controlled blackwater tank degrades quickly with excess organics.
What is the behaviour of a Fire Red Licorice Gourami, and what are compatible tank mates?
The Fire Red Licorice Gourami is genuinely peaceful — towards other species and, outside of spawning competition, towards its own kind. A pair or small group of two to four fish can share a well-planted 40 L tank without serious conflict. Males will display to one another with spread fins and vivid colour, but actual fighting causing injury is uncommon in a tank with sufficient territory and visual breaks.
Where this species demands care is compatibility with tank mates. Their extreme water-chemistry requirements make most community fish biologically incompatible: anything that needs neutral or hard water simply cannot share the same tank. Suitable companions, if kept, are species that genuinely tolerate or prefer blackwater:
- Ember tetras (Hyphessobrycon amandae) or chili rasboras (Boraras brigittae) — both are soft-acid species that are small, calm, and occupy different tank zones.
- Pygmy cories (Corydoras pygmaeus, C. habrosus) can work if the pH is not below 5.0.
- Otocinclus can tolerate moderately acidic water.
- Small, soft-water shrimp such as Caridina cantonensis or wild Neocaridina in very soft, acidic conditions.
Avoid any boisterous, fast-moving, or mid-to-large species entirely — they will outcompete the licorice gourami for food and cause chronic stress. For a full compatibility breakdown, see Fire Red Licorice Gourami tank mates.
How do you tell male from female Fire Red Licorice Gouramis?
Sexual dimorphism in this species is pronounced and reliable in adult fish. Males develop vivid red and blue iridescent margins along the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins — the “fire” that gives the species its common name — along with a more pointed and elongated caudal fin. In full display, a male’s fins are unmistakable even at 3 cm. Females are consistently plainer: uniformly brown to olive, with little or no iridescent edging on the fins and a rounder, slightly deeper body profile when gravid.
Juveniles are harder to sex reliably; coloration develops as the fish approach sexual maturity at roughly six to eight months of age. If buying unsexed young, purchase a group of four to six and allow natural pairing to occur as they mature.
How do Fire Red Licorice Gouramis breed?
This species is a bubble-nest builder, like its relatives in the broader Osphronemidae family. Breeding is rated Hard — not because the behaviour is complicated, but because the water-chemistry requirements must be precise and stable, and raising fry requires live micro-foods in quantity.
A successful sequence typically looks like this:
- Condition the pair with daily live or frozen micro-foods for two to three weeks.
- Ensure water is in the target range (pH 4.5–5.5, very soft) and temperature is stable at 25–26 °C (77–79 °F).
- The male constructs a small bubble nest — often tucked under a broad leaf or in a floating plant thicket. He will then court the female with fin displays.
- Spawning follows the labyrinth-fish embrace: the male wraps around the female as eggs are released, fertilises them, and then retrieves the sinking eggs to place them in the nest.
- The male guards the nest and tends the eggs and newly hatched fry. The female should generally be removed at this point to avoid aggression from the male.
- Eggs hatch in two to three days; fry become free-swimming a few days later and require infusoria or paramecia initially, graduating to baby brine shrimp nauplii within a week or two.
Clutch sizes are small — typically 20 to 50 eggs — which is manageable but means losing a batch to a water-quality lapse is a significant setback.
What diseases are common in Fire Red Licorice Gouramis?
The Fire Red Licorice Gourami is not notably disease-prone when kept in proper conditions, but several issues arise with some regularity:
- Bacterial infections (body sores, fin fraying): Often triggered by water quality outside the target range — especially pH creeping upward or sudden temperature swings. Prevention is strict parameter management.
- Velvet (Oodinium): A parasitic disease that can affect any labyrinth fish. Signs include a dusty gold sheen on the body and lethargy. Prevention: quarantine all new fish before introduction; avoid cross-contamination of equipment between tanks.
- Internal parasites: Wild-caught specimens frequently arrive with parasitic loads. A quarantine period of three to four weeks with observation before placing fish in a display tank is strongly recommended.
- Stress-related decline: Arguably the most common problem. Fish kept in water that is too hard or too alkaline will gradually lose colour, stop eating, and waste away. Prevention is simply getting the water right from day one.
Health note: medication dosing and disease diagnosis are beyond the scope of a care profile. Many medications alter pH or kill biological filtration, which is especially disruptive in a tightly managed blackwater system. For sick fish, confirm symptoms carefully against a reputable fish-health resource before intervening.
How long do Fire Red Licorice Gouramis live?
With excellent care, Fire Red Licorice Gouramis live 3–5 years. Wild-caught fish — which may arrive stressed and parasitised — sometimes live shorter lives despite good husbandry; captive-bred specimens from healthy lines tend to settle in more readily and achieve the upper end of that range.
The single greatest determinant of lifespan in this species is water chemistry. A Fire Red Licorice Gourami kept in appropriate blackwater, fed live or frozen micro-foods consistently, and housed in a calm, well-planted environment will display full colour through most of its life. One kept in compromise conditions — even moderately — will fade, stop displaying, and succumb years early. Commit to the chemistry, and this is a genuinely long-lived and deeply rewarding nano fish.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the Fire Red Licorice Gourami need such extreme water conditions?
Its native Sumatran peat swamps are among the softest and most acidic freshwater habitats on Earth — pH as low as 4 and nearly zero hardness. Kept in average tap water it will be drab, stressed, and short-lived. Replicating blackwater chemistry with RO water, Indian almond leaves, and peat is non-negotiable for long-term success.
What do Fire Red Licorice Gouramis eat?
They are strict carnivores that strongly prefer live or frozen micro-foods. Baby brine shrimp, Daphnia, Moina, and small mosquito larvae are the staples. Many individuals refuse dry food entirely, so always have live or frozen options on hand before purchasing.
What you need to keep a fire red licorice gourami
The baseline is a heated, filtered 40 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 23–28 °C (73–82 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a fire red licorice gourami in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases — buying through these links costs you nothing extra.
