In the future we will try to introduce a bit of each species to our audiences each month, so keepers can find answers to some common questions easier. For more details please visit our species page on our website. https://www.parosphromenus-project.org/en/p-ornaticauda

P. ornaticauda, from downstream Kapuas, West Kalimantan. From Anjungan to Mandor. Found in very typical black peat water swamps. (pH 4.5, con­duc­tiv­ity 39 micro-​Siemens, tem­per­a­ture 27.6 degrees C, Linke) We confirmed a even lower pH of 4.1 at 2017.

Ornaticauda is one of the two smaller species (parvulus group), which is quite different from other Parosphromenus species. They will not cross with other big species, and thus, can be found together with P. anjunganensis in the same habitat in the wild. In aquarium they are also peaceful roommates of other Paros (except parvulus).

Thus, in comparison to others big congeners, ornaticauda is a bit more sensitive. The keeping and breeding attemps require more patient and control of the water quality, especially cleanliness. The clutches are usu­ally small (10 to 20 eggs, rarely more) and they are often “rearranged” (from one cave to another) or “dis­ap­pear” com­pletely over night. The courtship dance of the male (see below) needs a lot of space, so small tanks (around 10l) are less suited then tanks with 20l or more. The con­duc­tiv­ity of the water should not be above 40 micro-​Siemens. The sen­si­tiv­ity of the eggs towards harm­ful bac­te­ria is high, so it is advis­able to have a low pH value (between 3 and 4) and a high con­tent of humic acids. How­ever, suc­cess­ful breed­ing has been recorded at pH 6.5 in clear water. Still, suc­cess­ful ornat­i­cauda breed­ing is regarded as the “high school” of licorice gourami hobby.

Although P. ornat­i­cauda appears today occa­sion­ally in high num­bers in the inter­na­tional trade, and although sig­nif­i­cantly more loca­tions are known com­pared to the time of its dis­cov­ery, it has to be accepted that the species is highly endan­gered. Part of the orig­i­nal habi­tat is already destroyed and has been trans­formed to palm oil plan­ta­tions. Many of the still exist­ing P.ornaticauda–biotopes have been badly dam­aged by con­t­a­m­i­na­tion with pes­ti­cides. Mainly these habi­tats are more or less affected rem­nants of swamps, still hold­ing black water, but these refuges are get­ting smaller and smaller. After all, this area is one of the most developped area of this island. Human activities are destroying peat swamps and forests along the Kapuas river. Thus, it is now an IUCN CR species.

We hope more and more of them can be maintained and distributed within the aquarium community instead of collecting from wild.