[Peter Finke]

I am very happy about this development and, especially, the last notes by Mark and Bill. Bill has certainly listed some of the relevant causes for the situation given, but I think there are two to be supplemented.
Licorice gouramis are small fish, but not as small characids or barbs that live in big groups and swim permanently from left to right, but they are living in pairs or small, mostly hidden groups, rather slowly moving. They are too small and shy for the average aquarist. The development of cheap larger tanks has promoted larger fish, a clear interrelation.
And the second thing: Paros are not to be fed on industrial food and not to be kept and bred in most tap water. Gnenerally, you cannot put some ingredients in your water to make it suitable for Paros; that will work for many fish, but not for licorice gouramis.
Therefore I think these fish will be always remain a speciality for those who are interested in behaviour, breeding and conservation. And I think founding that ALFA-organization was definitely the right action to be taken now! It will not change things in very short time, but I could imagine that it will change things.
Anyhow: We have about one hundred specialist for these fish in Germany and only about ten in the U.S.? The United States being much bigger and with many more aquarists? I think it’s a thing to be developed and you took the right action to get it into move.