Keeping licorice gourami and pencilfish

[ratt5]

Hi,
Can they be kept together in a large tank?
Can licorice gourami be kept in a group.
Thank you,
Terri

[Quixotic]

Generally, they share similar water parameters, so keeping them may not be an issue. Licorice gouramis can be kept in groups, although they need space to establish their own territories.

However, do note that licorice gouramis are very shy creatures and slow eaters. So if you plan to keep them with fast fishes and/or voracious eaters, you have to be mindful that they get to eat. They can be choosy eaters as well, preferring live/frozen food and also need many hiding places.