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Is Water Hawthorn a Good Plant for Licorice Gourami?

Reviewed by Guidarium Editorial DeskUpdated May 6, 2026
Strong Fit

Water Hawthorn is a strong fit for Licorice Gourami. The shared water window is realistic, and the plant has enough structure or resilience to be useful in a tank built around this fish. Fish pressure is low, so the plant can be judged mostly on water match, cover value, and layout role.

Water Hawthorn

Aponogeton distachyos

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PlacementBackground
LightModerate
DifficultyIntermediate
Size120 × 60 cm

Licorice Gourami

Parosphromenus deissneri

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TemperamentPeaceful
FamilyAnabantoids
Temp22–28°C
Water TypeFreshwater Only

Quick Decision

A plant can be technically compatible with a fish and still fail in the actual tank if the fish digs, chews, needs denser cover, or uses a different part of the layout.

Overall fit

94/100

The plant and fish suit each other well.

Water match

Workable overlap

Shared range: 22-24°C, pH 6-6, 4-4 dGH.

Plant pressure

Low

Licorice Gourami is not flagged as unusually hard on this plant.

Layout value

Moderate cover

Water Hawthorn helps with provides surface cover, breaks lines of sight, and useful spawning site.

Plant and Fish Fit Notes

Use these signals to decide whether the plant is doing useful work for the fish, or whether it is only surviving beside it.

Temperature
Water Hawthorn10-24°C
Licorice Gourami22-28°C

Overlap: 22-24°C.

pH
Water Hawthorn6-8
Licorice Gourami3-6

Overlap: pH 6-6.

Hardness
Water Hawthorn4-15 dGH
Licorice Gourami0-4 dGH

Overlap: 4-4 dGH.

Water and flow
Water HawthornFreshwater Only, Low (Still Water)
Licorice GouramiFreshwater Only, Low (Still Water)

Flow expectations are close enough for one layout.

Space used
Water HawthornBackground
Licorice GouramiMiddle (Open Water) and Bottom (Substrate)
Pressure signals
Water HawthornModerate uproot resistance, Standard leaves
Licorice GouramiPeaceful, Nano / Bite-sized (Predation Risk) and Shy / Slow Moving (Easily Stressed)

Plant pressure: Low.

Planting value
Water HawthornProvides surface cover, Breaks lines of sight, and Useful spawning site, Nutrient-rich substrate preferred
Licorice GouramiLeaf Litter/Blackwater, Plants - Densely covered, and Plants - Floating

Shared Tank Conditions

Water Hawthorn fits inside the water range normally used for Licorice Gourami. The shared window is about 22 to 24 °C, pH 6 to 6, and 4 to 4 dGH, which gives you enough room to aim for stable middle-ground conditions.

Both do best with gentle, low-flow water, so circulation does not need to be split into competing zones.

Both are suited to freshwater, so salinity does not add an extra planning problem.

Fish Pressure and Plant Resilience

Licorice Gourami does not put unusual pressure on this plant compared with harder fish-plant combinations.

Water Hawthorn has moderate cover density, moderate uproot resistance, and standard leaves. It can also help with surface cover, breaking up sight lines, and spawning sites.

This plant adds the denser cover that Licorice Gourami usually appreciates.

The point to watch is licorice Gourami often benefits from floating cover, so this plant may need to be part of a mixed planting plan rather than the whole answer.

Layout Fit

Water Hawthorn is a bulb / tuber plant usually used background.

Licorice Gourami is an anabantoid fish, so the pairing works best when the planting style supports how that fish uses space and cover.

Water Hawthorn reaches about 120 cm tall by 60 cm wide and is usually bulb / tuber on or partly in substrate with nutrient-rich substrate preferred. That makes placement and anchoring more important than simply adding a larger bunch of stems or leaves.

In this pairing, the useful plant values are surface cover, line-of-sight breaks, and spawning sites. Place it where Licorice Gourami can actually use that structure instead of hiding the plant where it cannot do much.

Practical Recommendation

This is a sensible planted-tank choice for Licorice Gourami, especially when you want the plant to do real work as cover, sight-line structure, or habitat detail.

The decision should center on this signal: Licorice Gourami often benefits from floating cover, so this plant may need to be part of a mixed planting plan rather than the whole answer.

Best Use Case

Water Hawthorn is a strong choice for Licorice Gourami when you want the plant to do real work in the tank, not just survive in the background. The pairing tends to perform best when the plant's cover, resilience, or placement naturally supports how the fish moves, hides, or claims space.

Frequently Asked Questions About Water Hawthorn and Licorice Gourami

Is Water Hawthorn a good plant for Licorice Gourami?

Water Hawthorn is a strong fit for Licorice Gourami. The shared water window is realistic, and the plant has enough structure or resilience to be useful in a tank built around this fish. Fish pressure is low, so the plant can be judged mostly on water match, cover value, and layout role.

Can Licorice Gourami damage Water Hawthorn?

Licorice Gourami often benefits from floating cover, so this plant may need to be part of a mixed planting plan rather than the whole answer.

Do Water Hawthorn and Licorice Gourami share the same water conditions?

Water Hawthorn and Licorice Gourami share a workable water window around 22 to 24 °C, pH 6 to 6, and 4 to 4 dGH. Keep the tank near the middle of that overlap for the best long-term result.

What does Water Hawthorn add to a tank with Licorice Gourami?

This plant adds the denser cover that Licorice Gourami usually appreciates.

What is the main risk in this plant and fish pairing?

Licorice Gourami often benefits from floating cover, so this plant may need to be part of a mixed planting plan rather than the whole answer.

Editorial Review

Guidarium Editorial Desk

Reviewed against Guidarium care, stocking, and compatibility standards. Read the editorial policy.

Last reviewed
May 6, 2026
Last updated
May 6, 2026
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