Common Name/s: Kissing gourami.
Scientific name: Helostoma temminckii.
Family: Helostomatidae.
Origin: Java, Thailand
Maximum Size: They grow quite large, some 6-12 inches (15-30 cm), in captivity, so be prepared to give them space.
Care: They are very adaptable, tolerating most water conditions, but they do like to be warm, in the 26-28C (79-82F). Aquarium layout & size: Because of the fishes eventual size they need to be housed in a fairly large aquarium, 25-30 gallons is suitable. As they are not quarrelsome they may be kept with most fish species, however, beaware that some individual fish have been known to show aggression towards smaller species.
Feeding: Most aquarium foods are accepted, such as flakes, pellets and frozen or freeze dried foods.
Sexing and Breeding: Although they can be breed in the aquarium, do this only if you have plenty of space - a pair will produce up to 10,000 eggs! The sexes are virtually impossible to distinguish.
Comments: There are two colour forms of this fish, the green and the pink. The green fish is considered the wild form and the pink the aquarium form, the later being the most commonly available to the aquarist. This fish is usually kept for their novel way of testing each other's strength. The kissing action is not, as we may suppose, a sign of affection between male and female, but a trail of strength between two males, and forms part of a courtship ritual as they try to impress a suitable female. These fish are very useful in the aquarium because they will pick away at algae, taking it plant leaves without damaging them.
