Helostoma temminckii ( kisser fish ) has turned out to be an interesting fish, in it’s own right…

[Magnum Man47 161]

I originally bought 3 babies, that went into a 55 gallon tank, in our bedroom, they were for my wife, as they were pink, and kissing… even with lots of structure they were always kissing, ( fighting ) until there was only one left… it didn’t seem to have a problem with other fish, at all, only conspecifics, so eventually that tank turned into my hillstream tank and the kisser doesn’t even bother the tiniest of hillstream loaches this one is gentle with my plants, and actually acts like a gardener caring for them… they apparently have a “gill rake”, and can sift small particles from the water… this is very apparent , when I add bacter ae to the tank, which I started doing to supplement the algae the fish in that tank eat… the gourami will swim to the middle of the cloud of bacter, and can be seen sucking up as much as it can..

mine is now between 3-4 years old, and about 6 inches long ( small, according to the www ) this could perhaps be from being in a cool water tank it’s whole life… but it has remained the perfect center piece fish, over the years, tending this tank…there are 7 spot tail algae eater babies growing out in this tank, and it doesn’t bother them at all…

I always wanted a wild type green one, but have never seen one , as long as I’ve been in the hobby…

mine still has the shape of a younger fish… often as they get old ( they are a pretty long lived fish ) they begin resembling the look of a grumpy old man, and end up in specimen tanks…

mine this morning…

 

[GaryE7 5]

He/she is still very small. They were the hottest fish back in the 1950s. My mother and grandfather were fishkeepers, and they thought that was one of the best fish out there. They had 10 gallon tanks and didn't know water changes were needed, so they also thought they were sadly short lived fish...

 

[Jennet26 84]

We all learn by experience, how the world works. This experience is what has allowed us to get where we are today. Sad, but true.

 

[Tomsfish5 4]

My elementary school had a 55g in front of the office with 2 kissers in it.
My first introduction to fish back in the very early 70s.
They were probably 6 inches each.
At least that is how I 'remember' it.

 

[Rusty_Shackleford46 161]

You know who else loved kissing fish?
Betty White.