kissing gouramis ''kissing''

[lilmolly]

I have two kissing gouramis. I've had since jan and I never noticed them bicker or kiss before. Yesterday I saw them swiming next to eachother, head to tail and tail to head then they'd turn and ''kiss'' I know this is either a territorial thing or a premating thing. I wanted to breed them anyway so I'm hoping it is a mating thing and I'll add a lettuse leaf. It would sure save me from getting 4 more of them and letting them pair off.

 

[cutecotton]

i'm pretty sure gouramis "kiss" for aggression. i'ts usally 2 males that are kissing to show their strenght and how strong they are. Ironically it's not really a loving type of "kiss" with gouramis.

 

[lilmolly]

I heard that potential pairs will ''test'' each other by locking lips and push to see if the other is up to their standards for mating. If, say the male, decides that the female isn't good enough for him then he picks on her from then on. The reason why I didn't think it was aggression is because they have never shown any aggression towards each other before and even after their lip locking match they haven't shown any after.

 

[Max]

i think its agression. I thought it was mating at first but one died about 2 days later.

it does make a cool piture though