Kissing Gourami

Helostoma temminckii.
Kissing Gouramis are best known for their habit of extending their lips and kissing. The action is not a sign of affection, but may be a display of aggression. This "kissing" is mostly used for scraping algae off of rocks.
The Kissing Gourami has a large, pink colored body, with almost colorless fins. This fish needs a large tank with lots of hiding space. Java fern and Java moss works well for this. Use coarse gravel to help prevent digging.
They are a hardy fish that will tolerate a range of water conditions. Kissers must satisfy some of their oxygen requirement by gulping air at the surface of the water. That is why it is essential to provide them with access to the water surface.
Kissers accept a variety of foods, including; flake, frozen, freeze-dried, and small live foods, such as Tubifex and Brine Shrimp. They also will accept any kind of vegetable matter, and should be provided with plenty of Spirulina-based foods, as well as fresh vegetables when possible.
This fish grows up to 30 cm so large aquarium is a must have. A large amount of driftwood is needed for attaching the moss and fern on it. The driftwood makes a good place for algal growth which this fish consumes readily. Plants that are planted in to the substrate will likely be uprooted by the Kissing Gouramis. Temperature should be around 26'C.
Photo by Dusko Bojic