Kissing Gourami
Helostoma temminckii
Kissing Gourami (Helostoma temminckii) is a freshwater species with an adult-size reference of about 25 cm. It needs at least 250 litres and one individual, with its social and territorial profile taken into account.
Water Temperature
22 - 28 °C
pH Value
6 - 8
Water type
Freshwater
Tank level
Middle
Adult size
25 cm
Minimum tank volume
>= 250 L
Minimum group
>= 1
GH
4 - 15 dGH
KH
2 - 7 dKH
TDS
80 - 295 ppm
Conductivity
125 - 461 uS/cm
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: A freshwater species; the enclosure should provide stability, oxygenation, space and shelter consistent with its behaviour without turning one habitat description into a mandatory recipe.
Taxonomy and Morphology: The accepted scientific name is Helostoma temminckii; the verified classification records genus Helostoma, family Helostomatidae, order Anabantiformes. Historical names remain searchable as synonyms rather than separate species.
Social Behavior: Kissing Gourami can be kept alone or in a compatible pair or group. The minimum reference is one individual; sex, maturity and available space can require a more conservative composition. Observe access to food, resting behaviour, chasing and use of shelter. Isolation, persistent competition or aggression means the number, composition or environment needs to be corrected.
Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Colour and shape can vary with age, sex, physiological state and environmental conditions. Identification and sexing require recognized species-level characters; one appearance or photograph is not enough.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Aquarium Setup: Kissing Gourami needs an aquarium of at least 250 litres, sized for adult body size and a minimum group of one individual. Filtration, shelter and swimming room must match the species and the actual number kept. Volume alone does not make an enclosure suitable: tank shape and length, usable area, oxygenation and the ability to separate territories must reflect adult behaviour.
Diet and Feeding: The recorded diet is omnivorous. Offer appropriately sized foods varied within that category, and adjust quantity and frequency from actual intake, body condition and leftovers. One food or a fixed schedule is not suitable for every age and situation.
Water Quality: Maintain stable, well-oxygenated water appropriate to a freshwater species; the card's reference values are 22–28 °C, pH 6–8. Verify conditions with reliable tests and size maintenance and filtration to the actual load. Ranges are not automatic thresholds for treatment or rapid chemical correction.
Compatibility and Cohabitation: The cohabitation profile is a species to combine with caution, with a generally semi-aggressive temperament. Keep at least one individual; tankmates, stocking density and decor must allow escape, rest and feeding without excessive competition. Watch interactions especially during feeding, maturity and breeding. Persistent chasing, injury or exclusion from food requires a change in stocking or layout, or separation of the animals.
Aquarium Breeding: The recorded reproductive profile is “bubble-nest building”. Breeding should be attempted only with healthy adults, separation capacity and a plan for eggs or young. Do not treat unverified triggers, sex ratios or hatch times as universal for this species.
Risks and Diseases: Prevent problems through quarantine of new arrivals, stable water, appropriate feeding and daily observation. Similar signs can have different causes, so check parameters, history and diagnosis before medication. Follow the product label and qualified aquatic-veterinary advice; there is no universal reduced dose for a species or family.
Geographic origin and distribution
A freshwater species; the enclosure should provide stability, oxygenation, space and shelter consistent with its behaviour without turning one habitat description into a mandatory recipe.
Origin
South and Southeast Asia
Fish profile
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Kissing Gourami has a generally semi-aggressive temperament. Insufficient space, an unsuitable social ratio or incompatible tankmates can substantially change observed behaviour.
- Diet
- Omnivore
- They are omnivores with specialized lips adapted for rasping algae from surfaces. Their diet must include a large amount of vegetable matter, such as spirulina flakes or blanched spinach. Supplement this with meaty foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp.
- Life expectancy
- 5-7 years
- Adult size
- 25 cm
- Sex ratio
- Flexible
- Kissing Gourami can be kept alone or in a compatible pair or group. The reference minimum is one individual and must not be read as permission to overcrowd the aquarium.
- Feeding frequency
- 2-3 times daily
- They should be fed one to two times daily. Since they constantly graze on algae throughout the day, providing a steady supply of vegetable matter is important. Be careful not to overfeed meaty items, which can cause digestive issues.
- Bioload
- High
- The Kissing Gourami grows quite large and generates a significant bioload as an adult. Their constant feeding on algae and foods results in substantial waste production. Excellent mechanical and biological filtration, along with regular water changes, are strictly necessary.
- Flow
- Strong
- They prefer slow to moderate water flow, typical of the sluggish rivers and swamps they inhabit. Strong currents will stress them and impede their ability to reach the surface to breathe air. A gentle filter return is ideal for their comfort.
- Jump risk
- No
- Reproduction
- Bubble nest builder
- They are egg-scatterers that release buoyant eggs which float to the water's surface. Unlike other gouramis, they do not build bubble nests and offer absolutely no parental care. The adults will readily eat the eggs, so a separate breeding tank is required.
- Compatibility & tankmates
- With caution
- The cohabitation profile is a species to combine with caution, with a generally semi-aggressive temperament. Keep at least one individual; tankmates, stocking density and decor must allow escape, rest and feeding without excessive competition. Watch interactions especially during feeding, maturity and breeding. Persistent chasing, injury or exclusion from food requires a change in stocking or layout, or separation of the animals.
- Tank level
- Middle
- They utilize all levels of the aquarium but frequently visit the surface to breathe atmospheric air. They spend much of their time grazing on plant leaves, glass, and decorations in the middle levels. Ensure there is plenty of open swimming space.
Scientific Parameters & Models
FishBase
Window to the official scientific data of the species
FishBase v25.04Data synced on: 06/15/2026
- Trophic level
- 2.8 ± 0.33 se
- Resilience
- High (less than 15 months)
- Generation time
- 1.3 years
- Phylogenetic uniqueness (PD50)
- 1.5
- Bayesian Length-Weight
- a = 0.01995, b = 3.01
- VulnerabilityLow vulnerability (19 / 100)
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
