Kissing gourami
Helostoma temminckii
The kissing gourami from Southeast Asia breathes air from the surface and lives in slow, densely vegetated waters. It eats algae, plants, zooplankton and insects. It became popular in the hobby for its habit of 'kissing' other fish, plants and objects. It reaches 30 centimetres and is also a food fish in its region.
- Scientific name
- Helostoma temminckii
- Family
- Helostomatidae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Helostomatidae
- Order
- Anabantiformes
- Synonyms
- Helostoma temmincki, Helostoma temminkii, Helostomi temmincki
Origin
- Native region
- Ásia
Water
- Temperature
- 22–28 °C
- pH
- 6–8
- General hardness (GH)
- 5–19 °dGH
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 30 cm
Behavior
- Swimming level
- Middle
Reproduction
- Breeding strategy
- Egg scatterer
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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