Freshwater
Kissing gourami
Helostoma temminckii
Helostomatidae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 30 cm
- Body shape
- Deep-bodied
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 648 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Swims
- Missing
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Water values
Smallest tank
648 liters180 × 60 × 60 cm · For one fish
Worked out from its length, as we don’t yet know what size tank it should have. Do you? Sign up and tell us in the app.
Try other measures in the appNativeIntroduced
Lives wild in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.
Introduced to Colombia, Philippines, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.
Videos
Deep Blue Springs & Critically Endangered Bettas | Exploring Southern Thailand EP1
Rodrigo SilvaDec 18, 2025
More about the species
About the species
Occurs in lakes and rivers. An air-breathing species. Prefers slow-moving water with thick vegetation. Feeds on a variety of plants and animals, including green algae and zooplankton as well as aquatic insects near the water surface. Utilized fresh for steaming, pan-frying, broiling and baking; also processed as dried or salted fish; ripe ovaries are collected and separately eaten. Large quantities of small fish are exported for aquarium use in Japan, Europe, North America, Australia and other parts of the world. Very popular with aquarists due to its habit of sucking its lips and kissing other fishes, plants and other objects. Aquarium keeping: not recommended for home aquariums; minimum aquarium size 150 cm.
Source: FishBase
Other names
Other scientific names
- Helostoma temmincki
- Helostoma temminkii
- Helostomi temmincki
In other languages
- Kyssegurami
- Kyssgurami
- Kyssegurami
- Pusukala
- Green kisser, Green kissing gourami, Pink kisser
Articles
All articles
How to set up an Asian aquarium5 min read
Two aquariums from Southeast Asia: calm forest streams and peat swamps with soft, brown water, and fast mountain streams with cool, oxygen-rich water.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.
Ich (white spot)4 min read
The most common disease in aquarium fish. How to recognize it, why it shows up, and how to get rid of it.