Kissing gourami care
Helostoma temminckii · Mainland Southeast Asia and the Greater Sunda Islands
Kissing gouramis press their lips together in ritual "kissing" contests and scrape algae with their thick lips.
- Tank size
- 75 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 12 in
- pH
- 6.8 to 8.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 5 to 30 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5 to 7 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 75 gallon
48½ × 18½ × 21⅛ in outsideHow to keep kissing gouramis
Kissing gouramis press their lips together in ritual "kissing" contests and scrape algae with their thick lips. They grow to about a foot, so plan a 75 gallon or larger tank at 72 to 82 °F, and choose tankmates large enough not to be pushed around.
Diet: Omnivore: pellets, flakes, blanched greens, algae. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Kissing gourami tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Peacock eel
12 in · 55+ gal · 73–82 °F
Featherfin squeaker
11.8 in · 75+ gal · 72–79 °F
Chinese algae eater
11 in · 75+ gal · 72–82 °F
Senegal bichir
14 in · 75+ gal · 75–84 °F
Dojo loach
10 in · 55+ gal · 55–77 °F
Ropefish
15 in · 55+ gal · 75–82 °F
Elephantnose fish
9 in · 55+ gal · 77–82 °F
Twig catfish
8.9 in · 30+ gal · 72–79 °F
Keep apart
Betta: Bettas fight with gouramis, their close relatives.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
African dwarf frog: African dwarf frogs are slow and get bullied or outcompeted by kissing gouramis.
Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlids belong with other Lake Malawi cichlids, not with kissing gouramis.
Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlids belong with other Lake Malawi cichlids, not with kissing gouramis.
Flowerhorn cichlid: Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own.
What a kissing gourami tank needs
A tank of 75 US gallons or more (such as the 75 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 300
Rated by the maker for 55–75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon kissing gourami tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Marineland Penguin PRO 375
Rated by the maker for up to 75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon kissing gourami tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 200
Kissing gouramis need 72 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding kissing gouramis.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 75 gallon tank · Heaters for a 75 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common kissing gourami problems
- The "kiss" is a challenge between rivals; two can harass each other, so watch a pair closely.
- They eat soft plants; java fern and anubias last.
- Sold small, they outgrow tanks under 4 feet long.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Helostoma temminckii. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Kissing gourami 5snake5, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock eel Zachary Randall, Florida Museum, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Featherfin squeaker Silex6, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chinese algae eater Pseudogastromyzon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Senegal bichir Zhyla at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dojo loach PrinceNimblesoft, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ropefish Michał Zalewski, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Elephantnose fish Jutta234, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Twig catfish Francesco Loda (CONTERALLY), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African dwarf frog Stuart Halliday, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Demasoni cichlid lee Nachtigal, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red zebra cichlid Maha Dinesh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Flowerhorn cichlid Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf gourami Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Honey gourami Antoon Dommerholt (Dutch Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl gourami h080, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
