Why do kissing gouramis kiss?
The kissing gourami (helostoma teminncki) performs the kissing motion as an act of aggression and a test of strength between males. the fish will generally use the kissing technique to rasp algae from plants and the sides of tanks, but when engaging other males they use it to gain dominance. As the species is almost impossible to sex, only a trained eye can tell the difference and you will not normally know if you buy a pair whether they are the same sex or not. If they kiss, you’ve got two males, if one harrases the other and chases it around the tank, you’ve a mixed sex couple !!!. They can also grow quite large, up to 12″ in length, although it is uncommon for them to reach more than 6″ in aquariums. Even so, they need plenty of space, so if your tank is only small it would be cruel to keep them in confined conditions.
