Kissing gouramis "kissing" each other is actually fighting
Aliases: kissing fish, kissing gourami, kissing mouth fish, fragrant kiss fish, kissing fighting fish, peach blossom fish.
Family and genus: Osphronemidae
Place of origin: Indonesia; distributed in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
[Characteristics] Body length 10-15 cm. Body oval-shaped, laterally compressed. Body color silvery white, slightly pink, snout pale red. Wild kissing gouramis have a body length of 30-40 cm.
[Rearing characteristics] Gentle in temperament, can be kept mixed with other varieties of fish. Rearing water temperature 21-28°C, not demanding about water quality. Grows fast, constitution strong, not prone to illness. Diet mainly live food.
[Breeding characteristics] Parent fish reach sexual maturity at the age of 6 months. During the breeding season the male fish shows nuptial coloration, its body color changing from pink to purplish red, and its body is smaller than the female's; the female's abdomen is plump and round. Breeding water temperature 27-28°C, water neutral. Float a few aquatic plants on the water surface of a 100 cm x 50 cm x 50 cm aquarium, put in a pair of parent fish; the male does not build a bubble nest but chases the female, and the female lays eggs on the aquatic plants. After spawning is finished, remove the parent fish. The fertilized eggs hatch into fry after 24 hours; the newly hatched fry float at the water surface, and after the yolk sac in their bellies is fully absorbed they can swim and forage. The female's egg output is high.
As the name suggests, because kissing gouramis "kiss", people gave them this interesting name. To humans a kiss is a form of emotional communication, but for fish, what is a kiss for?
Compared with other tropical fish, kissing gouramis do not have bright, striking colors, yet they are still favored by tropical fish enthusiasts. This is because kissing gouramis not only have the special skill of "kissing", but are also quite superb swimmers; they can tumble and leap in the water, as splendid as an outstanding gymnast performing somersaults, making people applaud in admiration.
If you want to admire the spectacle of their "kissing", then patiently wait by an aquarium stocked with kissing gouramis, and you will feast your eyes. When two kissing gouramis meet, both will, as if by prior agreement, extend their long lips, which are covered with many saw teeth, and forcefully press them against each other, just like lovers in a "passionate kiss", not separating for a long time. However, this kind of "passionate kiss" is not "courtship", but fighting. Because kissing gouramis have the habit of defending their "territory", when the two meet, neither will yield to the other, so they have no choice but to resort to force, using their long lips to fight it out and settle the "territory" dispute, until one side retreats and gives way, and only then does the "kiss" come to an end.
Interestingly, these kissing gourami fry already show "kissing" behavior at 2 months of age, which shows that this habit of defending "territory" in kissing gouramis is innate, perhaps for hereditary reasons.
It adapts widely to water quality, can scrape and eat inherent algae, can inhibit the growth of green algae, and helps keep the tank bottom clean; it is docile in temperament, likes to swim in groups, and is easy to keep mixed with rather active tropical fish. It should not be kept mixed with goldfish. Kissing gourami fry begin to kiss, and kissing is a contest over territory. They reach sexual maturity at 6 months of age; during the breeding season the male's body color turns purplish red, and when it frequently follows the female swimming side by side, it is a sign that the female is about to spawn. Put the parent fish in a separate tank, adjust the water temperature to 28 degrees, water hardness around 9, and place aquatic plants on the water surface for the eggs to attach to; after spawning is finished, remove the parent fish. The fertilized eggs hatch into fry after 24 hours; the newly hatched fry lie still, and after 2 days begin to swim and forage. Feed high-quality food such as fish worms, water @#@254@#@, etc., so as not to affect growth and development.