Aquariumanabantoid · freshwater
Kissing Gourami: adult size, tank size & tankmates
The Kissing Gourami (Helostoma temminckii) grows to about 12 in (25 cm SL). It needs a tank at least 59 inches long and about 80 gallons. It doesn't need a group of its own kind, at 72–86°F.
How big it really gets
Drawn to scale against common tank lengths. Green bars meet the minimum tank length from our sources.
Outgrows most home tanks. Sold small as a novelty 'kissing' fish but grows to 250 mm SL, needs a 150 cm tank and lives 20+ years.
Will it fit your tank?
Quick facts
- Adult size
- 12 in (25 cm SL)
- Minimum tank
- 59 inches long and about 80 gallons
- Temperature
- 72–86°F
- pH
- 6–8
- Hardness
- 1–20 dGH
- Group size
- 1 (solitary or pair)
- With other fish
- semi-aggressive
- With its own kind
- aggressive
- Swims
- all levels
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- advanced
- Lifespan
- 20 years
Watch for: may eat baby shrimp · eats live plants
Kissing Gourami tankmates
Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: temperature overlap, pH and hardness, predation and mouth size, fin-nipping and temperament. Tank size is left out here; check it in the builder.
Good tankmates
- Dwarf GouramiNeeds careAdult ~4.2 in · 72–81°F
- BettaNeeds careAdult ~3.3 in · 72–86°F
- AngelfishNeeds careAdult ~7.1 in · 75–86°F
- Nerite SnailAdult ~1 in · 72–78°F
- Firemouth CichlidAdult ~5.7 in · 68–90°F
- Japanese Trapdoor SnailAdult ~2.6 in · 68–85°F
- Three-spot GouramiNeeds careAdult ~7.1 in · 75–86°F
- Electric Blue AcaraNeeds careAdult ~7.1 in · 72–82°F
- Ramshorn SnailAdult ~1.2 in · 72–82°F
- Malaysian Trumpet SnailAdult ~3.1 in · 70–80°F
Use caution
- Neon TetraKissing Gourami grows 8× longer than Neon Tetra and may treat it as food.
- Cardinal TetraKissing Gourami grows 7× longer than Cardinal Tetra and may treat it as food.
- Harlequin RasboraKissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Harlequin Rasbora and may treat it as food.
- Ember TetraKissing Gourami grows 13× longer than Ember Tetra and may treat it as food.
- Chili RasboraKissing Gourami grows 13× longer than Chili Rasbora and may treat it as food.
- Celestial Pearl DanioKissing Gourami grows 12× longer than Celestial Pearl Danio and may treat it as food.
- Cherry BarbKissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Cherry Barb and may treat it as food.
- Rummy-nose TetraKissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Rummy-nose Tetra and may treat it as food.
All 105 species we checked against the Kissing Gourami
| Species | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Angelfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Assassin Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bala Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Betta | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Black Skirt Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Blood Parrot Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Chinese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common / Comet Goldfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Convict Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Dwarf Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Electric Blue Acara | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Electric Yellow Lab | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Firemouth Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Iridescent Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Japanese Trapdoor Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Malaysian Trumpet Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Nerite Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Oscar | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pictus Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rainbow Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ramshorn Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Red-Tail Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Three-spot Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tinfoil Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Weather Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Yoyo Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| African Dwarf Frog | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 9× longer than African Dwarf Frog and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful African Dwarf Frog. |
| Amano Shrimp | Caution | Kissing Gourami may eat baby Amano Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Bamboo Shrimp | Caution | Kissing Gourami may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Black Neon Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 7× longer than Black Neon Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Black Neon Tetra. |
| Bleeding Heart Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 4× longer than Bleeding Heart Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Bleeding Heart Tetra. |
| Boesemani Rainbowfish | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Boesemani Rainbowfish. |
| Bolivian Ram | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Bolivian Ram. |
| Bristlenose Pleco | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Bristlenose Pleco. |
| Bronze Cory | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Bronze Cory. |
| Buenos Aires Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 4× longer than Buenos Aires Tetra and may treat it as food. |
| Bumblebee Goby | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 7× longer than Bumblebee Goby and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Bumblebee Goby. |
| Cardinal Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 7× longer than Cardinal Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Cardinal Tetra. |
| Celestial Pearl Danio | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 12× longer than Celestial Pearl Danio and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Celestial Pearl Danio. |
| Cherry Barb | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Cherry Barb and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Cherry Barb. |
| Cherry Shrimp | Caution | Kissing Gourami may eat baby Cherry Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Chili Rasbora | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 13× longer than Chili Rasbora and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Chili Rasbora. |
| Clown Killifish | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 8× longer than Clown Killifish and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Clown Killifish. |
| Clown Pleco | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Clown Pleco. |
| Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid. |
| Congo Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Congo Tetra. |
| Crystal Red Shrimp | Caution | Kissing Gourami may eat baby Crystal Red Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Denison Barb | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Denison Barb. |
| Diamond Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 4× longer than Diamond Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Diamond Tetra. |
| Discus | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Discus. |
| Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish. |
| Ember Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 13× longer than Ember Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Ember Tetra. |
| Endler's Livebearer | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 10× longer than Endler's Livebearer and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Endler's Livebearer. |
| Forktail Blue-eye | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 4× longer than Forktail Blue-eye and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Forktail Blue-eye. |
| German Blue Ram | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than German Blue Ram and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful German Blue Ram. |
| Ghost Shrimp | Caution | Kissing Gourami may eat baby Ghost Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Giant Danio | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Giant Danio. |
| Glass Catfish | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Glass Catfish. |
| Glowlight Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Glowlight Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Glowlight Tetra. |
| Gold Barb | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Gold Barb. |
| Guppy | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 4× longer than Guppy and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Guppy. |
| Harlequin Rasbora | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Harlequin Rasbora and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Harlequin Rasbora. |
| Head-and-tail-light Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Head-and-tail-light Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Head-and-tail-light Tetra. |
| Hillstream Loach | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Hillstream Loach. |
| Honey Gourami | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Honey Gourami and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Honey Gourami. |
| Julii Cory | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Julii Cory and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Julii Cory. |
| Kribensis | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Kribensis. |
| Kuhli Loach | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Kuhli Loach. |
| Lambchop Rasbora | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 8× longer than Lambchop Rasbora and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Lambchop Rasbora. |
| Lemon Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Lemon Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Lemon Tetra. |
| Marbled Hatchetfish | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 7× longer than Marbled Hatchetfish and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Marbled Hatchetfish. |
| Molly | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Molly. |
| Moonlight Gourami | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Moonlight Gourami. |
| Mystery Snail | Caution | Kissing Gourami (pH 6–8) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH.; Kissing Gourami (1–20 dGH) and Mystery Snail (unknown dGH) prefer different water hardness. |
| Neon Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 8× longer than Neon Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Neon Tetra. |
| Odessa Barb | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Odessa Barb and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Odessa Barb. |
| Otocinclus | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 7× longer than Otocinclus and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Otocinclus. |
| Panda Cory | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Panda Cory and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Panda Cory. |
| Paradise Fish | Caution | Kissing Gourami and Paradise Fish only share 72–72°F. That's a tight window. |
| Pea Puffer | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 9× longer than Pea Puffer and may treat it as food. |
| Pearl Danio | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Pearl Danio and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Pearl Danio. |
| Pearl Gourami | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Pearl Gourami. |
| Penguin Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 7× longer than Penguin Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Penguin Tetra. |
| Peppered Cory | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Peppered Cory. |
| Platy | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Platy and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Platy. |
| Pristella Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Pristella Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Pristella Tetra. |
| Pygmy Cory | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 8× longer than Pygmy Cory and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Pygmy Cory. |
| Rosy Barb | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Rosy Barb. |
| Rummy-nose Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Rummy-nose Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Rummy-nose Tetra. |
| Scissortail Rasbora | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Scissortail Rasbora. |
| Serpae Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Serpae Tetra and may treat it as food. |
| Siamese Algae Eater | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Siamese Algae Eater. |
| Silver Hatchetfish | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Silver Hatchetfish and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Silver Hatchetfish. |
| Silver Tip Tetra | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Silver Tip Tetra and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Silver Tip Tetra. |
| Sparkling Gourami | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than Sparkling Gourami and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Sparkling Gourami. |
| Sterbai Cory | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Sterbai Cory. |
| Swordtail | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Swordtail. |
| Tiger Barb | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 4× longer than Tiger Barb and may treat it as food. |
| Upside-down Catfish | Caution | Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Upside-down Catfish. |
| Variatus Platy | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Variatus Platy and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Variatus Platy. |
| White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Caution | Kissing Gourami and White Cloud Mountain Minnow only share 72–72°F. That's a tight window.; Kissing Gourami grows 6× longer than White Cloud Mountain Minnow and may treat it as food. |
| Zebra Danio | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Zebra Danio and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Fancy Goldfish | Avoid | Kissing Gourami (72–86°F) and Fancy Goldfish (50–70°F) need different temperatures. |
Care notes
Needs: Grows to 250 mm SL and lives 20+ years; needs a 150 x 45 cm base and robust tankmates; picks at soft plant leaves (use Anubias/Microsorum); leave an air gap at the surface
Group: Not a shoaling fish; never keep exactly two (the stronger bullies the weaker); if keeping several, add juveniles together; a dominant fish can harass others to death in small tanks
Temperament: semi-aggressive toward other fish, aggressive toward its own kind. Lives in the whole tank.
Common questions
How big does a Kissing Gourami get?
About 12 inches (25 cm SL) as an adult, according to seriouslyfish.com.
What size tank does a Kissing Gourami need?
At least 59 inches long and about 80 gallons. The smallest standard tank that meets that is a 125 gallon.
How many Kissing Gouramis should be kept together?
It can be kept on its own. Not a shoaling fish; never keep exactly two (the stronger bullies the weaker); if keeping several, add juveniles together; a dominant fish can harass others to death in small tanks
What fish can live with a Kissing Gourami?
Species that passed every check include Dwarf Gourami, Betta, Angelfish, Nerite Snail, Firemouth Cichlid, Japanese Trapdoor Snail.
Gear for a Kissing Gourami setup
TankSmallest standard tank that meets its minimum: 125 gallon (72 in long).Find on Amazon →HeaterAbout 2 × 300 W for 125 gallons, holding 72–86°F.Find on Amazon →SandSoft sand protects barbels and lets it sift.Find on Amazon →FoodA quality flake or micro-pellet as a staple.Find on Amazon →Test kitCheck ammonia, nitrite and pH. Cycle the tank before adding fish.Find on Amazon →
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Related guides
Sources
Values come from these pages, in our own words. Status: verified (independent spot-check). Last reviewed 2026-10-12.
- seriouslyfish.com /species/helostoma-temminkii/
- fishbase.se /summary/Helostoma-temminckii.html