Kissing Gourami: Thailand's Thick-Lipped Filter Feeder
The kissing gourami occupies a curious position in Thailand's freshwater fishing scene. Too distinctive to overlook, too selective to catch casually, pla mor (Helostoma temminckii) is a species that rewards patience and a willingness to adapt your approach to a fish that does not eat in the way most anglers expect. Its iconic thick lips, its peculiar pressing behaviour between rivals, and its status as both a food fish and an aquarium favourite internationally make it one of Thailand's more interesting native species — and a legitimate light-tackle target at a selection of pay-lakes and natural water bodies.
Biology and Identification
The kissing gourami is a labyrinth fish in its own monotypic family, Helostomatidae — the sole species in its genus. It is related to the gouramis in family Osphronemidae but sits separately, reflecting its highly specialised feeding apparatus and morphology.
The body is oval and strongly laterally compressed, giving the fish a disc-like profile. Adults in Thailand typically reach 20–25 cm and 300–500 g, with a published maximum around 30 cm. Colouration in wild fish is typically a pale olive-green to silvery grey, sometimes with faint lateral banding. Aquarium-bred specimens are often the pink or white morphs familiar from the pet trade globally, but wild Thai fish are predominantly the standard green form.
The defining feature is the lips — thick, fleshy, and equipped internally with fine, comb-like teeth (denticles) arranged in rows. These teeth are not used to bite prey in the conventional sense; instead they allow the fish to rasp biofilm and algae from hard surfaces (rocks, submerged wood, aquatic plants) and to filter zooplankton and microalgae from the water column. The fish can extend its lips slightly outward in a pumping action when filter feeding — a distinctive motion visible when fish are actively feeding at the surface or against a submerged structure.
Like its relatives, pla mor possesses a labyrinth organ and regularly surfaces to breathe air. It is less reliant on this behaviour than some other gouramis in oxygen-rich environments, but in warm, still water you will observe periodic surface visits.
The kissing behaviour — two fish facing each other and pressing lips — is a ritualised contest between rival individuals, most often males. It is not courtship. The fish assess each other's strength through the contact of their lips before one eventually concedes and withdraws. In aquaria this is seen frequently; in fishing ponds it is occasionally witnessed when two fish meet near a feeding area.
Kissing gourami have no close relatives anywhere. Helostoma temminckii is the only species in its genus and family, making it genuinely unique among Thailand's native freshwater fauna.
Where to Find Them in Thailand
Kissing gourami are native to Southeast Asia's lowland tropical river systems, including the Chao Phraya, Mekong tributaries, and the rivers of the Thai-Malay Peninsula. In Thailand they occupy:
Shallow lowland ponds and lakes: Natural ponds with abundant aquatic vegetation and soft substrates are prime habitat. The species favours water with significant algal growth and vegetative matter to graze — eutrophic conditions that would deter many other species are positively attractive to kissing gourami.
Pay-lakes: A handful of Bangkok-area pay-lakes and central Thailand ponds stock kissing gourami, often as part of a mixed-species environment. They are not the headline attraction at venues targeting giant species like giant Mekong catfish or arapaima, but at smaller, native-species focused venues they can be specifically targeted.
Irrigation and canal systems: The Central Plains irrigation network provides habitat, particularly in older canals with established algal growth and soft-bottom substrate.
Reservoirs: Shallow reservoir margins with submerged brush and algae-covered structure hold kissing gourami in reasonable numbers in parts of the Central and South.
The species is less common in the fast-flowing rivers of the North and in elevated terrain. Its natural preference for still or slow-moving, warm, vegetated water restricts it primarily to the lowland floodplain zone.
Seasons and Conditions
"Pla mor are year-round residents in well-stocked ponds, but the warmest months bring them into shallower water and make them more visible, more active, and more catchable."
Kissing gourami fish year-round in Thailand's tropical climate, where water temperatures rarely drop low enough to significantly suppress feeding. That said, fishing is generally best from March through October, when water temperatures are at their highest and algal productivity peaks, driving active grazing behaviour.
Hot-dry season (March–May): Fish concentrate in available water and actively graze sunlit shallows and shallow-water algae mats. Early morning is prime time before heat suppresses surface activity.
Rainy season (June–October): Productive throughout; fish spread into newly flooded margins. Overcast conditions keep fish active through the middle of the day rather than just the morning and evening windows.
Cool-dry season (November–February): Slower fishing overall, but kissing gourami remain catchable. Adjust to slower presentations and finer baits. Focus effort on the warmest part of the day (10 am–2 pm) when water temperatures peak.
Unlike snakeheads or barramundi, kissing gourami do not have sharply defined seasonal peaks tied to spawning aggression. Their filter-feeding lifestyle means that feeding is relatively continuous when conditions are suitable.
Techniques
Catching kissing gourami on rod and line requires an approach matched to a filter-feeder — patience, fine presentation, and the right bait.
Paste and Dough Baits
The most reliable method. A paste bait that disintegrates slowly in the water releases particles that mimic the suspended matter kissing gourami filter from the water column. Effective formulas include:
- Bread paste: compressed white bread mixed with a small amount of honey or fish sauce to add scent
- Commercial carp groundbait paste: widely available in Thailand, used as sold or mixed with rice flour to adjust consistency
- Algae-based paste: dried spirulina powder mixed into a dough base creates a highly attractive bait for filter feeders
The paste should be moulded onto a small hook (size 14–16) and should be soft enough to break down slowly in the water. Very hard paste or whole bait pieces are less effective because the fish cannot filter-feed on them efficiently.
Float Fishing
Fish paste bait under a small float set 30–50 cm deep. In still water, a sensitive pencil or quill float allows you to detect the subtle, often gentle takes of kissing gourami, which rarely slam a bait in the manner of a predatory fish. Takes often register as a slow, sideways pull or a gentle lifting of the float rather than a positive submersion.
Groundbaiting helps significantly. Mix a small ball of wet breadcrumb, algae paste, or commercial carp groundbait and compress it around a small stone; drop this into the swim before fishing to attract fish. Top up every 20–30 minutes.
Bread Crust Surface Fishing
When fish are visible near the surface — often during morning feeding or in warm afternoon shallows — a small piece of floating bread crust fished without a float can be taken, particularly by fish that are actively grazing surface algae from lily pads and floating vegetation. This is a visual technique: watch for a fish to approach the crust and strike when it makes contact.
Light Lure Approaches
Kissing gourami are not predatory fish and will not attack conventional lures in the manner of a snakehead or barramundi. However, very small, slow-moving soft plastic baits — particularly those with algae-imitating textures or finely textured tails — can occasionally trigger investigatory takes. This is a marginal technique and will not outperform paste bait, but it offers an alternative on venues where bait fishing is restricted.
Tackle
Kissing gourami are not powerful fighters relative to their size, but they have a solid, determined resistance that is best appreciated on genuinely light gear. Overgunning for this species ruins the experience entirely.
Rod: 1.8–2.4 m light or medium-light spinning rod rated 3–10 g, or a dedicated float rod of similar length. A soft-tip action aids bite detection.
Reel: Size 1000–2000 spinning reel, smooth drag.
Line: 3–5 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon mainline. Fluorocarbon leader of 2–3 lb for added invisibility in clear water.
Terminal: Size 14–16 fine wire hooks. Small pencil or quill float for float fishing. No weight heavier than a split shot is needed in shallow water.
No wire trace required — kissing gourami have no teeth capable of cutting monofilament.
Angling Records
The kissing gourami holds no IGFA world-record category and is not currently tracked as a sport fish by major international angling bodies. Maximum published sizes in scientific literature reach approximately 30 cm total length and around 600 g under ideal conditions. Most rod-and-line fish caught in Thai pay-lakes fall in the 15–22 cm range.
The Fight and Handling
The kissing gourami fights with a steady, circular resistance — broad-bodied and deliberate, using its disc-like profile to kite against rod pressure. It is not a leaping fish and does not make fast, long runs. On a 3–5 lb line, the fight is brief but genuine, lasting 30–60 seconds for an average fish.
Handle with wetted hands. The thick lips are robust and not prone to tearing on the hook, making hook removal straightforward. Return fish promptly if practising catch-and-release. The species is hardy and tolerates brief air exposure well.
Conservation Notes
Kissing gourami are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. They are widespread across Southeast Asia, commercially farmed in significant quantities for the aquarium trade and for food, and not subject to significant fishing pressure in Thailand. Wild population trends are not monitored in detail, but no evidence of major regional declines has been documented.
The species' tolerance of degraded water quality — eutrophication, low dissolved oxygen, high temperatures — makes it resilient to habitat changes that threaten more sensitive native fish. See our protected and endangered species guide for information on Thai freshwater species that require more careful handling.
Planning Your Visit
Targeted kissing gourami fishing in Thailand is most accessible through pay-lakes that hold the species. Ask venue staff whether pla mor are present before selecting your swim. Several Bangkok-area pay-lakes and natural ponds in the Central region hold fish; Boon Mar Ponds is worth enquiring about.
For anglers visiting Thailand primarily for trophy species at venues such as Bungsamran Lake or Pilot 111, kissing gourami are an excellent light-tackle distraction during the inevitable lulls in big-fish action — and a chance to connect with one of the country's more characterful native species.
For seasonal planning across all Thai freshwater species, see the best time to fish in Thailand guide.
Related species: Snakeskin gourami | Three-spot gourami | Giant gourami | Striped snakehead
