Gourami opercularis", and other members of that genus are the target of a cannery industry in China, the products of which are available in oriental supermarkets around the world. Gouramis are particularly found in Sundanese cuisine. In Philippines, gouramis are readily fished at streams, brooks and rivers on provinces. Numerous gourami species are popular aquarium fish widely kept throughout the world. As labyrinth fish, they will often swim near the top of the tank. As with other tropical freshwater fish, an aquarium heater is often used. Gouramis will eat either prepared or live foods. Some species can grow quite large, and
Kissing gourami do not guard, are spherical, smooth, and buoyant. Initial development is rapid: the eggs hatch after one day, and the fry are free-swimming two days thereafter. The kissing gourami does not care for its young. The kissing gourami present a kind of behavior associated with their characteristic jaw and mouth: two individuals approach their mouths in both mediolateral and dorsoventral planes and press for a few seconds. This type of "kiss" has given "H. temminkii" the common name of kissing gourami has been considered an intraspecific aggressive behavior also known as "mouth fight" due to the contraction of the jaw