Gourami whereas others ("Parosphromenus" and "Sphaerichthys", for instance) are very shy or have specific water requirements and thus will be outcompeted by typical community fish. The name "gourami" is used of several other related fish that are now placed in different families: Gourami Gouramis, or gouramies , are a group of freshwater anabantiform fishes that comprise the family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from Pakistan and India to the Malay Archipelago and northeasterly towards Korea. The name "gourami", of Javanese origin, is also used for fish of the families Helostomatidae and Anabantidae. Many gouramis have an elongated, feeler-like ray at
Kissing gourami each other in length and frame the body. The posterior most soft rays of each of these fins are slightly elongated to create a trailing margin. The foremost rays of the jugular pelvic fins are also slightly elongated. The pectoral fins are large, rounded, and low-slung. The caudal fin is rounded to concave. The lateral line is divided in two, with the posterior portion starting below the end of the other; there are a total of 43–48 scales running the line's length. The most distinctive feature of the kissing gourami is its mouth. Other than being terminal (forward-facing) rather than