In this species of air-breathing fish, their enthusiasm for kissing is such that a pucker may last as long as 25 minutes. However, this action is not a sign of affection, but is more likely to be a display of aggression. In fact, this ‘kissing’ is mostly used for scraping algae off rocks. As far as their sex life goes, when giant gouramis are ready to breed, they build a nest of plants at the surface of the water, suspended by bubbles. The fish spawn and the fertilized eggs are guided into the nest where they develop, protected by the male.