Why Do Jellybean Kissing Fish Eat the Other Fish in My Aquarium?

There are two species of fish that are sold as "jellybean kissing fish" in aquarium and pet stores. The first fish is a known as a kissing gourami, or Helostoma temminkii, while the second fish is hybrid fish called a blood parrot. Both fish types have mouths that look like they are blowing kisses. Though both types of fish can become aggressive when certain factors, such as water quality and overcrowding, existing in the aquarium, blood parrots are more likely to eat the tank's other fish.

  1. Kissing Gouramis

    • Kissing gouramis are warm, freshwater tropical fish that are easily found in aquarium shops. Their name originates from not only their mouth shape, but also for the fact that male kissing gouramis will join mouths to establish dominance, making the two fish look like they are kissing. Though shades of pink are the most common coloration, these fish can also be found in green. Kissing gouramis are typically a nonaggressive species and, as omnivores, usually feed off of plankton, algae and aquatic plants found in the aquarium.

    Blood Parrots

    • Blood parrot fish are warm, freshwater tropical fish that come from the Central American Cichlid family of fish. A hybrid species created in the late 1980s, the blood parrot is the offspring of two different fish species. Coloration of these fish can vary from browns and tans to bright oranges. Jellybean varieties, fish that have been injected with dye, are also common. As cichlids, blood parrots can be semi-aggressive and territorial in their tanks. Blood parrots are carnivores and normally eat small shrimp and worms. If your fish is attacking other fish it is likely a blood parrot rather than a kissing gourami.

    Aquarium Dominance

    • One reason these types of fish attack other fish is to establish dominance in the tank. Much like the pecking order of birds or the hierarchical fighting amongst dogs, fish also can establish a hierarchy within their aquariums. Smaller fish, unless unusually aggressive, may be picked on by larger, more aggressive fish.

    Water Quality and Temperature

    • The quality of the water in the aquarium also has an effect on the fish's mood. As both kissing gourami and blood parrots are tropical fish, they require warmer water than other species. Kissing gouramis are most comfortable in a tank 71.5 to 82.5 degrees Fahrenheit, while blood parrots are most comfortable between 82 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperature outside those boundaries will have a negative effect on the fish, and may cause it to attack other fish.

    Diet

    • Kissing gouramis and blood parrots eat specific types of foods. If either fish is attacking its neighbors it may be lacking something in its diet, such as needed proteins.

    Tank Size

    • Tank size is the main reason that fish often attack each other. Both kissing gouramis and blood parrots can get upwards of 8 inches, or more, in length, and can easily fill a small tank by themselves. These types of fish require larger tanks to flourish, and keeping them in a small tank may result in their attempting to kill other fish in order to free up room in the aquarium.