As human beings it’s in our nature to push the limits, go to Heights never before dreamed. This is what we have done with the Flowerhorn fish. In an attempt to push the limits of breeding Cichlids, through foresight and know-how the creation of the most daring and beautiful ornamental fish came to be...At first glance the mighty protrusion on the head can be perceived as a massive brain of what seems to be “the smartest fish in the world!” (quotes from my IG comment section). However the head mass is actually made up of fat and muscle. Many people think that all Flowerhorn fish will come out with a big head and beautiful colors however, they are actually hybrid Cichlids and thus Have a great range of variety based on genetic inheritance. One of the reasons why a beautiful Flowerhorn is such a high price is because of the long grooming and growing periods farms go through to produce such a fish. The term grooming does not refer to hairstyle; grooming means to offer the fish special conditioning based on best seasonal environment as well as proper care and diet. Confidence boosters are a major part of making the fish feel happy and healthy. Isolating the fish and blocking its view from any other fish is a great confidence booster, As bigger or different types of fish can agitate the Flowerhorn and create a stressful environment. This fish is a hybrid of different very aggressive Cichlids they will attack until they injure themselves and then continue attacking.... this is the opposite of grooming and creates stress. Most American Cichlids ( Which the Flowerhorn is genetically made of ) come from warm waters. In the aquarium a temperature of 82 to 86 and PH 8.0 is best suitable for grooming and keeping the fish healthy. Considering the fish is created from different fish (hybridized) they can inherit bad genes and do not have the strongest immune system‘s. This is another reason the warmer temperatures help in killing germs that would otherwise make the fish sick as they are easily susceptible. Another thing I like to suggest is aquarium salt with every water change weekly, The aquarium salt helps clean any injuries and their gills as well as stimulate their immunity. after your bio bacteria has been established water changes of up to 30% can be done (opposed to the normal 15% suggested) Creating a cleaner environment. Another form of grooming and confidence boosting is 15 minutes a day with a blood parrot fish. The blood parrot has a special type of mouth that prevents it from being able to bite back, allowing the Flowerhorn to use it as a punching bag and boost his testosterone to grow his head and body figure. It’s only suggested 15 minutes a day to maintain health of the blood parrot, also any longer would stress out both fish. Some people like to use a female blood parrot and also test the fertility of their Flowerhorn at the same time, This can work or It can also create other issues such as pairing behavior which can shrink the head. There’s a saying “a Flowerhorn is either a show fish or a breeder” (unless you retire the show fish and plan to only breed). The term show fish refers to high quality fish that can be put in competitions that grade the fish based on high standards. Fertility is a stroke of luck, breeding different types of fish together allows for many inconsistencies and in term most Flowerhorn are actually infertile. Which is another reason for a price boost as they are not easily created fish. Supply and demand is directly effected by availability. There are certain fish that are known to be fertile and have somewhat more stable genetics such as the Fireman’s Dream Golden Base Flowerhorn Created by Wuddy of Thailand. Most Flowerhorn originate from Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and were originally created in Malaysia. All Flowerhorn in the States were imported from these places.

There are many different types of Flowerhorn fish, new types are being created every day.

We will go over the main types and the main influences briefly.

Zhen Zhou:

also known as the Super Red Dragon Flowerhorn, Pearl Dragon and Thai Silk.. this fish is known to have a very big head (Nuchal hump) usually, Red eyes and an acute body towards the tail.

Kamfa:

One of the Most sought after types with many variations the Kamfa has white eyes usually and more of a square body shape. The main influence of the Kamfa is the Veija cichlid crossed with some type of flowerhorn.

“King Kamfa” have great pearls across their heads like a king with a crown. Pro’s have created great types with fader genes making a stunning bright red and white Kamfa Fader.

Faders

Created from the Amphilophus genus and having strong Amphilophus influence, these type of fish go through a molting process as they grow. They change their color to black and the black slowly fades away revealing beautiful red/ orange coloration . Examples are the Golden Base Flowerhorn the Red Monkey and the Super Red Texas Cichlid which are all variations and crosses of the Blood Parrot who is a main ingredient in the Flowerhorn creation. (Super Red Texas is not considered a flowerhorn but Hybrid Cichlid, which is what a Flowerhorn is.. confused yet?)

Blood Parrot Cichlid:

The Blood Parrot Is a Hybrid Cichlid and the source of many of the original crosses in creating the Flowerhorn, they are still used for many reasons today.

Diet:

The Flowerhorn need a high protein diet to keep up with their body form and energetic attitude. As well as good balance of fiber to prevent prolapse and other digestive issues. I advise against feeding feeder types of goldfish and other live pray as they are usually not taken care of well and carry diseases and parasites. Shrimp or tilapia fillet is a good option as well as stable every day pellet (crucial). Most pellets designed for Flowerhorn are good and usually carry the same ingredients. Spirulina is sometimes used in the food to enhance pearls, it is useful in fish like Thai silk however sometimes it causes pearls to merge which is not good in other types like Kamfa.

It’s important to take the time to research and understand the Flowerhorn fish and the many types of Cichlids that it’s made up of. When considering breeding it’s important to think of your intentions and observe your means. The Flowerhorn and other Hybrid Cichlids are an example of human ingenuity at its prime and we are constantly elevating the playing field.