Flowerhorn cichlids aren’t found in nature. They are a man made hybrid that includes the genetics of several related Central American cichlids. Taiwanese and Malaysian fish breeders started mixing cichlid varieties in the 1990’s to try and maximize the distinctive hump and colors of adult male fish.
The exact species blend depends on the flower horn fish breed. Most have midas cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellus), trimac cichlid (Amphilophus trimaculatus) and red devil cichlids (Amphilophus labiatus) as grandparents. Red parrot cichlids have been mixed with some bloodlines.
All flowerhorn cichlid breeds share the same care requirements. They are hardy, interactive fish that are undemanding in terms of diet and water conditions. These fish enjoy digging and will undo any aquascaping you create. Flowerhorns are aggressive towards their tank mates and do well when kept alone.
- Common Names: Flowerhorn Cichlid; Flower Horn Fish; Luohan
- Scientific Name: Amphilophus species hybrid
- Origin: Hybrid Central American cichlid
- Length: 12 to 15 inches
- Tank Size: 75+ Gallons
- Temperament: Aggressive
- Ease of Care: Easy
Types of Flowerhorn Cichlids
Flowerhorn cichlids are bred for variety. Some, such as the Kamfa, have a well developed nuchal hump or kok in Malaysian. Many male cichlids have one and Central American species have very large humps. Kamfa flowerhorns have dark red scales with white and blue marbling along their sides. The blocky body of a flowerhorn resembles a ‘kaloi,’ or warship.
The first flowerhorn fish were called luohan cichlids. Their colors were gold and red, with bright red eyes. As more color varieties and genetics were introduced, luohan gave way to other breeds. Original luohan fish are rare and expensive.
Trimac cichlid genes give breeds like the Golden Monkey or Kamalau black spots along their flanks. These spots are the “flowers” that give flowerhorns their name and are also called “pearling.”
Flower spots increase the value of the fish; one Golden Monkey flowerhorn cichlid sold for $600,000 at a Malaysian exhibition in 2009. Other breeds that have strong flower patterns include the Zhen Zhu, a rounder variety, and the Gold Monkey, which is the last luohan variety.
Golden Base flowerhorns are a popular breed, with marbled patterns similar to a marble betta fish. They are also called Faders since their colors change as the fish grows up. Young Golden Base are red and gold. They shift to black for a period. And then back to red and gold as they reach sexual maturity.
The vibrant yellow, red, and orange tones of flowerhorn breeds, along with their head humps, are why East Asian cultures believe that these fish are lucky. Like gold Asian arowanas, it is common to see flowerhorn fish tanks in hotel lobbies, high end restaurants, and other quality establishments.
Newer breeds offer more color choices, like the Thai Silk flowerhorn. It is one of the newest electric blue cichlids, with genes from the electric blue jack dempsey.
Flowerhorn Male vs Female
It is easy to tell the sexes apart in mature flowerhorn cichlids. A rare adult female may have a small nuchal hump. A male’s will always be much larger. His colors will be more intense and his dorsal and anal fins have distinctive points. A male fish is 50-100% larger than a female of the same age.
These qualities aren’t 100% reliable since there is so much variation in flowerhorn bloodlines. A sure way to tell is to examine the sexual organ once it descends. A male’s is V-shaped while a female’s ovipositor is U-shaped.
Flowerhorn Cichlid Tank Size
Flowerhorns are big fish that don’t need a giant aquarium. 75 gallons is the minimum for a single adult. A 55 gallon aquarium is what many aquarists choose yet it’s only 12 inches wide. That’s too small for an adult flowerhorn.
A 75 gallon tank is the same length as a 55 and at 18 inches wide your flowerhorn will have more space to turn. 90 gallons is more comfortable for a full grown flowerhorn pair that isn’t spawning.
Flowerhorn Water Parameters
Central American cichlids are very hardy and flowerhorn fish are no exception. They prefer neutral to alkaline water conditions (pH 7.0-8.0) and water with low to moderate mineral content. That is what tap water chemistry in most countries already tests at. Raising the pH is easy to do if necessary.
Some of the more inbred flowerhorn varieties like the Thai Silk flowerhorn are sensitive to ammonia. Other varieties will tolerate low levels of ammonia and nitrite.
You still want to aim for 0 parts per million since low levels are still toxic to fish health. Nitrate levels should be no higher than 20 ppm, with 10 ppm or less being better.
Water stability is essential to flowerhorn health. It is most important if you have a show quality fish, which are inbred and sensitive. Avoid sudden shifts in temperature or chemistry, even if the parameters stay in the safe zone.
Aquascaping a Flowerhorn Tank
You’ll have to choose aquascaping items with care when setting up a flowerhorn tank because these fish have ideas of their own. Large cichlids will shape their chosen territory. They uproot plants and dig pits in the gravel for potential spawning sites. The behavior causes problems if you aren’t prepared.
A digging flowerhorn will destabilize driftwood and rocks that are not well balanced. A sudden hardscape collapse could injure or kill your fish. The base of any rocks should be part way sunk into the gravel so that stones won’t shift on top of a digging cichlid.
You don’t want rocks to touch the glass either, as rocks will scratch or shatter glass on contact. Rocks like limestone and shale will raise the pH. Flowerhorns prefer hard water so that’s not an issue. Driftwood is too soft to harm aquarium glass and should be pressed through the gravel to be in full contact with the glass.
Live plants that grow attached to hard surfaces (epiphytes) are best. These plants don’t need a lot of light, compete with algae for nutrients, and have tough leaves. Good epiphytic aquarium plants include:
Floating plants are flowerhorn safe. They provide shade as algae prevention. Shade deepens fish colors and provides a sense of safety
What Do Flowerhorn Cichlids Eat?
Feeding flowerhorn cichlids is an easy affair. They eat flakes when young and switch to pellets without fuss as they grow up. Since they are carnivorous their prepared food should have high quality protein as the main ingredients.
Flakes or pellets that contain too much starch or vegetable fillers should be avoided. Stick to fish meal, insect larvae, shrimp, and other ingredients. The best flowerhorn food formulas have color enhancers like astaxanthin and carotenoids added.
Supplement the diet of your flowerhorn fish with live, frozen, and pieces of fresh food. These items include missing nutrients, extra fat, and color enhancing molecules. Earthworms, raw shrimp, strips of lean fish, squid, krill, and insects are excellent treats. Don’t feed these too often as they will cloud your water and raise ammonia levels.
Young flowerhorn cichlids need to eat three times per day. Reduce feedings to twice per day once your fish reach 7 inches long and their growth rate slows down.
Flowerhorn Cichlid Tank Mates
Flowerhorn cichlids are kept alone in most cases. The fish are large, colorful, and not shy about swimming in the open. Their aggressive personality makes choosing tank mates hard as well.
A community tank with a flowerhorn cichlid is doable. You will need more space if your flowerhorn is full grown. Young fish are compatible with any fish species too large to be eaten and fast enough to avoid their territory. Large barbs, giant danios, mollies, silver dollars and plecostomus are good tank mates for young flowerhorns.
A full grown flowerhorn should be kept with other semi-aggressive to aggressive cichlids. These fish are all large as well so your aquarium should be 125 gallons in size or more. Compatible cichlids and other large fish include:
- Oscar Fish
- Jaguar and Wolf Cichlids
- Red Devils
- Jack Dempseys
- Umbee Cichlids
- Blue Texas Cichlids
- Green Terrors
- Red Terrors
- Arowanas
- Red Tail Catfish
- Iridescent Shark
- Silver Dollars
- Bala Shark
- Tinfoil Barbs
- Rainbowfish
- Plecostomus
Any ast swimming dither fish too big to be eaten is a potential tank mate. If your flowerhorns start to spawn, you should remove any tank mates. Adult cichlids will kill any fish they think threaten their eggs and fry.
Breeding Flowerhorn Cichlids
Flowerhorn breeding is not easy to do. They are large and aggressive so introducing a male and female has to be done with care. Most breeders will raise a group of 6-8 young fish together in a large aquarium. The flowerhorn cichlids will pair off on their own. Any mated pairs are then moved to separate breeding tanks. This approach is best as your fish will choose mates they prefer.
Another way to breed them is to introduce two adult fish. Adults may not like each other even if they are ready to spawn and will start fighting if they aren’t separated. Introduce two adult flowerhorns by using a fish tank divider or a large piece of egg crate cut to fit your aquarium dimensions.
The divider has to allow water flow so your flowerhorn fish smell each others’ hormones. The fish should be able to see each other and not have room to bite. After a month of living together, remove the divider and watch the fish for a few hours to ensure they don’t try to kill each other.
Separate a fighting pair fast and replace the divider for a few more days. A second or third attempt could achieve compatibility. If not then you need to find them different partners. Fin displays and lip locking is normal for a flowerhorn pair. Signs that the pair aren’t compatible include torn fins, missing scales, and one fish hiding or fleeing from the other.
Once you have a compatible flowerhorn pair they will soon develop eggs and start redecorating your aquarium. They prefer a hard, flat surface to lay their eggs on. A rock or broken flower pot are best.
Flowerhorn fish lay 500-2000 eggs per spawning. The male patrols the borders of the territory while the female fans the eggs, oxygenating them with her fins.
Spawning may still fail as many flowerhorn cichlids are infertile. They have been hybridized and inbred so much that some can’t have babies. If the eggs don’t hatch one or both of your fish are sterile.
In a successful spawning the fry will eat live brine shrimp nauplii 2 to 3 days after hatching. Feed them 3 times per day and graduate them to crushed flakes after 3 weeks of growth.
FAQs
Flowerhorn cichlid prices range from $10-20 for a pet store “mutt” to thousands of dollars for show quality specimens.
East Asian cultures believe that flowerhorn fish are lucky. Their golden colors and flower spots mark them as symbols of good fortune. Banks, hotels, and restaurants often have flowerhorn fish tanks for prosperity. Golden Monkey flowerhorn cichlids are one of the luckiest breeds. They are one of the last luohan varieties, with vibrant gold and dark flower spots along their flanks.
Flowerhorn fish are not friendly. They are aggressive fish that will chase and bite tank mates who enter their chosen territory. Other aggressive cichlids will live alongside them if the tank has enough room for each fish to have its own turf. Any peaceful fish should be large and fast so they won’t be bullied.
I bought a $75 flowerhorn yesterday and I find it very beautiful. It’s a new age fish with King Kamfa image. I simply love it’s sight, movement, and posture.
Can a big size hump come in female flowerhorn fish ?
Do flowerhorn need salts