Flowerhorn Cichlid
Flowerhorn cichlids are ornamental aquarium fish known for their striking coloration and specially shaped heads, after which they are named. The Flowerhorn is a cichlid obtained by hybridization with other cichlids.
The popularity of the fish lies in the prominent protrusion on its head. This is why it is known as the Flower Horn, or Luohan fish as the Chinese prefer to call it. The significance of the protrusion on its head is the belief that this fish can give you a head start in your career and wealth. As the fish matures, its hump becomes larger. Therefore, many people buy fish solely to improve their luck.
While the craze for Flowerhorn fish continues, you can get several thousand dollars for a single fish. Newspaper reports help fuel the craze by publishing stories of people who win the lottery after having these fish. Today, even though this frenzy is over, many people sincerely believe in the feng shui aspect of the Flower Horn fish.
Selection of this species has taken place in Malaysia for many years, the following varieties have been obtained:
- Red Texas
- Parrot
- Rainbow King
- Golden Monkey
- Golden Apple
- Tan King
- and many others
Over the years, the selection of new hybridizations has brought new species obtained not only in Southeast Asia, but also in the United States. These fish are highly sought after and expensive. The "bulge" on the forehead or kok, which looks like a bump, is formally called the occipital hump.
By 1994, red devil cichlids (usually Amphilophus labiatus) and trimac cichlids (Amphilophus trimaculatus) were imported from Central America to Malaysia, and hybrid blood parrot cichlids were imported from Taiwan to Malaysia. These fish were then crossed together, marking the birth of the flowerhorn.
Flowerhorns first appeared on the Malaysian aquarium market in the late 1990s and soon became popular in many Asian countries. First introduced in Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan, they have become very popular among Asian aquarists. Amateurs also keep them in the United States, India and Europe. Numerous Flowerhorns have been released into the wild, especially in Singapore and Malaysia, where they have become invasive pests. Their importation into Australia is prohibited.
The Flowerhorn Cichlid has an oval shaped body with a prominent occipital protrusion on its head, which is its most distinctive feature. It is a large cichlid, easily growing to 30-40 cm in length. The color of the front of their body can range from green to blue, pink and red. The dorsal and anal fins are particularly long and pointed, and the tail fin is rounded.
There are several ways aquarists distinguish between males and females. Usually males are larger than females, but there are exceptions. Males have a coke, or occipital hump, on their forehead. Males also tend to have brighter and livelier colors. Females of most breeds have black spots on their dorsal fins, while males usually have longer anal and dorsal fins. Females usually have an orange belly, especially when they are ready to breed. The male's mouth is thicker and more pronounced than the female's. One reliable way to determine the sex of a flowerhorn is that adult females will lay eggs every month, even without a male.
To keep Flowerhorns need an aquarium of 200-300 liters. At the bottom should be placed large flat stones. Plants in the aquarium should not be. Flowerhorn - has a strong immunity and rarely gets sick. Fish spend most of their time in the lower and middle layers of water.
Water parameters: temperature 26-29° C, hardness dH 10-15°, pH 7,5-8,0. Requires aeration, filtration and weekly replacement of 1/3 of the aquarium water with fresh.
Flowerhorn are predatory fish and have a large appetite. These fish can be fed a variety of frozen, live and dry foods. You can give them specialized pelleted food for cichlids, krill and sprouts. Feed the fish 2-3 times a day in small portions.
Reproduction
Unlike most hybrids, the Flowerhorn is a prolific fish, but at the same time to achieve its spawning is not easy because of its very aggressive nature. First, provide the female a lot of places where you can hide, so that the male could not see her all the time, otherwise the conflict between fish is guaranteed. If the female becomes too aggressive, you can insert a partition in the aquarium to protect the fish from meeting with each other, but in this case the male will not be able to fertilize the eggs.
Spawning is stimulated by abundant feeding and frequent aquarium water changes. The water temperature should be about 28° C and pH acidity of about 7.
Immediately after spawning the male should be removed to another aquarium. The fry are large, easy to look after them. During the first days of life they can be fed Artemia nauplii, and after a couple of weeks begin to give them pelleted food.
The lifespan of Flowerhorns in aquarium conditions is about 10-12 years.
