My Fish 10/11/09 Hi WWM CREW Thanks for the prompt replies to my queries from time to time. I really appreciate the promptness in your replies. I am attaching an JPEG image of my fish. <Nothing attached.> Can you identify the same. <Not without a photo, no. If all else fails, upload an image to Flickr and send a link.> Also the necessary link for taking good care of my fish and feeding. <See here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/FHParrotCichArtNeale.htm > 2. When this fish was juvenile I had sent the pic and the crew had identified it as an Amphilophus trimaculatum. Is it the same one or some other. <Can't tell without a photo. Care of both the Amphilophus trimaculatum and the hybrid cichlid we call the Flowerhorn is the same. Cheers, Neale.> My Fish 10/11/09 Hi WWM CREW Thanks for the prompt replies to my queries from time to time. I really appreciate the promptness in your replies. I am attaching an JPEG image of my fish. Can you identify the same. <Appears to be a Flowerhorn or similar hybrid. A bit pale though: try using a darker substrate and adding some floating plants.> Also the necessary information or link for taking good care of my fish and feeding. <All here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/FHParrotCichArtNeale.htm Cheers, Neale.>

I'm sending a jpeg image pls tel me is it a Flowerhorn? 9/10/09
Sir,
is it a Flowerhorn? Pls help me
<Image corrupt, wouldn't open. Please do review the pages of WetWebMedia and elsewhere for photos of Flowerhorn cichlids.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/flowerhorns.htm
They are not difficult to identify, though juvenile fish can look much like certain other Central American cichlids.
Cheers, Neale.>

My Flowerhorns image what is the proper breed name of it?? – 10/3/09 Flowerhorn ID Sir, Im from Kolkta Westbengal India please tell me what is the original breed of my Flowerhorn, otherwise nobody can tel me the proper breed here . < The Flowerhorn is not a fish that is found in nature. It is a cross of three different true cichlid species. Any naming of any Flowerhorn is a commercial or common name and not a scientific one. When the Flowerhorn market was very strong there use to be all kinds of names for Flowerhorns that did not make any sense. The names were used strictly for marketing. This is why nobody can identify your Flowerhorn as a specific breed. TFH had a book out on Flowerhorns a few years ago. Check out Amazon.com to see if you can find it.-Chuck>

Re Identifying the fish Flowerhorn ID  – 09/14/09 Sir , I have had a fish tank for last 10 yrs or so. I have kept many variety of fish. I have a 20 gallon fish tank. I have put gravel and I use a Boyu SP1000 power filter. I use tap water for the tank and further I add dechlorinator to the same. I also have oxygen pump installed in the tank and proper and adequate lighting for the tank. I have recently brought this fish. I am sending the attachment in JPEG format. Recently I purchased the fish and many of my friends say that this is a Flowerhorn. I would like to get a confirmation from you whether is it the same fish and what is the sex of the fish or how to check. < This is a Flowerhorn. Males get bigger with larger fins. Some get humps on the forehead when in very good shape. Experienced cichlid keepers can sex their cichlids by venting them. this involves turning the fish upside down and examining the genitalia. Their are two openings. If the openings are the same size then it is probably a female. If one opening is smaller than the other then the fish is probably a male.> Secondly I am based in India and should I feed it with crushed prawns. Presently I am feeding it with Kijaro fish pellets and Live blood worms. Please help me with this query. Awaiting a reply from your end. Thank you Amit Ghosalkar < The live blood worms may be too rich a diet. I would probably feed mostly the prepared food and use the others foods for more like treats.-Chuck>

Re Identifying the fish 9/15/09 Sir I am having a fish tank since last 10 yrs or so. I have kept many variety of fishes. I have a 20 gallon fish tank. I have put gravel and I use a Boyu SP1000 power filter. I use tap water for the tank and further I add dechlorinator to the same. I also have oxygen pump installed in the tank and proper and adequate lighting for the tank. I have recently brought this fish. I am sending the attachment in JPEG format. <I see.> Recently I purchased the aforesaid fish and many of my friends say that this is a Flowerhorn. <Seems likely. A juvenile to be sure. Might possibly be Amphilophus trimaculatum, but that species isn't widely traded. Amphilophus trimaculatum is one of the two ancestors of the Flowerhorn cichlid (which, as you know, is a man-made hybrid). Personally, I'd sooner have Amphilophus trimaculatum than a Flowerhorn, but I like my fish the way Nature made them! Each to their own, I guess. In any case, maintenance of both Amphilophus trimaculatum and Flowerhorn cichlids is very similar. Do see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_1/central.htm > I would like to get a confirmation from you whether is it the same fish and what is the sex of the fish or how to check. <At this age, can't be sexed.> Secondly I am based in India and should I feed it with crushed prawns. <Once or twice a week, sure, yes. But prawns contain a lot of thiaminase, so should be used sparingly to avoid problems with Vitamin B1 deficiency. Insects, earthworms, cooked peas, and of course a good quality pellet food would all be better foods.> Presently I am feeding it with Kijaro fish pellets and Live blood worms. Please help me with this query. Awaiting a reply from your end. Thank you Amit <Hope this helps! Cheers, Neale.> Re Identifying the fish, FH   9/17/09 Hi Neale <Amit,> Thanks for the very very prompt reply from your end. I am very much obliged for that. <Glad to have helped.> I will definitely follow ur guidelines. That fish I mentioned is a type of Flowerhorn, i.e the confirmation from your end has given me a big relief. I was really wanting to keep the flowerfish. I got that fish very cheaply. I have still one or two queries and I hope you will reply them. <Do my best.> 1.I have brought chili super red pellets and the fish relishes eating them. Any other food which u can suggest for good growth will be highly appreciable. As far as the pic of the fish is concerned can u by any idea let me know the approximate age of the fish. the fish is about 2 inches in length . <Probably less than six months old.> 2.Also I wanted to know whether this fish after growing will emit the colours which a normal Flowerhorn shows or this is the only colour that will be there on the fish. <It's all genetic. Flowerhorn cichlids are hybrids, so it is VERY difficult to say how any particular fish will turn out. If you have seen the parents, then it's likely this fish will end up looking much like them. But there is so much variation among Flowerhorn cichlids, that you cannot possibly say by looking at a juvenile fish what it will look like when mature.> 3.Further if is there any other compatible fish which can stay with this particular fish in the same tank. <None. Flowerhorn cichlids are big, aggressive Central American-type cichlids. They are no more sociable than their ancestors, Amphilophus citrinellus and Cichlasoma trimaculatum. Even a single Flowerhorn will need (at least) 55 gallons.> Any feedback in this regard will be greatly helpful for me. Thanks once again for your prompt reply. Amit <Cheers, Neale.>

what breed is ma FH and why he's not eating....– 08/14/09 Flower Horn Not Eating I've had my FH for 6days. I put him a two foot tank and its big for him because he is small..Whenever I put a pellet in he will not eat it. He will see the pellet and just swim away. Same for the dried shrimp. Blood worm he will just eat a bit but then spit it out..I give him ocean free humpy head. Can you advise me accordingly. I've attached a pic of my fish.. Can you tell me what breed is my fish?. He has blue lining all over, pink on his chest and yellow below his mouth and tail. Thanks A lot <..Your Flowerhorn may eat in a few days. Put the food in for 5 minutes. If he does not eat it then take it out. Try again the next day. In a few days he will catch on that he has 5 minutes to eat or he will go hungry. You definitely have a flower horn. What type of flower horn I do not know. Continue to check the internet under Google images and type in Flowerhorn.-Chuck>

FH Breed Flowerhorn Types  3/9/08 HI Chuck, It's me again and thanks for the reply. I will check all the items that you have mentioned. Can you please scan the attachment so I have an idea what kind and variety or breed are my FHs. Thanks. Ciao, Lance < Flowerhorns were originally a cross between three different cichlid species. Since the inception of the Flowerhorn they have been line bred into numerous color forms. I have seen book for sale on eBay that discussed these color morphs and have probably given them names. Sorry, I do not have this book so I am unable to tell you what color form you have. I would recommend checking out eBay occasionally and see if you can find this book.-Chuck>

Knowing the breed... FH ID, NNS hello. this is john, am new to this FH hobby. and I have 3 months old FH and until now I still don't know what his breed and I browse in different sites for me to find what breed is my FH but I haven't found any the same FH as mine. I had attached picture of my FH. I hope you can help me..tnx..=) <The Flowerhorn is not a breed... but a cross twixt neotropical cichlids. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/flowerhornidfaq.htm and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Mystery Cichlid at Aquarama 01
Hi Bob
Do you still remember the new breed of cichlid with a hump head that was on show at the last Aquarama in Singapore?
<Yes, did send the pix in I shot at Aquarama last year to the hobby mag.s>
They have been well received and certain specimens with nice colours have been reportedly sold for as much as S$70,000. It is not advisable to walk around in certain parts of Malaysia holding them in plastic bags or you will be robbed at knife point.
<Thanks for the heads up. Can/will send you the piece (in German) re that cichlid... and my fave image as a jpeg if you'd like. Bob F.>
Perry

Monster fish by Arlina Arshad 
IF YOU think luohan fish are ugly, just look at this specimen with its Mick Jager lips and ball-like body. Probably the result of breeding gone wrong, say marine biologists and those who rear fish. Enthusiasts have been breeding them, then dumping the 'mistakes' in ponds and rivers. Two breeders and three other people who rear fish admitted they'd done this. The Sunday Times also spoke to fishermen who have spotted sick and dead luohan, four aquarium owners, two marine biologists, and officials from agencies that have to deal with this problem. Two luohan breeders said they sought to breed exotic-looking luohan, with blue or white eyes instead of red, or all-blue or all-red bodies instead of the usual red-green-black. When the experiments went awry, they had to get rid of these mutants with 'elephant-trunk lips' and 'monkey faces'. Neither would agree to be named, fearing flak from fish lovers and repercussions from the authorities. Said one breeder: 'Some fish had bloated bodies and no humps on the heads; others were skinny and had no fins. What do you expect me to do with them?' The other one said: 'At least I release them in the water, not like some I know who flush them down toilet bowls!' Abandoning fish is an offence under the Birds and Animals Act, punishable by a $10,000 fine and 12 months' jail. 'This is an act of cruelty,' said Dr Leow Su Hua, head of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore's animal welfare education. Dumping luohan into public ponds can also turn the ponds' ecology upside down, because they are aggressive and breed quickly. Said Professor Chou Loke Ming of the National University of Singapore's department of biological sciences: 'They may outcompete for food with local species and take over ponds and rivers.' The National Parks Board (NParks) and Public Utilities Board have found reptiles and non-native fish in ponds, lakes and reservoirs. Said an NParks spokesman: 'The released fish may not survive. They could carry disease and this would affect the native animals in the ponds.' Luohan fish, also known as Flowerhorns, are believed to be descended from wild cichlids. A year or two ago, they were all the rage because people thought they brought good luck. High-quality ones, characterized by red eyes and large humps on their heads, went for as much as $8,000. But now, they are no longer hot. One breeder said he'd released about 100 into Tengeh and Punggol rivers in the last three years. He said: 'Some had holes in their heads and others had eyes popping out of their sockets.' 'One had a diseased mouth and rotting lips like this,' he said, turning his lips inside out. 'I couldn't save it; it was too sick.' Aquarium owners also say people leave buckets of luohan at their doors in the dead of the night. Madam Shirley Lim, owner of aquarium shop Yun Feng in Pasir Ris, said she would receive 'fish mail' three times a month. 'Nobody wants them any more. They're being chucked into dustbins like those unwanted babies in China. I could sell one at $4,000 last time, but now if I can sell one for $20, I'm very lucky,' she said. IP Address:202.156.2.202
This message was forwarded to you from Straits Times Interactive (http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg) 

Flowerhorns
WWM,
I want to how to distinguish the sex of the Flowerhorn,
<The males will develop a larger hump on their foreheads, I would not be surprised if you could the difference by their finnage, or even venting them, but I am not positive.>
and how to cure white spots  and discoloration of the fish.
<If by white spots you mean Ich, your fish are sick, sick fish are not going to display good coloration.  I used Quick Cure on my Horns, seemed to do the job (primarily formaldehyde with a dash of malachite green).  IME I have never seen a fish with the healing abilities of a Flowerhorn, I had one get sucked up into a filter for an unknown amount of time, I got him out, thought he was doomed, the next day I could not tell which was the damaged one.  Once you get the parasites cleared up, color enhancing food, a varied diet, excellent water quality (I cannot stress that point enough), good lighting and a dark substrate should bring out their colors.  If you have a group of these fish in a tank you need to watch out for aggression, these are very aggressive fish.>
And what is latest Breed of Flowerhorns.
<Not sure on this one, it seems like the LFS are always making up new names and overcharging for these fish.  Check out FlowerFish.com  Best of luck, Gage>
Thank you very much....
Very Truly Yours,
Leugim

Flowerhorn Cichlids
WWM,
Hi! I am a new hobbyist of cichlids. Will you help me for I am in need of new breeds of Flowerhorn for my collections.
< The Flowerhorn cichlid is an artificial fish that does not exist in the wild. It is a cross between a couple different fish that happens to produce fertile fry. They were somewhat marketable for a few years but the market seems to be dropping fast, at least hear on the west coast. The new breeds or color forms you may be seeking may not still be available. I would recommend a web site called Aquabid.com. It is a web site dedicated to buying and selling all kinds of fish. Hopefully you can find what you are looking for there.>
What does LFS  mean?
<Sorry don't know. I don't keep flower horns and am not familiar with the LFS notation.><<Livestock Fish Store, or such>>
can you give me at least 5 new breeds of Flowerhorn fish?
< Check the site mentioned above or do a google search on the internet for more info. I have seen one book put out on these fish but don't know how available it is -Chuck>
Sincerely Yours,
Leugim

Super Red Syn Flowerhorns
Dear Mr. Robert,
<Hi, Gage here this afternoon.>
Can you send me a detailed information regarding Super Red Syn
Flowerhorns? Appreciate also if you can send some pics.
<I checked with Bob and a few others on the crew, we really do not have much information on these fish besides what is at the link below.  
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/flowerhorns.htm
I would try using the Google.com to search for more information on this particular color strain.>
Thank you for your assistance.
Fatima Valle