Identify Flowerhorn at first look 9/30/09 Sir, how can we identify FH male and female at first look? <You can't. Mature males *tend* to have larger nuchal humps, but that is not obvious until the fish is a year or two old. Normally, you sex them the same way as other non-dimorphic cichlids: by examining the genital papillae. Females have a short, blunt papilla only obvious within a few hours of spawning, whereas males have a longer, narrower papilla that should be visible 24-48 hours before spawning.> Can i keep 1male and 1female FH in same tank? <No.> I have a FH i don't know is it male or female how can we show its pic to u? <You can't sex them from photos. Cheers, Neale.> Is it male or female <As I said before, you cannot sex them just by looking at a photo. You can wait a few years, and maybe the male will grow a bigger hump (though lots of males don't). Or you can look at the genital pore when a pair get close to spawning. But that's it. They're essentially impossible to sex otherwise. Cheers, Neale.>

Can a Male FH will be this much calm during breeding? 6/24/09
Hi, i am Ram.D from India,
<Hello Ram>
i have a male Flowerhorn, about 18 months old...
The fish looked very healthy and active for about 10 months, but after that it slow down,
mostly staying at the tank corners and not taking food...
<Mmm, unusual...>
For feeding i use good quality HUMPY HEAD pellet food only, while the fish was small i stopped feeding the live foods.
occasionally i feed flesh of shrimp. Recently, it stopped taking that too....
<What re the system?>
My FH fish tank size is about 4 feet in length and 1 feet in breath...
One day accidently one gold fish slipped into the FH tank and my FH not even bothered to chase that little gold fish...
i thought this behaviour is because of the stress or something like that....
So, couple of days back, i bought a female Flowerhorn and hoped that they two will breed.
<Yikes... I do hope you have a good physical separator... a partition to keep them apart>
The female is little smaller than my male Flowerhorn...
To avoid the territorial fight and initial aggression, i separated both fishes with a glass partition
<Ah good>
for about 2 days, and then i removed the partition.
For about 30 min.s they both looked ok and they both rubbed the body and not seemed to be in any kind of tension.
But suddenly the female Flowerhorn started to attach my male FH, Female FH started to chase the male FH to the corner of the tank.
Biting the tail and charging at the body...after sometime the male had blood in lips, almost looked like it is going to die...
So, i separated the both and i don't know what to do....
<Keep them separated... in another tank if you can>
Can u please help me out in this case, was my Flowerhorn is suffering with any disease?
<Maybe just emotional/psychological>
or is it natural that a male FH can be this much calm?
<Mmm, yes>
or is this aggressive behaviour by a female FH is normal during the breeding?
<Can be>
Looking forward for your advice..
<Best to keep in two aquariums where they can see each other, try re-introducing them in a month or so... with the same protocol you list...
In a larger system if you have it, when you can be present to separate them if their interaction becomes too agonistic. Bob Fenner>

Re: Can a Male FH will be this much calm during breeding? 6/25/09
Hello Fenner,
Thank you very much for your advice and suggestions.. sure i will try out your advice.....
Ram.
<You're welcome Ram. BobF>

Flowerhorn breeding Issues – 10/24/08
I have had my pair of Flowerhorns now over a year and a half, both in which I have had since they was about one inch in length. They Now are both over the ten inch mark, They have breed multiple times in which I have only seen one time that the eggs have hatched into fry and then slowly but surely eaten by the female.
<Extremely common with inbred cichlids; see especially Angelfish for a similar phenomenon. Many cichlids need to "practise" breeding to get it right, but inbred forms often seem incapable of getting breeding done naturally, surely because humans have interfered so often by pulling the eggs and rearing them artificially. In the wild Nature favours those cichlids that can "get their act together", but without that pressure in captivity, those hard-earned skills fade away with each generation. In any case, not much comfort for you, but there are some things that might help. The use of target fish has been discussed by Loiselle and is worth considering. Essentially you place a fish in the tank that isn't actually a threat, but is perceived as one by the parents. This strengthens their bond, hopefully to the degree they breed properly. To work, you need a big tank where the target fish is safe to swim away. If the tank is too small, there will obviously be scope for much death and mayhem. Do try and read one of Paul Loiselle's books to fully comprehend the theory before putting into action. If you get things wrong, you're essentially chucking some poor fish into a lions' den.>
Since that time they have breed and laid eggs but they have never hatched any since the first time they breed. I've even went as far as removing the only other fish in the tank which are two Plecos which both are about 6 inches in length.
<Plecs do of course eat fish eggs, both in the wild and in captivity. They are incompatible with breeding cichlids, not least of all because Plecs forage at night, when cichlids have minimal defences.>
My aquarium is a 75 gallon I have two power heads feeding a underground filter and I also have magnum 350 canister filter running on the tank. The Ph in the tank runs from about 7.4 to a 7.0, I've even done water changes on the tank.
<That's a lot of pH variation; remember, the pH scale is exponential, so small changes in terms of numbers on the scale actually mean big changes in terms of what your fish experience. These are classic hard water cichlids, so your job is to raise the carbonate hardness and so ensure pH sticks at around 7.5 within minimal variation.>
Even after all this has been checked and maintained they still have not produced like most cichlids. I understand that they are not your typical cichlids but they still have the same background as the others. Is there anything I can do to help them along or is this something that just happens? If they never spawn anything that is cool but would like to experience actually having more Flowerhorns possibly even better looking fish than the parents.
<I have to confess to not being wild about hybrid cichlids generally, not least of all because their behaviour is -- almost by definition -- unpredictable. Really the only practical thing you can do (if target fish don't help) is to keep swapping out adults until you find a pair that works. The reality is that you're in the same situation as angelfish breeders: you wait for the fish to spawn, and then you grab the eggs and rear them yourself the minute they're done.>
Brent
<Good luck, Neale.>

Flowerhorn, breeding   9/27/08
Hello,
I'm writing you from Switzerland.
<Hello, from England!>
I started to have few FH at home for the past 6 months. Most of them come from Thailand. Although I can say that I have quite an experience in breeding fishes ( I have successfully bred discus for more than 12 years) I haven't been able to breed any of my FH.
<Cichlids -- as you know -- don't necessarily breed when we want them to. The only reliably method is to keep a group of juveniles, and then let them pair off naturally. Flowerhorn cichlids are difficult/impossible to sex when young; such dimorphism as their is (nuchal hump for example) is unreliable and only apparent on old males anyway. Furthermore, Flowerhorn cichlids are, by their very nature, inbred. With all cichlids, the more inbred they are, the less well they perform as parents. The problem is that the traits breeders prefer, such as bright colours, do not necessarily go along with good behavioural traits. Angelfish exemplify this, with cheap Angels almost never being able to successfully rear their offspring on their own.>
I have kept few fishes with separators but as soon as they are together they are fighting very badly.
<Absolutely typical for any Central American cichlid, let alone ones as large as these. Do review the writings of Paul Loiselle, among others.>
The only pair which seems to tolerate itself is not showing any interest
for breeding.
<May well not. If the female does not consider the male worthwhile, she won't breed with him. End of story. The male may get frustrated, in which case he will attempt to drive her out of his patch. Do also consider the size/age of the fish, presence of appropriate spawning sites, presence of target/dither fish, and so on. Paul Loiselle has written a great deal on these issues (for example in "The Cichlid Aquarium", an essential book for anyone keeping these fish.>
They are well fed. Water parameters are fine and filters are clean.
<All these things will help. Do review the topic of spawning triggers with regard to cichlids, in particular diet and water temperature changes.>
Any tips to help the situation????
<Nope. You're in same boat as many, many others.>
Patrick
<Have patience, and experiment swapping out males with other males. Cheers, Neale.>

FH Pairing
Flowerhorns Reacting To Red Light – 03/08/08
Hi to all the crew, I'm Lance from the Philippines, sorry if I just sent you a trial mail just now. I was trying to send you my query since this afternoon but failed so I tried to look for another way. Anyway here are my questions.
I have this FH that I bought from different owners. I am not sure if the pair are male and female. I have read some of the reply that you have made to most of the people asking you and I have compared some facts regarding this issue. The other one is that I'm sure that it is a male for it's hump that is quite visible than the other one and the round shape of the body which is full. The other is with a long face and flat belly. Is this a female?
< The best way to determine if you have a pair is to examine the genitals. It is also called venting. Take the fish out of the tank and look at the belly of the fish. Just at the base of the anal fin you should see two openings. If the two openings are the same size then that should be a male. If one of the openings is much larger than that should be a female. Secondary sexual characteristics would be longer more pointed fins on the male. The female would be smaller and not have a hump on her head.>
This FH has been in the tank for 3 weeks now without partition. They have been able to coup with each other very well until last night that I have decided to change the light from a regular fluorescent lamp to a colored one which is RED. As soon as I have turned on the light they both became so uneasy and start biting each other. They have been biting and locked lips or jaw whatever you call them and can not separate for maybe around 10 minutes. I decided to separate them with a partition and still they are banging their heads on the glass portion as it they were attacking each other. As a result they have both scratches on their heads and lips some on the side. Anyway, I was afraid that this can lead to serious injury as one of your articles said. So what I did is that I turned OFF the RED light that I have installed and for a surprise they stopped for that behavior. I read also from your articles that this are some of the signs of mating so what I did is that I just
turned off the light. I was not really convinced regarding the light so this morning I turned ON again the RED light and they went back to the attacking behavior. So my question is that does LIGHT affects FH? Specially the RED color? secondly is that the one that I have described a FEMALE? Thanks and more power on your sight, really helps people like me who are fascinated with this variety. Actually I have already 4 of them. Those pair that I put in the tank are 6 inches by the way. I'll wait for your reply, Godspeed Lance
< What is very interesting about your question is the effect of red on your Flowerhorns. One of the cichlid species that makes up the Flowerhorn is the red devil. This red coloration seems to indicate dominance to other non red red devils. It appears that the red coloration projected with the red light has stimulated this behavior between your two Flowerhorns. If they are a pair and are thinking about spawning then the color of the light really shouldn't matter.-Chuck>

Flowerhorn Cichlids Mating, Chuck's go   12/29/07
Hello, First a little info on my tank. It is 75 gallons, with 4 fish in it (varying sizes).
One convict cichlid of about 3 inches, one wolf or jaguar cichlid of about 4-5 inches (not sure which one it is and two Flowerhorns, of which I'm not sure of any specific classification. One I would assume is of common origin (3-4 inches) (S/he is greenish in the background and reddish on the belly, with a yellowish tinge on the face, and flowers all down the side as well as on the dorsal fin.) and the other I was told at the fish store is a Trimac Flowerhorn (6-7 inches) (S/he is completely orange with white spots throughout his/her body. I've attached photos. I don't know what is going on in the tank.
Less than two days ago, the "Trimac" was chasing the other Flowerhorn all over the tank, like he had a mission to kill the fish. Now, they are actually free swimming around without a care in the world together. They've been moving a lot of gravel around as well. Is it possible for different species of Flowerhorn to be attracted to one another?
< Flowerhorns are a mix of three different true cichlid species. This leads to lots of variation between the possible color forms available. All are capable of reproducing with one another.>
I'm also not sure what sex they are. I believe that the smaller one is female and the larger one male, but I'm unsure. I originally thought that the larger one was female, due to the lack of Nuchal hump, but now I'm not so sure.
< Males are typically larger with longer fins. The hump on the forehead stores fat and its appearance is a combination of genetics, nutrition and environment.>
I haven't seen any lip locking but they have been doing something that I have never really seen any of my fish
do. The only way I can describe it is as if they are shaking or shivering.
Its like they are shaking they're head or something, but it's not just their head, it's their whole body. I originally thought that they were sick, but now I believe it may be some sort of mating behavior, but I haven't read anything from any web site stating that it is a characteristic mating ritual or behavior.
< This display o shaking is part of the courting ritual.>
I have read though on your web site that you suggest removing the parents from the tank, but I was curious as to why. I have previously bred convicts and I never removed the parents, yet the parents never ate the babies.
They actually guarded and protected them, until they were probably about 1/2 inch in length and then they continued trying to spawn, without eating any of the fry from the first generation. I was under the assumption, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption the Flowerhorns were cichlids and that cichlids were magnificent parents.
<Flowerhorns are a cichlid hybrid but still spawn in a typical cichlid substrate manner. Not all pairs are able or willing to provide the same level of care of their eggs and fry as your convicts. To guarantee that you get some fry I always recommend moving the fry away from the parents.-Chuck>
If you need any further information I will gladly provide what I can about my tank situation. Thank you in advance for all of your knowledge and expertise. I would greatly appreciate a quick response. Orlando, Fl Jeff

Flowerhorn breeding behavior, RMF's go   12/29/07
Hello
<Jeff>
First a little info on my tank.75 gallons, with 4 fish in it (varying sizes)
1 convict cichlid of about 3 inches, 1 wolf or jaguar cichlid of about 4-5 inches (not sure which one it is. and two Flowerhorns, of which I'm not sure of any specific classification.
<See WWM re this cross>
One I would assume is of common origin (3-4 inches) (S/he is greenish in the background and reddish on the belly, with a yellowish tinge on the face, and flowers all down the side as well as on the dorsal fin.) and the other I was told at the fish store is a Trimac Flowerhorn (6-7 inches) (S/he is completely orange with white spots throughout
his/her body. I've attached photos.
<None came through>
I don't know what is going on in the tank, less than two days ago, the "Trimac" was chasing the other Flowerhorn all over the tank, like he had a mission to kill the fish. but now, they are actually free swimming around without a care in the world together. they've been moving a lot of gravel around as well. Is it possible for different species of Flowerhorn to be attracted to one another?
<Not a different species>
I'm also not sure what sex they are. I believe that the smaller one is female and the larger one male, but I'm unsure. I originally thought that the larger one was female, due to the lack of Nuchal hump, but now I'm not so sure. I haven't seen any lip locking but they have been doing something that I have never really seen any of my fish do. (the only way I can describe it is as if they are shaking or shivering.
like they are shaking they're head or something, but it's not just their head it's their whole body. I originally thought that they were sick, but now I believe it may be some sort of mating behavior,
<Me too>
but I haven't read anything from any web site stating that it is a characteristic mating ritual or behavior. I have read though on your web site that you suggest removing the parents from the tank, but I was curious as to why.
<So they don't kill the other fish present?>
I have previously bred convicts and I never removed the parents, yet the parents never ate the babies.
they actually guarded and protected them, until they were probably about 1/2 inch in length and then they continued trying to spawn, without eating any of the fry from the first generation. I was under the assumption, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the assumption the Flowerhorns were cichlids.
<Oh, they are...>
and that cichlids were magnificent parents. If you need any further information I will gladly provide what I can about my tank situation. Thank you in advance for all of your knowledge and expertise. I would greatly appreciate a quick response.
Orlando, FL
Jeff
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/flowerhornidfaq.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Re: Flowerhorn breeding behavior...   12/31/07
View full size
<No pix... need to be attached...>
These are the parent Flowerhorns.? I thought they were both female.? but now I'm not sure...please help me.? thanks.? My Flowerhorn eggs have started to turn white...is that fungus??
<Likely so... could be infertile...>
if a few of the egg get fungus will all of the eggs get fungus?? what should I do?
<Read... on WWM, elsewhere re... Maybe start here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlvstkind2.htm
the third tray down... Bob Fenner>

Want to breed Flowerhorn 12/25/07
I have tried to breed many fishes many times but I could not do so I don't know any thing about how to take care of them and till know which ever fishes I have brought such as goldfish, fighter, mollies, guppies, etc. die in a month or less.
<Well, before buying any more fish, do buy A BOOK! None of the fishes listed here are terribly difficult to keep. Goldfish can live 30 years when properly cared for; if yours died within one month, then you've kept them for 0.27% of their possible lifespan. Not good.>
once even I brought a pair of male and female Flowerhorn for breeding, even they led the eggs, but both of them died. now I am having five small Flowerhorns they may be up to one inch.
<Hmm... typically when breeding fish, the idea is to have healthy fry and healthy parents. In any case, do review the requirements of fish before keeping them.>
tell me how to take care, how much and how I should feed them, how much water should I change every weak? how to clean the tank? I am having an underwater filter and a power filter in my tank.
<See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/flowerhorns.htm
And linked articles.>
my tank size is 36 inches in length, and 12 inches in breadth, and it's height is 15 inches.
<Too small...>
please tell me everything I need to know. please reply soon. thank you in advance.
<No time to tell you everything! Read, review the articles here and the many, MANY books on cichlid aquaria. Once you've mastered the basics and have specific questions, feel free to write again! Cheers, Neale.>

Breeding Flowerhorns  11/15/07
I am confused. I have a pair of Flowerhorns that I am trying to breed. I keep them in a large tank with a separator. Every 3-4 weeks the female turns almost black with large stripes and becomes very aggressive to the male on the other side. I have tried everything, when I open the gate they lock lips and they look like they are very passionate to each other. The male never fertilizes the eggs that the female laid. I have keep them together until it's obvious they were hurting each other but the eggs were never fertile. After I put the separator back in the tanks and they are on each side of the tank the female takes very good care of her eggs but within a few days they turn white and need to be removed. What am I doing wrong? I am afraid the leave them together any longer as I am afraid someone will die. Any help would be deeply appreciated. Thank You Deni
<Flowerhorns are a mixture of three different cichlid species. They are a man made cichlids that are not found in nature. Many times a female will lay eggs alone or with another female. Just by matching up a pair does not guarantee that they will be compatible. I think that you are doing everything right and you unfortunately don't have a compatible pair. Try to lower the water temp to 75 F for a couple of weeks to take them out of the mood and see if they get along then. If they do you can slowly ease the water temp back up to 82 F and get them to breed. Normally I would recommend six small juveniles and then let them grow up together and they would normally pair off.-Chuck>

Flowerhorns Courting Tough On All – 10/01/07
I have a very large male Flowerhorn who I just recently pared up with a female. They did exactly as expected. I kept them separated in the same tank with a separator when her tube came down I opened the separator and they looked like they found true love they were locking lips and encircling each other this lasted about 1 hour and finally they went there separate ways and did not fight at all, she did not lay any eggs although she was cleaning her area off to prepare for laying eggs. They both looked kind of beat up although neither one was really aggressive to the other. Today I woke up to my male with his eyes protruding like they are ready to explode I never saw anything like this is he sick? Or did she do something to him I tried to stay in the room during there mating and neither one really was in any danger or I would have ended it. When will she lay eggs? Her tube is still down and will my male be ok?
Thanks so much Dennis
< Do a 50% water change and clean the filters. The courting ritual is usually tough on both sides. If the female was not tough enough the male may have killed her. Keep the water temp at around 82 F and you should see eggs soon. The pop-eye on the male may have been caused by stress during the courtship ritual. He has bacteria growing behind his eye and they have created an pocket of gas that is pushing his eye out. In a hospital tank treat with a combination of Nitrofurazone and Metronidazole. Some salt added to the water can't hurt either.-Chuck>

Sick Baby Flowerhorns  7/21/07
Please help, I was given about 30 baby flowerhorns. I put them in a separate tank at 80 degrees. All water conditions are perfect I do water changes everyday and they are dying. They look like they have a skin disease of some sort but it does not resemble ick. What am I doing wrong? I have many other tanks of fish and none are ever sick. How should I care for these little guys?
Thanks for the help
< Hard to tell. Cichlids are really pretty tough. First check the water for ammonia and nitrites. Readings should be zero for both. If the water is Ok then they may have a bacterial infection from the previous tank they were raised in. Baby cichlids grow very quickly and generate a huge bioload . Under crowded conditions they become ill very quickly. they may have been ill before you got them. If the water is good and they are eating then I would recommend an antibiotic like Nitrofurazone. Follow the directions on the package.-Chuck>

Need help... FH repro.   5/13/07
Hi guys! I need some help. My FH is around 1 1/2 y/o. She laid eggs every month but stopped (for 5months now). Her tubes shows every month and her stomach enlarges, but she never laid her eggs. Is it possible that there is a block somewhere?
<Yes... but much more likely "something else" at play here... Lack of a male, water quality stimuli (temp., level, dilution of metabolites...)... "Cues"... perhaps a lack of conditioning is playing a role here as well...>
Her stomach continues to enlarge. My fish also does not eat, and read in your site to put Metronidazole in the tank... it worked, then after a week, she will not eat again...its like a cycle....i treat her... gets better and then she'll get sick again. I also noticed that even though she does not eat, her stomach still gets bigger. What do i do next?
Hoping you could help me out guys. Thanks in advance!!!!!
<... Water changes... Please re/read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/flowerhornreprofaq.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Breeding Flowerhorns  3/30/07
I recently brought a pair of flower horns from Thailand (a male and female), male slightly bigger than the female (the male is about 6 inches long, the female 4 inches long).
Now I see the male and female attacking together.  Few hours, I saw the male has some scars on his body and the female get scratch at her mouth (upper lip). Should I now remove the female or is this a temporary action by mating???. Thank you in advance!!! How do I know male and female are matting???  I am using divider. Can you show me clearly and step by step for breeding???
< Although Flowerhorns are not a real species, they still spawn like the cichlid species that they were derived from.  Usually these cichlids have a test of strength in which there is some flashing of fins and some jaw locking to determine suitability to mating. This courtship can get pretty rough. If the female does not pass the test or is not ready to mate then she can be killed by the male. If she passes the test the pair will pick an area to spawn. They will clean the area and chase all the other fish away. If they are properly conditioned and the water is around 80 F then they will lay a few hundred eggs on some substrate. They both will guard the eggs for three days. Then the eggs will hatch. In three more days the fry will have absorbed their egg sacks and become free swimming. At this point they need to be fed baby brine shrimp, microworms and finely crushed flake food. The fry should be removed before the adults decided to spawn again or they will eat the fry.-Chuck>
 

Flowerhorn Cichlid Eggs    1/10/07
Hi! What do Flowerhorn eggs look like and how will I know if my fish is laying eggs?
em-em a. Villanueva, md
< Flowerhorns were derived from substrate spawning Central American cichlids. The small eggs would be laid on a hard substance like a rock, log or even the side of the glass. They would be about a 1/16th of an inch and clear. The parents will be guarding them and keeping them clean. Depending on the size of the parents there could be thousands of them laid at one time.-Chuck>

Undergravel Fish?  11/7/06
Hello,
<Hi Mark, Pufferpunk here>  
I have this problem with my Flowerhorn fry.  They seem to always try to get under the gravel.  A lot of them are not getting back out. I want to try to vacuum the gravel but afraid that I might crush the fry while doing it. So, is this a big problem or the fry should be able to get themselves out? Please, need help fast--don't know if they can survive that long under the gravel.
<Are you speaking of below the undergravel filter plate?  I can't imagine anything else you might be referring to, unless your gravel size is huge & they are being caught between the pieces.  If you are referring to the undergravel filter plate, the same thing happened to my Cory catfish fry.  I took the down tube out & lifted the plate by the hole slowly, letting the gravel drop to the side.  All the fry were fine after that.  Please correct me if my assumption is wrong & describe the problem better.  Also, it would be good for the fry to have some fine-leaved plants (live or fake) to hide out in.  ~PP>
Thank you very much, Mark

Fry Caught in Gravel  11/8/06
Sorry if I wasn't clear before but I meant that they were getting caught in between the gravel (no under gravel-filter). I will leave the tank empty next time though, I think it is too late for all my fries.
<I corrected in your earlier email, it's spelled, "fry">  
I took the mother out for a day and when I put her back with her fries, she started to eat the rest of them.
<Yup, other than mouthbrooders, cichlids will eat any fish they can fit into their mouth--even they're own.>
I'm pretty sure I'll do better next time.
<I suggest finer gravel.  ~PP>
Thanks a lot, Mark

Flowerhorn Genetics  - 10/22/06
Hi guys awesome website and info. I will make this brief. I have a few breeding pairs of Flowerhorns, trying new things and pairs. I have a few red dragons with brilliant color. I see these Thailand and Philippine Flowerhorns in all different strains. What are they crossing to make the red so bright and covering the whole body?
< The Flowerhorn itself is a cross with at least three species of cichlids. One of them is the Red Devil. The amount of red is a genetic trait but the color can be intensified with breeding and diet.>
I realize a lot of this is genetics. Is it red devil?
< Bingo!>
My newest breeding project is a red dragon FH crossed with blood parrot. I have seen offspring of these and they are gorgeous producing a rich color. Guess my question is...What are they crossing with the Flowerhorn to produce these colors? Especially the whole body covered.
< I would suspect that they are being line bred and selecting for the intense color. The adults can have as many as a thousand fry so selecting a red fish would be easy after a couple of generations.>
Also strains like pearl of the orient, with the body full of pearls. You know what is crossed to make that? Could it be a Texas cichlid? Anyway, any help or input would be greatly appreciate thanks...Alan
< I haven't personally seen this fish, but crossing a Flowerhorn with a Texas cichlid would not be very difficult.-Chuck>

Bloated Flowerhorn  9/12/06
Hi, I have a Flowerhorn. I noticed that my fish didn't eat for a few days then the stomach got bigger (bloated stomach). How do I treat this? What's the best medicine? Regards, Sam
< Do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter. Treat with Metronidazole and Nitrofuranace or Clout. Follow the directions on the package. Lots of info already on WWM website. Google bloat or dropsy.-Chuck>

Male Flowerhorn Breeding cycle?   8/18/06
Dear WWM,
I recently succeeded in breeding a pair of Flowerhorns that I have (blue dragon ZZ and a ZZ). It has been a week since the male fertilized the eggs,
<Mmm... http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&gfns=1&ie=UTF-8&q=breeding+flowerhorn+cichlids>
I want to know how long before HE can spawn with another female?
<... not likely... neotropical cichlids for the most part "mate" with only one partner...>
For example
I know that Female Flowerhorns can lay eggs again in about 4-6weeks. Can a male Flowerhorn breed with a new female every week, or 2 weeks? or 4-6weeks
or ????
<More likely to kill it>
I ask this question because my other female Flowerhorn seems like she is ready to lay eggs in a week or so, because she is cleaning the rock in her tank.
<May "lay eggs" by itself. Please read the first few citations on the search/link above. BobF>
Thank You,
Rodney.

Breeding Flowerhorns  7/24/06  
Hello Bob !
<Actually, it's Pufferpunk here today.>
I am getting sick of wasting money on flowerhorns pair. I have bought many flowerhorns pair after watching them doing well from several days but when I purchase them at put them into my aquarium they start fighting. At first I was having a 4'l X 2'h X 2'w tank, so I thought that to enlarge the tank would be a good idea to stop them from fighting, so I made a tank of the following size: 10'l X 3'h X 3'w but this idea also failed. Many Flowerhorn killed their own mate. Till now I have purchased more than 75 pairs of flowerhorns.
<Over 150 dead huh???  Kinda defeating the purpose of breeding them?  Some fish are just too aggressive to be kept together.  I suggest keeping them in 2 separate tanks that are directly next to each other, so the fish can see each other.  When they display breeding interest (female will drop down a ovipositor tube), try putting them together for spawning but watch them while they are together.  Any sign of aggression, they should be separated again. Eventually, with patience, you will have luck this way. ~PP>

Reproduction, Flowerhorn   6/17/06
How long does the egg of a Flowerhorn hatch,
<About four days at tropical temperatures... if fertile>
how does it hatch
<The apical end of the attached eggs rupture, the young wriggle out>
and how do we prevent the female fish from eating its eggs?
<"Keep them satisfied", little outside activity, separate from the eggs/young. Bob Fenner>

Raising Flowerhorn Fry  6/3/06
Hello! My female Flowerhorn laid eggs and my male Flowerhorn got to fertilize it in time.
Now the eggs are hatched it's been a week since the eggs have been laid.
What are the factors that will aid the growth of my Flowerhorn fry? thanks
< Clean water, good food and reasonable temperatures. Ammonia will definitely impede growth. So will nitrites and nitrates but not to the same extent.  With lots of fry it is easy to overcrowd a tank. You will need very good filtration and lots of water changes. You will need a food that is high in protein. The water temp should be at least 80 F for good fast growth. Too much  higher than that really starts to impede the waters ability to hold oxygen.-Chuck> 

Flowerhorn pair behavior
Respected sir/ madam,
I recently brought a pair of flower horns from a local dealer (a male and female), male slightly bigger than
the female (the male is about 8-10 cm long, the female 5-6cm long). Now I see the male attacking the female
and the female has some scars on her body. should I now remove the female or is this a temporary action by the male.
Hope to get a reply soon.
< Remove her to another tank or he will kill her. Many times pair bonds are broken when fish are moved and need to be reestablished. Try dividing the tank and keep each one on its own side. When the female is ready to spawn she will begin to start to flare back at the male. You can try and put them together for a short time and see how it goes. Be aware that he can decide to kill her in just a few hours so only put them together when you are home watching them. Eventually when they start to breed again you can start leaving the female with the male, but there is no guarantee when large cichlids begin to breed.-Chuck>
Thanking you ,
Rohan

Re: Separated Cichlids
Respected sir/madam,
I wish to thank you for giving me the solution for my problem so soon. I have as suggested by you. I have divided the tank into two by placing a glass piece in between the two, hopefully this solves the problem.
One other thing I wish to ask is I was thinking of introducing a albino parrot fish with the male flowerhorn (of the same size), do you think its safe to do so & what are the signs to look for to separate them.
Can I maintain the flower horn on dry worms alone. Well I once again thank you for your suggestion.
Thanking you,
< Big cichlids get very territorial, so much to the point that they don't even like some people in the same room with them. This makes them very personable but also a pain to match up with other fish. You can try and put them together. Rearrange all the decorations and put them together at night. It is best to do this if you are going to around for awhile to see how it goes. If they don't like each other you may need to get another tank. -Chuck>
Rohan

Flowerhorn questions from India
Hi,
my name is Rohan, I am an aquarist from India. I have mailed a few times and have been fortunate enough to
receive quick and very good responses from you to which I am very grateful and thank you.
I have a pair of Flowerhorns. I have a few enquires to ask you, concerning the about two.
1) When do I know that the Flowerhorns are ready to breed?
< The male and female will be flaring at one another, their tubes from the anal region will become more prominent and they will have cleaned an area to lay their eggs.>
2) Whats the average size of the male & female when they are ready to breed?
< They can breed as small as 4 inches.>
3) I have noticed that my female FH changes her body colour often (from pale to dark green), is this a cause for concern?
< Flowerhorns are an artificial man-made fish. Their colors are a reflection of their mood, food and genetics.>
4) when going out for the week end how much should the fish be fed.
< None. I never feed my fish while I am out of town for a week or less. Fish are cold blooded so I lower the water temp. to 75 degrees to cool them down and lower their metabolism so they won't be as hungry and will not breed or tear each other up while I am gone.>
and lastly,
5) I read in a website (not yours) that you can underfeed the FH not over feed is it true?
< You can always overfeed or underfeed your fish. I feed only enough food so that all of it is consumed in a few minutes once a day. Over feeding creates internal bacterial problems like bloat and dropsy. If you check out our website often then you have seen these emails with people who have fish like Oscars that are bloated and lethargic. These people thought that they could not over feed their Oscar.-Chuck>
Hoping to get a reply soon.
Thanking you,
Rohan

Differential Flowerhorn growth
Hi,
This is a hobbyist from India. I have a pair of flower horns which I bought a month ago. I would like to ask
the following questions :
1> I have noticed that the growth in the male is faster than that of the female is it natural or is some thing wrong with my female FH.
< It is not unusual for cichlids to be sexually dimorphic according to size. The cichlids from which Flowerhorns were developed have larger males.>
2>I would like to know whether flower horns( in general any fishes) sleep, if they do when do they.
3>should I switch off the light in the aquarium during the night?
< Fish sleep or at least rest. The lights should not be on all the time and they will benefit with a rest6 period.-Chuck>
Hope to get reply.
Thanking you,
Rohan

BREEDING FLOWERHORNS
I have a three 3-month old flower horns. They have separate water tanks. One of the fish laid hundred of eggs yesterday. Do I have to put one male fish to make sure the eggs will hatch or these eggs will hatched by themselves?
< Only in very rare instances will the eggs become viable.>
How will I know their sexes?
< Males are usually bigger and have longer fins.>
How long will it take the eggs to hatch?
< If the eggs are fertile they will hatch in three days at 80 degrees F.>
How will I know that the eggs were not fertilized.  Hope you can help me. 
MAR PANGAN OF THE PHILIPPINES 
< In a day they will turn white and probably develop a white fungus over them.-Chuck> 

How to breed Flowerhorns
Hello!
I have a pair of flower horns. When I put them in the same tank, it seems that they are mating coz each of them are flaring to each other. After a day or two, I saw the eggs on the hatchery. However, after laying eggs, I noticed that my pets are now fighting? Which should I leave in the hatchery, the male or the female? For how long should I place one of them on the tank where the eggs were laid? Please help on this matter. I’ve been experimenting 4x already and up to now, I can’t them to hatch their eggs. Hoping for your immediate response. Thanks! Dale Dwayne
< Flower horns are a man made fish that have been developed to show certain traits that are favorable to the Asian culture. If you want to save the eggs then they can be taken away from the parents and hatched artificially. Fill a 5 gallon tank with the same tank water that the parents are in. Remove the rock or stone with the eggs and place them in the 5 gallon tank with an airstone to provide aeration and current. Put a few drops of Methylene blue in the water to inhibit any fungus growth. Keep the water at 80 degrees. In three days the eggs will hatch and they will turn into a little wiggly mass of fry. At the end of three days the fry will have absorbed their egg sack and they will become free swimming. At this time they can be fed newly hatched brine shrimp and finely crushed flake food. If after a few attempts all the eggs die (Turn white) you either have two females or an infertility problem.-Chuck>

Baby Flowerhorn/red rose fish
Hello,
My Flowerhorn and red rose bred for the 2nd time and the eggs hatched 1  Dec. I removed the parents cause the 1st time they ate the babies the same day a few hours later.
What should I feed them?
< They will become free swimming in a few days depending on the water temp. At that time they can be fed baby brine shrimp and finely crushed flake food.>
And the best way in a 55 gal  tank.
< When the fry become free swimming they will gather into a little school. The fry food can be dropped over them. they will feed as the food slowly drops down around them.-Chuck> Today I gave
them a little red Tubifex worms.
Thanks,
Leo

Flowerhorn
Hello,
I have a male Flowerhorn and female Rose flower that mated and laid eggs.  
The Rose is swimming across the eggs in a rubbing motion while the Flowerhorn approaches periodically. Which eggs are fertile the white or clear and how long will it take for the eggs to hatch?
< The clear eggs are fertile and the white ons are dead and need to be removed by the female before they fungus up and destroy the rest of the eggs. They should hatch in three days at 80 degrees. Three days later the fry will become free swimming after absorbing their egg sac. At this time they need to be fed baby brine shrimp and crushed flake food.-Chuck.>
Thanks,
Leo

Re: Flowerhorn
Hi Chuck,
Thank you for your timely reply. What if the female does not remove the white
eggs....should I try to do something? Today is the 3rd day!
<Flowerhorns are actually a cross between a few different fish so it may not be that unusual to have a few non fertile eggs. If the eggs are fuzzy then they should have some Methylene blue or some other antifungicide added to the water. Add an airstone to the area to increase the water circulation. You could always use a 5 gallon aquarium and remove the eggs an continue to hatch them artificially. You should be seeing some wiggles by tomorrow.-Chuck>
Leo

Flowerhorns
hi Chuck,
You are right the wiggles appeared this morning however very hard to see
unless you focus. It is like vibrating gel! The female [Red rose] is scooping the
fry in her mouth and spitting them back out. what does this mean?
< She is probably cleaning them and moving them around.>
The
Flowerhorn sometimes picks in the area of the hatchery but eats what it puts in its
mouth. The hatchery is now mixed with sand which is the tanks bottom glass.
Could the fry survive without the parents if I take them out.
<Sure. Fill another container with the same tank water and then get some clear air line tubing and siphon the babies to the new container. When they become free swimming, (in about three days), they can be fed baby brine shrimp and crushed flake food.-Chuck>> Is it safe to
remove them of course using the same tank water. What do I have to feed the
fry? Sorry for so many questions and emails first time grand-pa!
Leo

Flowerhorns
Hi Chuck,
What will the young fry eat for the first 2 weeks?
< The parents are not required and they can be fed crushed flake food and baby brine shrimp until they get up to 1/4 inch. Then they could be fed flake food and fine pellets.-Chuck> Do they need their  
parents to feed them?
Leo

Flowerhorns Mating
Greetings, Well, I've got a cichlid which I called Canon. After that, I've got a flower horn who is Dranzer. I put them in the same tank, a ten gallon tank with a divider in it. A couple of days later, I found some eggs on Canon's part. I didn't mind it because it might not hatch. But three days later, it was filled with white fungus and was swept away. Another days later she laid eggs but the eggs were also filled with fungus. How can I keep fungus away?
< The fungus is usually the result of infertile eggs.>
Can a Flowerhorn and a cichlid mate?
< A Flowerhorn is a man made cichlid that is a hybrid between three different species. It is possible it could breed with another Central American cichlid.>
How can my Flowerhorn get good colors and a protruding head?
< With good nutrition an good water quality you can get some pretty good results as long as the fish has the genes for those traits you desire.>
How can I breed fishes?
< Breeding cichlids is actually pretty easy. Make sure you have a pair and set them up with warm clean water. They will usually do the rest and even raise the fry.-Chuck>
Hope for your reply, Nikki 

Crossing Flowerhorns? 7/7/05
We have an A-quality female Flowerhorn that started laying eggs without any encouragement. We also have a mature, good quality male Midas. We¹ve read that crossing these two will still produce Flowerhorns. We know the breeding
process is a rough one but we¹re getting conflicting info from folks ³in the know.² Since they seem to be very happy with each other (by their terms, anyway) should we separate them at all until eggs are laid and fertilized?
<Female Flowerhorns will lay their eggs on a substrate and they need to be fertilized pretty quickly by the male to be any good. You need to keep both in the same tank.>
And how long does it take for that to happen?
< If a pair is ready to go then a female could be ready to lay in as little as a week, depending on her size and the water temp.>
Does she need to rest?
< She can lay eggs as often as every two weeks depending on how well she is conditioned.>
He keeps her swimming a lot. But they have both been cleaning the slate. How soon do we need to remove the Midas once the eggs are laid to keep the risk to her minor?
< After the eggs are laid and fertilized by the male then he can be removed right after spawning.>
A local Flowerhorn shop lets the male/female raise the fry together. Is this unusual?
< No not really. The parents will lay the eggs and guard them for three days until they hatch. Then they will hatch and become free swimming three days later. After that then they should be removed because the parents will be getting ready to spawn again and eat the fry.>
We also have a young Flowerhorn that we believe is a male but he¹s too small for her right now. Would it be better to wait
until he is larger instead of pairing her and the Midas?
< Depends on what you want to do. Cichlids don't like to switch partners once their set up.>
We¹ve heard that breeding pairs can get grumpy if split up and put with a different fish. Do they really know the difference?
< Absolutely!>
Is there a book on Flowerhorns that we could purchase? Thank you. Erin & Russ
< There is a book that has been published a few years ago. You can check on eBay or Amazon.-Chuck>

Identifying Flowerhorn fry 8/20/05
Today I went into the pet shop in Chinatown, Manhattan, NY. I was looking to purchase some Flowerhorn fry's about 1 inch or less ... the pet shop guy showed me some "Flowerhorn fry" that were with parrot fish fry but to me when looked at the "Flowerhorn fry" they didn't have red eyes, very dark coloration, some spots, and really looked like some sort of other cichlid ...... my question is how do you tell apart Flowerhorn fry from other cichlid fry? What are the major or key distinctions to look for if any?
thanks a lot.
< At one inch Flowerhorns look like the fry of red devils from which they are partially derived. They may range in color from  solid red to grey with stripes. This makes it very difficult to determine if you truly have a Flowerhorn. I personally buy fish from breeders if I am concerned about genetics. In this case I would ask the store to guarantee that they are truly Flowerhorns. If they are not, make sure you bring them back for a full refund. If the store owner declines then you already have your answer and you don't need to waste your time and money on a fish you have no interest in.-Chuck>

Flowerhorn Questions  9/3/05
Hey, WWM, Chuck, I was just told by my friend that I should put crushed coral into my Flowerhorn tank, because it promotes the hump growth and fish health by balancing the ph... or increasing it?
< Crushed coral is simply calcium carbonate. In acidic water the shells dissolve and help buffer the water and keep it from crashing (Becoming too acidic). It may stabilize the pH and thus keep your Flowerhorn healthy. Especially if you live in an area with soft water.>
Well I searched your forum and I couldn't find an answer... I want to know is Crushed Coral good for Flowerhorns?
< In soft acidic waters it is probably beneficial to have crushed coral in the tank.>
Are Flowerhorns hard water or soft water fish?
< More hard water than soft water.>
Can Flowerhorns survive in high ph water?
< To a point. I would not go much higher than 8.>
What are some signs that a female Flowerhorn is ready to spawn?
< Heavy belly with a thin tube protruding from the anal region. The pair will usually be seen cleaning an area and chasing away other fish.>
Can I put a Pleco or cat fish with my male Flowerhorn 8 inches big?
< Big Central American cichlids are very territorial of their spaces. I probably would not risk it. Chuck>
thank you very much

Pairing Up Flowerhorns  9/5/05
Dear, WWM, Chuck, I recent bought a male (huge hump, long fins, about 8inches) and what I think is a female (very little or no hump, short fins, fat belly, about 6inch), from separate owners. I have them in there own tanks, and they cannot see each other. I wanted to try an breed them, so, today I tried putting the female in the male's tank (hoping that they would pair up), but instead they immediately started fighting, by locking there mouths together, I watched them do this for about 5 min.s and saw the female was getting her mouth bitten up. So I took her back out and put her into her own tank again. I have seen that kind of fighting between male Bettas and sometimes when I am breeding Bettas also. My questions are...
Can put these 2 fishes that are use to living in separate tanks, together to breed?
< Playing match maker with adult Central American cichlids is very very risky. I would get some plastic egg crate used in home improvement store for lighting panels and make a divider out of it. Put the male in one side and the female in the other. This way they can see each other but not get to each other. If the female lays eggs the male can still fertilizer them fro quite a distance away.>
What are the mating rituals of Flowerhorns? (like what kinds of things do they do before pairing up or mating? What are signs of mating?)
< Courtship can be pretty rough. Lots of flaring and mouth locking. If they are compatible and the female is ready to breed then after the tug a war they will begin to clear an area for the female to lay eggs. The eggs are laid on a flat surface with the male following closely behind the female to fertilize the eggs.>
How do you know when they are doing this ritual or fighting?
< Sometimes it is difficult to tell. When one fish plainly gives up and runs for cover then it is time to get the loser out or they will be killed.>
What is the average time for this mating ritual to take place?
< Could be hours or days depending on the water temp and how closely matched the two fish are.>
One of my friends has a pair, and they don't fight or anything, they defend there hole they dug in the gravel. I really want my 2 Fh's to live like that, am sure I have more questions, but I can think of them right now... I will have to send another email, but I'll wait for your reply on this one...
Thank You So Much, you guy's are the best.
< Compatibility among cichlid pairs is a touch and go thing. They may be fine one minute and then at each others throat the next. Good Luck.-Chuck>

Breeding Flowerhorn Cichlids  10/3/05
Hi you've been helpful since I started making Flowerhorns a hobby. I bought a 2 month old FH and it looks like a
potential female Red Dragon. My question is it possible for it to mate with a FH that is 2 months older?
< Once both fish are sexually mature then age does not matter.>
By the way it has Ich/white spots it's very few, how will I be able to cure it?
< Raise the water temp to 80+ F and treat with Kordon's Rid-Ich.-Chuck> Thanks a lot. Ja

Male Flowerhorn Sterile?  11/22/05
Dear WWM crew,
I had written to you about breeding Flowerhorns, before, but after a couple of tries at breeding, with no success I have a couple more questions to ask...  Is my male Flowerhorn seems to be sterile...?
<Maybe>
The reason I ask is because my female has laid eggs twice and they all just died after 4-5days! 
<Could be you have two females even>
I would like to know, how do I know if a male Flowerhorn is Sterile? 
<Mmm, your present observations>
My male has a tube thing near the anus, but its black at the end of it, and its shriveled up... am not sure if that's a physical sign of an infertile male... 
<Mmm, no... though shape, size is often sexually indicative>
What would be a good Visual way to know if a male is infertile?
<Not possible... can/could be tested (most likely through sacrificing the fish), or somehow testing the fish through "stripping" and a microscope... But/and often cichlids don't "do it" correctly the first few tries...>
Can Female Flowerhorn eggs be infertile?
<Yes>
I guess it would be hard to know if its since it lays the eggs....but if there is any way to find out, I would like to know about it. (you can check my site, and look at the album to see pictures of the fish, am not sure if that would help)
Thank You
Rod
http://www.rodsfish.com 
<I am cc'ing Chuck Rambo here (he's been out of town a while) as he knows much more than I re such matters. Bob Fenner>