Flower horn content with other fish. Flower Horns are handsome with a complex character. Breeding Flower Horn

An unusual combination of beautiful appearance, peculiar shape and ferocity can be found in the flower horn. She also has an interesting behavior and character, so you always want to watch her. It is known that those people who brought her to themselves never regretted it. But you need to know a little about how to properly maintain such a fish and how to properly breed it.

Origin

Cichlids and flower horns, photos of which are in this article, are illegible in choosing partners. Therefore, they create pairs with different types of fish, and this feature of them led to the fact that a large number of hybrids began to form. Only not all of them look great, but there are species that then can no longer have offspring.

Such hybrids, which were obtained by artificial crossing, include the trihybrid parrot and the flower horn. The trihybrid parrot is considered the most famous aquarium fish. But the flower horn cichlid was the result of genetics and perseverance of Malaysian aquarists. To obtain this type of hybrids, careful selection and competent crossing of various species was carried out. The main goal of such experiments was to obtain healthy offspring that would be able to reproduce in the future. And the result was really successful, because the flower horn fish is a hybrid that is beautiful, easy to breed and not at all prone to any diseases.

Peculiarities

Each buyer, before acquiring this type of fish, must necessarily study not only its appearance, conditions of detention, rules of care, but also those features that cichlids may have. For example, flower horns often change their colors. This continues until they reach adulthood. Therefore, if the buyer needs a fish of a certain color, then an adult should already be purchased.

But if you acquire a very young individual, then it is flower horn fry that will show the real art of reincarnation, when they change their color throughout their lives. It is believed that this fish is an exhibition fish, so it is better to keep it alone. She rarely gets along with other fish, as she is very aggressive.

Availability for purchase

In the natural environment, flower horns are not found at all, as they were bred artificially. The first individual of this species appeared at the end of the twentieth century in Malaysia. To obtain it, they tried to cross several types of cichlids that were brought from South America. The scientists liked the appearance of the resulting specimen very much. Particularly attracted their attention was a fat bump on the forehead, for which they first called the fish a warship.

But the combination of which individuals the flower horn came from is still unknown, as scientists keep this information a secret. This hybrid individual first appeared on the market in 1998. Since then, a lot of time has passed, this individual has become popular and widespread. Currently, there are already several varieties that differ either in the size of the fat cone, or in a shortened or curved body.

This fish among aquarists is considered elite. To date, several of its varieties are in special demand. For example, the type of Thai silk, which is simply beautiful in its appearance. In Asia, this elite fish is regarded as an individual that brings good luck. According to Feng Shui, an aquarium with such a beautiful fish should stand properly in the house in order to achieve harmony with the outside world. If the aquarium is properly located, then the flower horn fish will bring success and wealth to the owner of the home.

Price

Such an elite individual has a pattern on the scales. Most often, it resembles either a heart or some interesting hieroglyph. Such fish can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but there are species that can be purchased for several thousand dollars. Often the price of a flower horn directly depends on the size of the fat bump on her head. So, the larger it is, the higher the price.

It is believed that this bump on the head of an elite fish is a symbol of the god of longevity in China. The larger the cone, the more luck it will bring to its owner.

Appearance

The body of the flower horn hybrid is dense and oval. There is a large fat bump on the forehead. Adults can reach forty centimeters in length. The color of the scales is usually metallic, gray, but there are individuals in which the color can be red or pink. Some elite fish also have a dark wide stripe in the middle of the body, which can be interrupted and even seem to be separate spots. But this is not the case for all species.

The fins of the flower horn, the maintenance of which requires some knowledge, are dorsal, anal and caudal. The dorsal and anal fins are usually elongated and pointed, but the caudal fin is round. Such hybrid elite individuals live no more than ten years. But even before this age, few of them survive. Recently, with the advent of a large number of different subspecies, the appearance may be different.

All varieties of such fish are unique, and they are recognized by seven features. This is the shape and color of the fish, the size of its scales and fat cones, by whether there is a horizontal line and how the fins are straightened, and also by the eyes.

Conditions

Flower horns, the maintenance of which is quite simple, easily tolerate any water parameters, especially compared to other types of fish. They are also unpretentious in nutrition, as they love any protein feed, regardless of whether they are of artificial or living origin. But still, inexperienced aquarists should not start with breeding this particular individual, since its content has its own characteristics.

The first feature is the need to have a large aquarium, as this is a fairly large fish. Another important nuance of the content is the definition of who the flower hori can live with. Since this is an aggressive fish, it is better that she does not have neighbors in the aquarium. This individual will quickly destroy even plants, so you should not place them in an aquarium.

She is known to be so aggressive that she is able to bite the owner's hand when he feeds her or maintains the aquarium. Flower horn bites are quite painful. If aquarists are ready for difficulties, then they can purchase it for their aquarium.

Nutrition

Flower horns, whose feeding has its own characteristics, feed on both live and artificial food. The main thing is that such food contains a large amount of protein. She has a big appetite. Therefore, it is worth alternating feed, making sure that the food is varied.

The main condition for the feed used is that it be nutritious and of high quality. The higher its quality, the better this fish will develop. So, you can give flower horn shrimp meat, various worms and crickets, bloodworms and flies, grasshoppers and fish fillets, gammarus and small fish.

Usually this hybrid individual is fed no more than three times a day, but it is possible twice. Everything will depend on what kind of food to feed, and how much waste is then left. Even in the last century, such fish were fed with the meat of mammals, but now it has already been proven that this is very harmful, since such food contains too much fat and protein. It is known that aquarium fish digest such food poorly. As a result of the use of such food, problems begin: the fish gets fat, and the work of the internal organs is disrupted. Therefore, it is worth giving them no more than once a week.

aquarium requirements

An aquarium for keeping a flower horn requires a large and voluminous one, for example, at least 200 liters. But if on condition that he will live alone. If you breed a couple, then you need an aquarium with a volume of at least 400 liters. And if there are other hybrid species, then at least 800 liters.

You should not create any special decor in such an aquarium, since this fish does not like plants at all, but it loves to dig very much, so any plants will quickly disappear. It is better to cover the bottom of the aquarium with gravel, as well as large stones and snags. This elite fish does not like to hide at all, and it leads an active lifestyle. But even when installing stones or driftwood, you should always check the reliability of the installation, as the hybrid can easily turn everything over.

Care rules

It is known that the flower horn, the care of which has its own rules, prefers clean water and a small moderate current. Therefore, such an aquarium always requires a powerful filter and water changes every week. At the same time, you should definitely clean the bottom, as after eating there is a lot of garbage.

For the maintenance of this elite hybrid fish species, a high temperature should be set, at least 26 degrees. And you should always monitor the behavior of the fish to understand what may be bothering her.

Compatibility with others

The flower horn is almost impossible to keep with other fish as they are always aggressive and their large body can easily take on any other fish in the tank. They always defend their territory. It is best to keep a pair of identical fish then so that other individuals do not suffer. But for such a neighborhood, you always need a large aquarium, which allows you to slightly reduce the aggression of the flower horn.

If, nevertheless, neighbors are inevitable, then such a fish, which also has large forms, should be placed in the aquarium. You can put in a huge aquarium to the flower horn black pack, pterygoplicht, plecostomus, giant gourami and others. If the aquarium contains a couple of hybrids, then you should definitely keep an eye on them, as they can kill each other.

How to distinguish a female from a male

There is no correct way to distinguish between a female and a male in a hybrid species of flower horn fish. Today it is believed that the black dot on the back behind the fin indicates a female. The male does not have this point. But many aquarists refute this assumption.

It is easier to identify the female during the spawning period. When an adult is ready to spawn, a thick ovipositor becomes visible in the female, and a papilla in the male. Breeders adhere to one technique that allows them to distinguish between the sex of an individual. But it can only be used on a person - a teenager. To determine the sex, you should put such a fish on the palm of your left hand, and then with your right hand you should lightly and gently run along the abdomen from the head to the caudal fin. If splashes of a clear liquid appear from the anus, then this is a male. If nothing happens, then it's a female.

Breeding

Flower horn, the breeding of which has its own characteristics, differ from other hybrids in that they can have healthy offspring. It is difficult to get fry the same color as the parents. To do this, you must have a clean line, otherwise the color will be different. It can be very difficult for a female to defend herself against the constant attacks of males, so it is quite difficult to breed these fish. The owner of such a pair, which is specially acquired for divorce, must equip his aquarium in such a way that the female has secluded places where she can hide from the male, and he would not see her.

You can use another method to protect the female a little from the persecution of the male. For example, divide the aquarium into two parts using a grid. You can also act a little differently. So, put a flat stone near the grid, but only it should be large. At the same time, all other objects on the side where the female will be located must be removed. This will ensure that she will throw. Then it is necessary either to transfer the stone to the male, or to rearrange the grid so that this stone is on his territory. After that, it is recommended to send a stream of water there, thus helping the male to fertilize the female.

In any method, it is necessary for the owner to create such conditions under which reproduction will begin. This requires certain conditions that must be created. So, the water should be about 28 °C. The food must be of good quality. Feed elite fish during this period should be well. Be sure to monitor the freshness of the water.

Both the female and the male will carefully and jealously guard the eggs, and as soon as the male decides that the female is superfluous, he will immediately begin to beat her. And then again you need a grid.

Such fish always have both caviar and fry large, so it is easy to care for them. It is better to feed fry with the same food as adults, only it is worth grinding them thoroughly.

The Flower Horn is a unique fish for those who love bright and large cichlids. She has a very interesting behavior, character and a completely unusual appearance. Those who decided to get themselves a flower horn never regretted it.

Flower Horn Information

Cichlids, as a rule, are not picky in partners, and can create pairs not only with their own kind, but also with completely different types of cichlids. This feature made it possible to obtain many completely unimaginable hybrids from different types of fish.

Not all of them turn out to be successful, some do not shine with color, others after such crossing become sterile themselves.

But, there are exceptions...

One of the well-known and popular fish in the aquarium is the fruit of artificial crossing. So is the flower horn, a child of the genetics and perseverance of Malaysian aquarists.

It was in Malaysia that careful selection and crossing of various cichlids (which ones are still not clear for sure) was carried out in order to obtain healthy and reproductive offspring. The flower horn is a hybrid, but at the same time it is not prone to disease, beautiful and prolific.

An interesting feature of the flower horn is that it changes its color throughout life, before reaching puberty. So, if you are interested in buying a bright fish of a certain color, then you need to choose an adult fish, or grown up enough.

Otherwise, you may be in for a surprise, not always a pleasant one. On the other hand, if you buy flower horn fry, then a whole series of magical transformations will pass before your eyes, and who knows, maybe you will have a fish of rare beauty?

Caring for the flower horn is very simple, it is an unpretentious and hardy fish. It is worth noting that it grows very large, about 30-40 cm, and requires a spacious aquarium for maintenance, especially if you keep it with other fish.

Flower horns love to dig and eat plants, so you are unlikely to create a beautiful aquascape with plants. Because of this hobby, and also due to the fact that the fish itself is large, it is recommended to install stones, driftwood and other decor on the bottom of the aquarium, and not on the ground.

Otherwise, they can move them as they please.

It is best to keep flower horns alone as a rare show fish. They are very territorial, aggressive and do not get along well with other fish (except in very large aquariums, from 800 liters).

In other volumes, neighbors will be traumatized, or under stress.

Habitat in nature

Flower horn is a hybrid that is artificially bred and, accordingly, does not occur in nature at all. The first individual was bred in Malaysia in the 90s of the XX century, by crossing several species of fish, mainly South American cichlids.

They admired his appearance, especially the fat bump on his forehead, and they named him "Karoi" - which means warship.

There is still debate about which fish the flower horn originated from. The true combination is known only to those who brought this fish. Aquarists agree that the fish is descended from Cichlasoma trimaculatum, Cichlasoma Festae, Cichlasoma citrinellum, Cichlasoma labiatum, Vieja synspila.

The first line of flower horn cichlids to hit the market was called Hua Luo Han. Hua Luo Han were bred around 1998. But, since then, it has become very popular, and an incredible number of different variations and hybrids have appeared.

With huge fat cones (which increase with the help of chemistry), with a shortened body, or curved and other options.

The most popular at the moment are: flower horn campha (KamFa), Malau or Kamalau (KML), Zhen Zhu (ZZ) and Thai Silk (Thai silk).

The flower horn has gained a special, elite status among aquarists. In Asia, along with arowana, it is considered as one of the lucky fish by adherents of the Feng Shui movement. Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese tradition that normalizes the arrangement of objects and things in the house in order to achieve maximum harmony with the outside world. And the aquarium in this current is one of the key topics for achieving wealth and success.

Accordingly, a flower horn, the pattern on the scales of which looks like a heart or a hieroglyph, can cost thousands, and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars.

Even a particularly large fatty lump on the head of a fish can bring a tidy sum to the owner. It is believed that it is a symbol of the Chinese god of longevity, and the larger it is, the more luck it will bring.

True, the more modest fish sell at a reasonable price and are now widely available to aquarists.

Thai silk - young:

Description

The flower horn has a very dense, oval body with a huge fat bump on the forehead. Large individuals reach 30-40 s in length. The scales can be either metallic, gray, or pink or red.

In most species, there is a wide, dark stripe along the midline of the body, breaking up into separate spots. But, some variations may not have it. The dorsal and anal fins are elongated and pointed, while the caudal fin, on the contrary, is rounded.

Life expectancy is about 8-10 years.

In general, it is rather difficult to describe the appearance of horns. Many aquarists breed their own unique fish. If you buy juveniles, there is a risk that their coloration will change dramatically as they mature. And, instead of an attractive individual, you will get a rather gray one.

Adult fish are classified according to 7 features: body shape, color, scale size, presence of a horizontal stripe, fat cone size, eyes, and straightened fins.

Difficulty in content

Flower horns are easy to care for and tolerate water conditions that would be a problem for other fish.

They are also unpretentious in nutrition, and eat any protein feed, from artificial to live.

It's worth saying that although it seems like a suitable fish for beginners, it's still not possible, for several significant reasons.

Firstly, this is a very large fish, for the maintenance of which you need a spacious and large aquarium. Secondly, the flower horn is very aggressive and territorial, it is desirable to keep it alone, without neighbors and even plants. Beginners can quite find a smaller and more peaceful cichlid.

And finally, the flower horn is so aggressive that it attacks the hand that feeds it, inflicting rather painful bites on the owner while he maintains the aquarium.

However, if you are absolutely sure that you want this fish, then no circumstances should stop you. Despite the obstacles listed above, this fish is suitable for beginner aquarists, as long as they study their fish and are willing to take on some challenges.

Feeding

It is an omnivorous fish with a huge appetite that is difficult to feed. They eat all kinds of live, frozen or artificial foods, as long as they contain a high amount of protein.

Food variety is just as important as nutrition and quality, so it is best to give: high quality food for large cichlids, shrimp meat, bloodworms, worms, crickets, flies, grasshoppers, small fish, fish fillets, gammarus.

You need to feed two to three times a day, especially if you are feeding food that leaves a lot of waste.

It is important to know that feeding on the meat of mammals, so popular in past years, is now considered harmful.

Such meat contains a large amount of proteins and fats, which the gastrointestinal tract of fish does not digest well. As a result, the fish grows fat, the work of internal organs is disrupted. You can give such food, but infrequently, about once a week.

Feeding crayfish:

Like other large Central American cichlids, the flower horn needs a very spacious aquarium. If you keep it alone, then the minimum volume is 200 liters, but even more is better.

Weekly water changes and a bottom siphon are also important, as the flower horn is very littering during meals.

As for the decor, it is difficult to create it - the fish likes to dig, does not like plants. There is no point in planting plants in an aquarium at all, they will be destroyed.

It is better to use gravel as a soil, and large stones and snags as shelters, however, the fish does not like to hide and is quite active.

Make sure that the stones, decor and equipment are firmly set and will not fall, as the flower horn is quite capable of tipping them over.

The temperature for keeping should be quite high - 26-30C, ph: 6.5-7.8, 9 - 20 dGH.

Compatibility

Flower horns are not well suited for keeping with other fish, as they are very large, aggressive and territorial.

It is best to keep one fish separately or in pairs, and if you still want neighbors, then only in a very spacious aquarium. The flower horn will even attack you while maintaining the aquarium, and the bites will be painful.

To reduce aggression, you need an aquarium with plenty of free space, lots of hiding places and large neighbors.

Such fish will be:,

It is believed that the female has a black dot on the dorsal fin, which is absent from the male, but other aquarists refute this. When sexually mature individuals are ready for spawning, a thick ovipositor is visible in the female, and the papilla in the male.

The only technique that can be considered real in sexing a flower horn is that used by tilapia breeders. Take the teenager, put it on the palm of your left hand, and gently run the right hand along the abdomen towards the caudal fin with the palm of your right hand.

If this is a male, then you will see splashes of a clear liquid from his anus, the female does not have this. An adult male is easy to distinguish by a fatty cone and size.

Breeding

Very often, such hybrids are fertile, that is, they cannot produce offspring. But not a flower horn. To get fry the same color as the parents, you need to have a good idea of ​​how clean the line is, otherwise the fry can be very different from their parents in color.

Breeding flower horns is similar to breeding other large South American cichlids. As a rule, they are bred in the same aquarium in which they are kept and the biggest problem is to save the female from the constant attacks of the male.

You need to equip the aquarium so that she has a place to hide, so that the male does not see her. Very often, the female is not yet ready, and the male is already starting to chase her and kill her.

Or, you can divide the aquarium into two parts using a net, so both the female is intact and the species of fish stimulates the start of spawning.

You can even use this technique, a large flat stone is placed near the net, and all other objects on which she could spawn are removed from the side of the female.

When the female lays her eggs on this stone, it is transferred to the male (or the net is moved so that he is on his territory) and a stream of water is directed onto the stone, helping the male to fertilize it.

In any of the options, even with a grid, even without, you will need to create conditions that stimulate the start of reproduction. Water should be about 28 ° C, neutral water - pH 7.0 You need to feed plentifully and good food, you can also replace most of the water with fresh water.

Parents will guard the eggs very jealously. Even if the couple is kept separately, and there is no threat, the male may decide that the female is superfluous here and start beating her. In this case, it is better to deposit it, or send it back to the dividing grid.

Caviar and fry are large and easy to care for. You can feed the fry of the flower horn with brine shrimp nauplii, crushed food for large cichlids.

The Flower Horn, as is a hybrid, has its roots in Southeast Asia. What cichlids these fish came from is a trade secret of Asian breeders, so we are content with guesswork and admire the beauty of this large bright fish.

The male is especially handsome. There is a huge fatty growth on its forehead, dorsal and anal fins end in a pigtail, and its brightly colored body also has dark spots, very reminiscent of hieroglyphs. In females, the growth on the forehead is absent, or very small. The size of their body is significantly inferior to the size of the male.

The fish is considered more thoroughbred, the more fatty growth on the head, wider and more massive body, dark spots on the sides of a saturated color and more like hieroglyphs, bright body color, large fins.

Horns usually grow up to 30 cm, but sometimes there are 40-centimeter specimens.

You can keep Flower Horns in an aquarium from 200 liters, in which there is a lot of space for swimming. They decorate an aquarium with these fish with stones and snags, live plants are not an option, since Flovers are actively digging the ground. If you keep several Horns, or keep them in a common aquarium with other fish, then you need to take care of shelters and divide the aquarium with decorations into several territories.

Compatibility Flower Horns

So with whom can you keep these fish? They coexist tolerably with astronotus, diamond cichlazoma, labiatum, managua, and arowans. Also, armored and chain mail catfish are suitable for their neighbors.

The water temperature in the aquarium with these fish is optimally around 26-28℃, its aeration and filtration is mandatory, as well as weekly replacement by 30% of the volume. Aeration should be intensive, as Horns are very sensitive to the lack of oxygen in the water.

Feeding Flower Horns

These aquarium fish (provided that they are healthy) have an excellent appetite. They eat any kind of food, even live, even dry. They perfectly eat both special dry food for Flower Horns, as well as regular frozen shrimp or mussels. They will not refuse bloodworms and fresh sprats (or other small fish), they will gladly eat pieces of squid or low-fat fish (such as cod). Horns also need herbal supplements or feed, for example, based on spirulina. When feeding these fish in a community tank, you will be surprised at how fast Horns rush to the feeding hand. By the way, Flovers are not at all afraid of people and can let themselves be stroked. This must be done very carefully, as Horns have teeth and can be significantly affected by them. These fish are gluttons and refusal to eat can serve as a signal of the disease. In any case, fish cannot be overfed, the main measure in feeding.

After talking with aquarists who keep Horns, it became obvious to me that those fish that are fed with special dry food for Flower Horns get sick less. Tetra, JBL, and Sera have such feeds.

Sexual characteristics in these fish appear at the age of 8-10 months, while Horns mature after a year. When kept in good conditions, these fish can even breed in a common aquarium.

Flower Horn - video

Thanks to careful selection selection, which Flower Horn went through for many decades, an amazing representative of cichlids was born. Most breeders go to great lengths to ensure that they produce a fish with the most intense color and wide body. Males have a hefty hump on their foreheads, there are dark spots on their bodies, somewhat similar to hieroglyphs. If you thought that this is a mutant fish, then you are mistaken. As a result of long-term breeding research, various chemicals or biogenetic developments were not used.

If you look closely, then in one generation you will not find absolutely identical individuals. Today, several variations of the Flower Horn are known: Kamalau (KML), Thai Silk (Titanium Flower Horn), Zhen Zhu (ZZ) and KamFa (abbreviated KF). Flowers are quite beautiful aquarium fish. Males and females have some anatomical differences. In males, the color is brighter and more saturated, and there is a large hump on the forehead. The dorsal and anal fins end in long pigtails. If the fish are on the eve of spawning or they have received stress, then the outlines of dark transverse stripes will appear on the body, which are especially pronounced in females. In aquarium conditions, the fish can reach 30-40 cm in length. The average size of males is 20-40 centimeters, and females 15-20. The life expectancy of a fish in captivity is 8-10 years.

Origin

Yes, indeed, Flower Horn is artificially bred and is a hybrid. Apparently, now no one will definitely name the name of the breeder and the living material from which this cichlazoma was derived, reaching sizes up to 40 cm.

The real pedigree is known only to the one who did it. It is only known that the work on breeding a new species was carried out in Malaysia, and aquarists-breeders are inclined to believe that its ancestors are Central American cichlazoma: spotted, citron, lipped and rainbow.

Why exactly these fish were selected?

The thing is that representatives of the cichlaz family are not very picky in creating married couples and can interbreed with partners of a different species. This was used by unknown Malaysian experimenters who wished to keep a trade secret.

And the result exceeded all expectations! Not only did the artificial cichlomas turn out beautiful, they are also prolific, rarely sick and almost omnivorous.

The first individuals of the flower horn appeared relatively recently, in 1996. In less than 20 years, these decorative beauties have become inhabitants of many aquariums around the world. Now there are already several varieties of Flower Horn:

• campha,
• malau (or kamalau),
• zhu wives,
• thai silk (Thai silk).

Conditions of detention

Keeping a flower horn does not require special training, this fish gets used to the conditions from which other representatives of the aquatic fauna could suffer. They are omnivorous and live under strict water conditions. Unlike other cichlids, Thai silk, malau, campha and other species even attack the owner, although there have been cases when the fish allowed themselves to be stroked and even picked up for a while. Keeping with other fish and a large number of plants is not recommended, rather, it is a solitary fish. She will definitely eat neighbors and plants in the aquarium.

One massive individual requires an aquarium with a volume of 150 cubic liters. Male flower horns show their temper more aggressively. When you populate fish of different sexes, monitor their behavior so that fights and territorial disputes do not occur.

Flower horns prefer water of high temperature, 24-30 o C, with an acidity of 6.5-7.8 pH, dH 10-20. They prefer slow flow and clean water, it is recommended to refresh 1/3 of the water once a week, siphon the bottom, because cichlids clog the water during the meal. The external filter must be with strong power. He does not like plants, he can eat them, but there should be enough soil at the bottom where the fish will flounder. Gravel is suitable for the ground, stones and driftwood will also look good, but they must be firmly pressed to the bottom. Her character is open and active, she is unlikely to hide.

Breeding

Flowerhorns are fertile fish despite their hybrid origin. To get the offspring of the same color as the parents, you need to study their pedigree well. You can breed in the same aquarium where they live, just keep in mind that sometimes the female can be the object of attacks by the male. Experienced aquarists supply the aquarium with a net that divides the space into two parts, or temporarily plant shelters where the female will hide from pestering.

Spawning stimulation is possible at a water temperature of 28 o C and an acidity of 7.0 pH. It is necessary to feed the parents abundantly, not forgetting to renew the water. After spawning, the parents will protect her, sometimes the male will consider that the female is superfluous here and will attack her. Again, you will have to evict the female flower horn, or divide the territory of the aquarium.

The female lays about 1000 eggs on a small stone. In order to avoid conflicts, it is recommended to substitute a stone with caviar on the territory of the male. On the third day, larvae are born, after two days they already swim and feed on live dust. Dry egg white and brine shrimp can be added to the diet of young animals. Parents take care of the offspring for about a month; at the age of six months, the color of a young flower horn is visible.

Such an impressive flower horn will become a real property of the aquarium, bringing good luck, love and prosperity to its owner!

FEEDING FLOWER HORN

It is an omnivorous fish with a huge appetite that is difficult to feed. They eat all kinds of live, frozen or artificial foods, as long as they contain a high amount of protein. Food variety is just as important as nutrition and quality, so it is best to give: high quality food for large cichlids, shrimp meat, bloodworms, worms, crickets, flies, grasshoppers, small fish, fish fillets, gammarus. You need to feed two to three times a day, especially if you are feeding food that leaves a lot of waste.

It is important to know that feeding on the meat of mammals, so popular in past years, is now considered harmful. Such meat contains a large amount of proteins and fats, which the gastrointestinal tract of fish does not digest well. As a result, the fish grows fat, the work of internal organs is disrupted. You can give such food, but infrequently, about once a week.

COMPATIBILITY WITH OTHER FISH

Flower horns are not well suited for keeping with other fish, as they are very large, aggressive and territorial. It is best to keep one fish separately or in pairs, and if you still want neighbors, then only in a very spacious aquarium. The flower horn will even attack you while maintaining the aquarium, and the bites will be painful. To reduce aggression, you need an aquarium with plenty of free space, lots of hiding places and large neighbors. Such fish will be: black pacu, plecostomus, pterygoplicht, managuan cichlazoma, astronotus, giant gourami. But, as a rule, people who keep horns come to one conclusion - the flower horn must live alone!
If you want to breed flower horns, then remember that its aggressiveness extends to relatives. Keep a close eye on the couple so that they don't kill each other.

GENDER DIFFERENCES

A reliable method for distinguishing a young female from a male flower horn is not yet known. It is believed that the female has a black dot on the dorsal fin, which is absent from the male, but other aquarists refute this. When sexually mature individuals are ready for spawning, a thick ovipositor is visible in the female, and the papilla in the male. The only technique that can be considered real in sexing a flower horn is that used by tilapia breeders. Take the teenager, put it on the palm of your left hand, and gently run the right hand along the abdomen towards the caudal fin with the palm of your right hand. If this is a male, then you will see splashes of a clear liquid from his anus, the female does not have this. An adult male is easy to distinguish by a fatty cone and size.

Classificationflowerhornthis is not a classical classification in a generally accepted form and has no scientific justification. This is just an attempt, for the purposes of breeding and commerce,share a huge mass of variety of shapes, colors and lines. As the basis of this classification, the so-called CLASSICAL FORMS of three main types are taken F.H. These are KamFa, Zhen Zhu and Malau.

A few notes on being drunk:

- on the Internet there are a variety of spellings and pronunciations of these types and commercial names!

- each type can have signs of another type! Those. statement "ThisFHpure Zhen Zhu!” not quite right! The statement "ThisFHbelongs to Zhen Zhu type"!

- not every fish can be unequivocally assigned to any type of FlowerHorn , but this does not mean that your fish is not a FlowerHorn, and vice versa - for exampleRed Texasand AmphilophusTrimaculatummay resemble FlowerHorn, but Flowerhorn they are not , also FlowerHorn may look likeRed Texas, but not be them, many moreFHhave the shape, color and spots like AmphilophusTrimaculatum, but this is no longer AmphilophusTrimaculatum.

- this classification is the basis for judging fish at various FlowerHorn competitions.

Basic (classic) FlowerHorn morphs

A- The head has a powerful throat and does not have a black flower, even the smallest one (although today Kamfa often has a flower on its head, because there are many "experimental" crossings of various lines).

B- The eyes are NOT bulging, golden in color, light, but there are also red ones (which does not mean that this is bad).

C- Lips parallel to each other, without underbite.

D- The dorsal and anal fins do NOT continue with thin processes, even if they are longer than the tail.

E- The caudal fin is widely spread, has the shape of a folding fan (even overlaps the dorsal and anal fins), without forming gaps between the tail, dorsal and anal fins.

F- The shape of the body is rectangular (like the fish itself looks rectangular along with the fins and forehead). Black spots on the body are concentrated mainly in the back of the body.
An example of a classic Kamfa form:

Other Kamfa subtypes (King Kamfa/KKF, SRS=Super Red Syn, RM=Red Monkey, RS= Red Shock, RK= Red Kamfa, OK= Orange Kamfa, OP=Oriental Phoenix, RP=Red Phoenix, RBK=Rainbow King, HBK=Hell Boy, TK=Tan King.....whatever they are called), have different colors and luster, but all belong to this type and must fit these characteristics).

ZZ or Zhen Zhu

A- The head is raised and there is a flower on the head (black spot.

B- The eyes are bulging red.

C- Pocket jaw, overshot.

D- The dorsal and anal fins are long and with extension/protrusions. In an adult male, they can exceed the total length of the fish by 1/3.

E- The caudal fin is either round or spear-shaped. Large gaps form between the caudal, dorsal and anal fins.

F- The body has the shape of an inverted (from wide to narrow) triangle. Black spots run along the entire body evenly.

Example Zhen Zhu

KamfaMalau ( Golden Monkey

A - The head is massive and broad. Features are similar to Kamfa.

B - Eyes Not protruding. Red.

C - Mouth almost flat, horizontal.

D - Similar to Kamfa.

E - Similar to Kamfa.

F - The shape of the body is similar to Kamfa, the more massive and rectangular the better. The color may be different, but closer to the classic form - the transition from red to yellow. Sequins can be different, but closer to the classics. Hair-thin shiny sequins all over the body along with the head - this type of FH is rare and expensive.

KamfaMalau example

The real Golden Monkey (Good Fortune) or Kamalau was bred by Mr. Lam Seah and Lam Soon in Malaysia. After the third generation, they were all sold in 2001. This type of Flowerhorn is the original Luohan, not the mixed type of Zen Zhu or Kamfa. This is one of the expensive types of Flowerhorn, prices for some specimens can be over one thousand dollars. The most expensive Golden Monkey was sold for 600 thousand dollars in Malaysia at an exhibition in 2009.

Titanium

Or Thai Silk, that's The Flowerhorn is fully painted in metallic blue, the presence of a large occipital hump is much appreciated.

IndoMalau(from Golden Monkey/GM and ZZ). It turned out from crossing the last representative of the classical G olden M onkey (the legendary Elvis) and ZZ females in Indonesia. Because the female was still ZZ IndoMalau may have black spots on the flanks. IndoMalau, to a greater extent than ZZ, repeats the classical G olden M onkey and has thin, worm-like spangles all over the body along with the head. Today, the descendants of Elvis are considered a model G olden M onkey.

TanKing

This species was created by Mr. Tang in Vietnam by crossing Zhu Zhen with Kamfa.It has a large amount of sequins and a flowerline like King Kamfa, but the body and fins are more similar to Zhen Zhu.Most have bulging eyes and a more rounded tail, like Zhen Zhu.

King Kamfa

This is probably the most controversial and discussed type of Flowerhorn. Whether king Kamfa is a separate group of fish bred from parents who have formed a certain set of traits, or whether it simply denotes a certain quality of fish, king Kamfa, is by far the most popular type of Flowerhorn.I think that for all practical purposes, king Kamfa today stands for exceptional Kamfa quality.From the Kamfa family, this fish usually has a white or yellow eye, although red eyes are possible but rare.Distinctive features of this breed include intense black flowers in two rows along the lateral line and very thick white pearls.Originating in Thailand, this breed has not found a continuation in Vietnam.The body is typical of the Kamfa, with a fan tail, and a more massive body than some other Kamfa.

olden base– rather, a color form that is not a type or line and is random in nature, since is an uncontrolled mutation, although it is inherited. Today, some stubborn breeders manage to develop lines where there is a rather large percentage in the offspring of "molting / fader".

And in conclusion, I would like to point out that Flowerhorn also has a huge number of commercial names, but all fish sold can be assigned to one or another of the morphs described above. And the commercial name does not always reflect the real quality of the fish, so if you decide to buy Flowerhorn, always ask for a photo of the fish you are selling. A conscientious breeder or seller always has a camera, and if for some reason they don’t want to provide you with a photo of a future purchase, then they may be deceiving you.