I can still fondly remember the red flowerhorn cichlid in the shop near the university. I see that flowerhorn every time I would pass by. It was swimming in the 30 gallon tank it was kept in. It is the special pet of the owner of the shop. He once shared with me that the flowerhorn cichlid is his ticket to success.
Flowerhorn cichlids are the result of crossbreeding multiple species of South American cichlids in the late 1990's. The secrete combination of the what species were used is unknown except for those who developed them. The weird appearance of the fish interests most people. The fish has a hump on its head and black markings on the side. Because of the appearance of the fish, it has became the favorite of fish keepers. People have associated them to signs of good luck and fortune. Sometimes, the markings on the sides of the flowerhorn cichlid resemble that of numbers or Chinese characters. These markings are not noticeable in baby flowerhorn fish. So finding a fish that would have a well defined marking is really a stroke of luck.
Flowerhorn cichlids are very easy to keep. Slight changes in the water conditions does not affect the flowerhorn much. A good sized aquarium is needed. A tank that has a 200 liters capacity is big enough. Up to three flowerhorn may be kept in a single tank. Just provide ample space for the fish to swim in and enough separation for the fish to be able to distinguish their territories. A male and female flowerhorn may be kept in the same aquarium, especially if the aim is to breed them. Parent flowerhorn will guard the eggs until they hatch into baby flowerhorn cichlids.
Live foods are essential in the flowerhorn diet. Meal worms, wax worms or small fish are what are usually fed to the flowerhorn. It can be fed with the standard dry fish food and frozen food as well. When feeding the flowerhorn, feed the flowerhorn fish the amount that it can consume. Anything that is left should be removed.
Flowerhorn cichlids are an oddity in the fish world. Because of this, they have caught the interest of many. They have even caught the attention of investors. One of these days, I might buy me a flowerhorn cichlid too.
