Can Flowerhorn Fish Live Together

July 4, 2021

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Article Contents

1 How to keep a Flowerhorn happy with the right aquarium mates
2 Attitude of the fish towards another Flowerhorn
3 The chemistry of the Flowerhorn fish with other fishes
4 More information about the Flowerhorn
5 Related Questions

The moment you decide to bring home a beautiful and colorful fish like the Flowerhorn Cichlid various questions will crop up in your mind related to the fish. This fish is not only high priced but is a very interesting looking fish. Even in Feng shui, it is considered as good luck charm that brings good luck in your home. Naturally, once you bring it home you will be worried about how to care it.

Hence a lot of questions would come to your mind about how to keep it, care for it, and feed it, and so on. Hence your question about the selection of the fish mates of a Flowerhorn is very much valid.

Can Flowerhorn fish live together? Yes. These fishes can live together. It can live with a mate, and also with other Flowerhorn fishes, and even with some other types of fishes. All you need to know is how exactly to keep them together so that they live better and comfortably. Also, you must know which fishes can be the best roommates of the Flowerhorn.
There is a list of some selected fishes the Flowerhorn can stay with. The list is not long because Flowerhorn is particular about its territory, and do not love intruders. That is why it takes time to be friends with other fishes. Yet it gets along with some fishes.

How to keep a Flowerhorn happy with the right aquarium mates

Before you realize the right fishes that can inhabit in the same aquarium with a Flowerhorn, you will have to realize that, the Flowerhorn itself is a very unique fish. It’s a hybrid, and definitely one of the most beautiful in hybrid fishes. The unique temper, behavior, style, body shape, and amazing colors in Flowerhorns make them something really worth having in your home. You may decorate a home or office with an aquarium which contains one or a few lovely Flowerhorns.

Now the question arises before the pet owner that should this fish be kept alone, or a Flowerhorn mate should also be kept in the water or some other fishes of other varieties should be kept. You would love to keep your fish happy, and in a nice mood, and would not want it to feel alone, hence you can think of the arrangement. However, you should know here that the Flowerhorns have an aggressive temper and attitude towards the unknown. Even it takes time to get friends with the pet owner, and after days of feeding session only, the fish gets acquainted with the owner. Hence it’s anticipated that it would take time to get along with other fellow aquarium mates too.

Attitude of the fish towards another Flowerhorn

The fish is beautiful and amazingly attractive. But its aggressive nature makes it a big competition with another Flowerhorn of the same sex. Two female fishes or two male fishes would definitely fight when kept together. On the other hand, if the fish is kept with a mate of the opposite sex, then the fights would be less and yet the male often tends to attack the female. Aggression in the males is much higher, and they at times do not even tolerate the female mate near them. That is why it’s always good to maintain Flowerhorn fishes in an aquarium which is quite big. A bigger space means larger area inside to create territories. Hence the Flowerhorns inside will be able to locate their territory and secure their space.

If you are planning to keep a Flowerhorn couple in a small aquarium, or two couples also in a medium aquarium, then you may create a barrier made of glass, fiber or plastic inside the aquarium to separate their spaces. This way the fishes will not be able to attack each other and stay together also.

The chemistry of the Flowerhorn fish with other fishes

The Flowerhorn fish seldom becomes friends with other fishes. You can check our article about Flowerhorn compatible species. In fact, it’s territorial behavior and aggressive nature often bothers other fish mates in the tank. Its aggression is often induced to the other fish mates too. It tries to guard its territory and attacks other fishes. Hence it’s best to leave the fish alone in a tank. Yet if you want to try and see how it gets along with other fish mates, you may put one or few of these fishes in the tank:

Black Pacu
Tiger Oscar
Leopard Pleco
Jaguar cichlid
Plecostomus

The Flowerhorn still gets along with these fishes. But you may have to decide after some time, that it’s best to keep the Flowerhorn alone in the tank.

More information about the Flowerhorn

Knowing the right mates of the Flowerhorn will alone not do the job. There are many more things to know about the fish to maintain it the best.

The ideal water conditions to keep a Flowerhorn

The best water conditions to keep a Flowerhorn in a good mood and health are not difficult to attain and maintain. 6.5 to 7 should be the pH of the water, and around 26 to 28 degrees centigrade should be the temperature. Other than that the water must be changed often. Especially if you are feeding the fish with fresh small fish feed, then you must change the water after the feeding or every alternate day.

You can check our resources page where we are proposing some suggestions about : food, heaters, chillers, filters, cleaners, substrate and water treatments.

Take care while feeding

When the fish is new in the tank, then it still does not know its surroundings, and hence may try to bite the finger of the owner while feeding the fish. It’s normally a voracious eater, and will never deny eating. But you must be careful not to dip your fingers in water much. The fish may try to bite and nip on them when you are cleaning the aquarium or dropping food. Only when the fish is ill it may deny eating. But a Flowerhorn Cichlid does not generally fall ill. Normally it has good health and is a tough fish overall.

The color of the fish

If you love the Flowerhorn for its lovely color and there are so many choices for you too in the colors, then you must ensure that you buy a matured fish. The Flowerhorn fish changes color a lot while growing up. The color in a juvenile fish is not the same anymore when it grows to full size. That is why if you watch the color of a juvenile fish and expect it to stay the same as it matures, you may get a surprise. The color may totally change in that case. If you love a particular color go for a matured fish. You can learn how to enhance Flowerhorn colors on our article : https://flowerhornfarming.com/8-tips-to-enhance-your-flowerhorn-color/

Aquarium décor

The Flowerhorn fishes have a habit of digging up the tank if they find it easy to dig in. They would upset the tank décor if you place small plants and lightweight pebbles. Hence it’s best not to keep any real water plants and even artificial ones inside. And you must fill the aquarium with heavy rocky pebbles and stones at the base so that the fish cannot much alter their position. It’s an active fish, and would not hide behind bigger stones. You will always see it in action.

You can find more information on our article about how to manage your Flowerhorn aquarium.

Here is a selection of nice aquariums with at least 34 gallons:

What to feed the Flowerhorns?

It’s best to feed the Flowerhorn with small live fishes and worms. It loves fresh feed. However, it’s not a fussy eater and generally gets on well with all types of fresh and dry foods. That is why you may try any dry food too as long as it completes the protein diet of the Flowerhorns. Remember that the fish will be in a good mood when it eats well, and then only its color also will show off the best. Hence it’s good to feed the fish well. However, take care, not to overfeed the fish.

The Flowerhorn is a high priced fish owing to its high demand for the amazing shape and colors. It’s a large fish, and it must be kept in a big tank. Small bowls will not let it stay well. Also, you must take care to select its fish mates or else leave it alone in the tank in a good mood.

Best food for your Flowerhorn fish

Okiko

Grand Sumo Red – Flowerhorn Fish Food – 250 grams

Omega One Super Color Sinking Cichlid Pellets

TetraCichlid Cichlid Crisps Advanced

Fluval Bug Bites Cichlid Fish Food