Flowerhorns are favorite of every aquarium owner and fish lover who loves colorful fishes, new style fishes, and also believes in Feng Shui using fishes. That is why you would want to know the growth rate and size of these fishes for planning the best aquarium accommodation for those. Knowing their growth size will help you house them the most comfortable way.
The question is that when does Flowerhorns stop growing? Normally a matured and healthy Flowerhorn Cichlid will attain a size of 30 cms or 12 inches, and at this size, they will stop growing. There are several varieties of Flowerhorns, and all of them have parity in growth rate and final size. An important fact to note is that the female Flowerhorn fishes are always smaller than the males. Their difference in size is generally of 1 to 2 inches.
The true nature of the fish along with the care and maintenance instructions, and the right idea of the size of the fish across its different varieties will make you totally prepared to adorn your home and aquarium with a nice Flowerhorn Cichlid is the best and healthiest way.
Understanding the growth and size of Flowerhorn Cichlids
Before delving into any other fact, it’s most important for you to realize that the Flowerhorn Cichlid is a manmade fish, which was obtained just two decades back by the cross-breeding of other types of cichlids. Yet the fish is a storehouse of many interesting genetic traits and has developed many characteristics of its own. Although this strange and mysterious breeding, which very less common man knows the details about, actually involves different varieties of cichlids as the parent of the Flowerhorn, yet the resultant fish comes with such distinctive traits which are worth noticing. That is why it’s easy to tell and predict a general growth pattern and size of the Flowerhorn fish.
The Flowerhorn fish is obtained from the cross-breeding of various types of cichlids. This breeding was done in Malaysia and a few more countries like Thailand and Japan in the 1990s. No one knows exactly which fishes were used for the cross-breeding, and only the expert breeders know the right names. But it’s understood that the Cichlasoma Trimachulatum, Cichlasoma Labiatum, Red Terror, Vieja Synspila, Hua Lo Han, and Cichlasoma Citrinellum, are the parents of the Flowerhorns in the highest possibility.
The most common varieties of the Flowerhorn fish, which are demanded by fish lovers and hobbyists in the market, are Red Kamfa, Zhen Zhu, Golden Base Fader, King Kamfa, Kamfamalau, Thai Silk, Golden Monkey, King Kong Parrot, Red Ingot, and Red Mammon. Amongst all these varieties, the fastest growing Flowerhorns are the Red Ingot and the Red Mammon. In their initial growth phase in the first year, they get to a length of 20 cms which is fast. And then in the next year, they grow another 6 to 8 cms, which makes them overall 26 to 28 cms.
The overall highest size of the Flowerhorn fish is 30 cms in general, which is actually 12 inches. But the fish may grow up to 11 inches also which is the average size. Also, the highest size is attained by the male fish. And the female fish is always 1 to 2 inches smaller than the male of that particular variety Flowerhorn.
More Information on the Flowerhorn Fish
There is much vital information about the Flowerhorn fish, which the owner of the pet must know. Knowing the maximum attainable size of the fish is a crucial part of collecting information. But this is not everything, and there are many more important things to know if you really want to pet a Flowerhorn.
Aggression and territorialism
The beautifully colored vibrant looking fishes actually are great to adorn homes, offices and any corner you keep them. They are really good to be kept in homes for the special décor and treat to eyes they provide. They are favorites of many hobbyists and fish lovers, and also they are considered a good luck charm according to Feng Shui, the Chinese art of living. But still one thing cannot be ignored about these beautiful hybrid fishes, and that is their temper and aggressive nature along with a very intense feeling of territorialism.
The Flowerhorn fishes are extremely particular about their territories. They are aggressive too. They do not like close boundaries, confined spaces, and also intrusions into their spaces. Whether it’s another Flowerhorn fish or another type, and whether it’s the finger of the owner dipped in water, the Flowerhorn fish will surely take all of them as invasion, and its aggressive movement and attacking style will not have warmth or welcoming nature.
Having a guarding attitude towards their territory, they will try to keep away other Flowerhorns which they would treat as competitors. Even the Flowerhorn male is aggressive against its female mate at times. And if you keep other types of fishes with a Flowerhorn, then you cannot keep them all in a small or medium sized aquarium, or else those fishes have a danger of injury or bad treatment by the aggressive Flowerhorn. If you keep the fish with other varieties of fishes or other Flowerhorns, you must arrange from a big sized aquarium with lots of space inside. This will help you manage the fishes who are typically territorial and loves their own corner.
Ideal food for the Flowerhorns
Flowerhorn fishes must be fed with live flush from small fishes. Small live fishes are the best and healthiest food for Flowerhorns to stay in a good mood and great health, while the food helps make their body color more vibrant too. When a Flowerhorn fish is in a good health and nice mood, its body color speaks of this by showing great condition and shine. You can also feed the fish with earthworm, waxworm etc. In case you do not get fresh feed, you may give them dry feed made from small fishes and worms. And the water in the aquarium also must be changed every 2 to 3 days because of this kind of feeding.
Flowerhorn Food
- 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
Maintaining health and body color of Flowerhorns
The body color of Flowerhorn fish is strongly associated with their role in bringing good luck and prosperity to the homeowner. Also, these fishes are chosen and bought against a high price by hobbyists just because of their great body color, hump on the head, and remarkable style and show. They really decorate the aquarium and the house with that aquarium. Hence they are great home decorating fishes that also bring prosperity and lessen negative energies within a home. But to make these things work, the fish also must be maintained in a good mood. A sad, weak and unhealthy Flowerhorn will not contribute to great show and luck. It needs to be fed well and maintained in a nice setup. Although Flowerhorn fishes are overall healthy creatures, and often do not get that sick as many other show fishes, yet they must be given a nice setup for their best care.
Choosing a Flowerhorn according to color
While choosing a Flowerhorn you must know two things. One is that only the matured Flowerhorns stick to that that color which you are seeing. And the next fact is that the growing fishes change the color often during their lifetime, and the final color of a fish in a mature state can be quite different than the color which you saw while buying the fry. Normally the juvenile fishes change their body color many times through the growing phase.
The color may get dark, and then fade again, and change shade and hue totally. Hence the final result and color can only be told after the fish is matured. Hence if you have a preference for color, go for a matured fish. Else if you are more interested in enjoying the journey of the fry to the fish in various stages with changing colors, then you can get a juvenile fish.
Related Questions
How to decorate an aquarium for a Flowerhorn?
For giving the fish the best environment you can fill the floor of the aquarium with rocks and pebbles, colored stones and glasses, and glittery stones. They should look colorful and nice. Normally the fish has a tendency to feed on plants in the waterbed. And if you maintain real flowers the fish may upset the décor by pulling and tugging on the plants. But artificial plants and firm rocky base of the aquarium will not let them dig up and spoil the décor.
What are the ideal temperature, pH, and water volume to keep Flowerhorn fishes?
A
