Sexing Flowerhorn Fish – How To Do That?

Flowerhorn cichlids fish is ornamental aquarium fish. It is more popular for its vivid colors and uniquely shaped head for which it is named.
As far as to determine its sex, it is quite difficult to find whether it is male or female. But here we have provided easy ways to find out.

So how to define if the Flowerhorn is male or female? In general male Flowerhorn fishes are usually larger than female in size, they have a greater coloring, they are more aggressive and they have long filamentous fins. Also, their reproductive system has a V-shape. Females commonly tend to have small dark spots on the dorsal fin. They are less aggressive and present, unlike males, their U-shaped reproductive system.

Let us find out in a better way how to identify whether it is male or female:

To know whether it is female or male Flowerhorn fish, the only and easiest way to look inside the fish tank. It is because it is a hybrid fish and it never lived outside of captivity. Production of Flowerhorn fish is used with some special techniques since years.
So here we have provided some of the signs to identify whether it is male or female.
•    In order to identify, you have to wait until its size reached 4 inches or about 10 cm long. Differential characteristics do not develop before it reaches on this stage of its life fully.
•    Check properly the part of the anal pore. If it is a female Flowerhorn fish, the shape will be of “U” and if it is a male, that shape will be of “V”.

•    Another easiest way to compare the size of its hump. Typically, when this fish becomes adult, the size of the male’s hump is larger than the female.
•    The action of Flowerhorn fish is also one of the ways to identify whether it is male or female. You should pay close attention to its actions. When female fish lay their eggs, she remains close to them. And male Flowerhorn fish remains in surrounding areas to make sure no any other fish stay away from the eggs.

You must be interested to know more about this Flowerhorn species. So here we are giving some more details about this fish.

Some more interesting information about Flowerhorn Fish:

Origin of Flowerhorn:

The origin of Flowerhorn species officially is in the year 1994 in Malaysia country. However, given the eastern secrecy that has involved this fish since its inception. It is believed that these data are only speculative. It is believed that these species involved in the selective crossing of the species may be, evident, large American cichlids like Amphilophus Itrinellus and a Trimaculatus.

However, with the appearance of new strains, many robust, large and colorful fish were being sought. This also leads us to observe, in certain varieties, similar genes of Cyclids like the old Synspila, the Cichlasoma parrot, the Amphilophus Sagitae, the old Argentea etc.
Being a species literally created by the human being, coming from selective breeding, it does not have a natural habitat.

Distribution:

Naturally it does not possess it, however, in some Malaysian and Thai rivers, some specimens have been found which were undoubtedly released by the hand of a man causing imbalances in local ecosystems.

Shape:

This largely depends on the species which are a part of its genetics, common in these fishes is a robust and have wide body, anal and dorsal fins with a pointed end, prominent lips in certain varieties, pronounced hump. In various cases, they are very large which also depends on sexual, food and chemical factors.

Coloration:

It is difficult to determine since with the wide range of existing varieties there is a huge range of colors ranging from the red base, brown, blue, orange, to specimens with multicolored combinations, gold, gray, green etc. This fish also has a beautiful pearly commonly blue, green or white.

Both females and males have the call flower line which is not more than a horizontal black line which depends on the variety and state of the fishes will be visible or not. The Flowerhorn fishes can present different colorations in their eyes, red, blue, yellow, orange, and violet even white.

Size:

This robust fish easily reaches 30 cm, there are exceptions in which even exceed this measure, reaching sizes close to 33 or 35 cm.

Temperature:

The temperature of Flowerhorn fishes remain from 24 C to 29 C, the ideal is between 26 C and 28 C.

Water:

They support a wide range of values. The best thing for them will be to keep them in slightly alkaline waters. A ph between 7.0 and 8.0 is ideal. Its total hardness is between 8 and 20 dGH. It should be mentioned that the Flowerhorn despite not being a sensitive fish, in the presence of imbalances comes to show an opaque tonality and its horizontal line very tenuous. They require good oxygenation.

Aquarium:

Given the size that reaches this fish, it will be best to mount a specific aquarium from 200 liters. If you wish to keep a couple of Flowerhorn fishes, it is recommended to keep 300 liters of water. The decoration will preferably be flat rocks at the bottom side of the tank, some robust trunk and a thick and dark substrate. The Flowerhorn fishes tend to move a lot in the gravel so the decision is to add substrate or is not personal. In some varieties the presence of dark substrate makes the colors of these beautiful fishes stand out, even more, the decision is free.

Flowerhorn Aquariums (minimum : 34 gallons)

• AquaVim Glass Corner Tank Aquarium Kit
• AQUAVAS 120cm Complete Freshwater Aquarium System
• Landen 100P 53.5 Gallon Rimless Low Iron Aquarium Tank
• REPTI ZOO Large 34 Gallon Reptile Glass Terrarium Tank
• SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium Combo Set
• SeaClear System II Acrylic Aquarium
• LANDEN 90P 48 Gallon Rimless Low Iron Aquarium Tank
• SeaClear Acrylic Aquarium Junior Executive Kit

The best thing for Flowerhorn fishes is that you do not require much to decorate your tank as Flowerhorn fish likes to swim freely all the time.

Feeding:

Flowehorn fishes are omnivorous and undemanding in terms of their nutrition, voraciously accept commercial leaflets, pellets, even certain insects. This fish for its proper growth and development requires a diet high in protein which we can provide by means of live or frozen food, especially bloodworm or brine shrimp. It is advisable to hydrate all granules or scales before giving it to our fish since sometimes it suffers from intestinal occlusion due to omitting the above.

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

Behavior:

Flowerhorn are very aggressive fishes that should preferably be kept in specific aquariums or large, perhaps their habitat is achieved in a community aquarium but this should be populated if at all, by large Siluriformes. It is very common for the male to end up killing the female because she is not sexually mature or is not breeding season, this will be very important details to follow if you are planning to keep a couple in the same tank. You should remember that they are monogamous fish.

Reproduction:

They reproduce with relative ease, the male Flowerhorn begin to become very dominant. In this time the male tends to have a very pronounced hump in addition to very intense colors. The female on the other side will be a bit opaque and both female and male will begin to frenetically exacerbate the substrate. Their eggs will be deposited on the flat and smooth surfaces which can be rocks or the bottom of the fish tank.

It is worth mentioning that they are large layouts that easily reach the 1000 eggs. The female Flowerhorn fish will be dedicated to taking care of her offspring of any intruder that is approaching even it is said of cases in which the female comes to kill the male. On the other hand, the male will be even more aggressive and will take care of an area delimited by the couple.

The eggs will hatch approximately 72 hours or 3 days after being conceived. The robust fry will soon need to be fed, ideally nauplii of brine shrimp, gradually they can be given life and gradually commercial feed. In these moments it will be necessary to separate the male conveniently.

Following are some of the Q&A that usually comes to your mind:

Q. Do all Flowerhorn fishes get their hump?
A. They do not have their pattern, full coloration, and red eyes until they become mature about 8 to 10 inches. The hum on its head is also called as a KOK. Usually only male Flowerhorn fish develops a hump which is made up of water and fatty tissues.

Q. Is Flowerhorn fish edible?
A. Flowerhorn fishes care for humans as a pet and they keep them in their homes. As per a belief, it brings good luck. However, Flowerhorn fishes are not edible.

Q. Can we keep Flowerhorn fish with other fishes in the same tank?
A. There are certain fishes are good for mates with Flowerhorn and can be kept together such as Plecostomus, Leopard Pleco, Black Pacu, Tiger Oscar, and Jaguar Cichlid. However, it is advisable to keep Flowerhorn fish alone or you have to watch the tank so they will not kill each other.