Box store baby Flowerhorn pick ups

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V227

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I picked up these baby Flowerhorns from Petco last week. Both are still in QT. The tourqoise
FH is most likely a male, a real butt-head. The pink one, probably female, "how appropriate" She has a black marking in her dorsal fin, typical in many varieties of female cichlids. Both are about 1 1/2 inches long. Still a little picky with food, but they do eat Omega One micro sinking
pellets. This was a classic impulse buy, but I'll deal with it. At least I have the space; for now:confused:
 

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Yes Del, they are doing fine, but still a little finicky regarding food. They ignore flake food, but graze on the sinking micro cichlid pellets. No sign of disease.
They had a disagreement reference rock ownership (see photo). A very minor lip lock, no injuries. You would think a hardscaped 65 gallon tank would allow enough space for two tiny cichlids.
Coral, I do share the mental illness labeled "Impulse Fish buying disorder". Now I have to face the consequences, "Cichlid tank adjustment". Got to decide which cichlids I need to move from one tank to another in order to acomidate new cichlid #A, or which ones I have to rehome to acomidate new cichlid #B. I complain, but really that's all part of the fun. Thanks for the replies.
 

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Yes Del, they are doing fine, but still a little finicky regarding food. They ignore flake food, but graze on the sinking micro cichlid pellets. No sign of disease.
They had a disagreement reference rock ownership (see photo). A very minor lip lock, no injuries. You would think a hardscaped 65 gallon tank would allow enough space for two tiny cichlids.
Coral, I do share the mental illness labeled "Impulse Fish buying disorder". Now I have to face the consequences, "Cichlid tank adjustment". Got to decide which cichlids I need to move from one tank to another in order to acomidate new cichlid #A, or which ones I have to rehome to acomidate new cichlid #B. I complain, but really that's all part of the fun. Thanks for the replies.

Ah best friends too, lol!
 
Those fish are extremely pretty! I especially like the one with the blue spots!
 
Thanks. FH' s are very colorful. As they grow, tend to be as mean as they are pretty. Maybe these two won't be so bad. Keeping my fingers crossed. Lol.
Aut. Surprisingly they are getting along fairly well.
Thanks for the replies.
 
Yes. I currently have a Female FH swimming in my 120 gal. Display tank. She is relatively docile for a FH. I also have an unfaded Red Texas Cichlid, which is more or less a second generation FH. She is some what docile too. See photo.
 

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Are they relatively cheap? They’re such pretty fish and y’all have got me hooked
 
Where I live, Oklahoma, most baby FH' s sell between $5 - $30 bucks. The Red Texas are usually a little more. Be sure to do your research before buying. Full size FH' s range from
7" - 11" inches depending on gender; Short body type or standard.
 
If I do get the FHs I’ll be doing PLENTY of research! (Way more than I need to)!!
 
Thanks MB. Check out this one, I've got in the 120. She's about 4" now.
 

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She is purty! If I had a big tank these guys would be high on my list. Generally I like “wild types” but something about these
 
I wasn't too big on Hybrids either, until I happened upon the above pictured FH, also from Petco. She was only five bucks, so i decided to give FH' s a try. Sadly, the first two pictured baby FH' s passed away yesterday of an intestinal bacterial infection, while still in quarantine.
Pet store was great, and refunded my money.
It would have been difficult to deal with three FH' s anyway. I'm just going to stick with the one. She is turning out to be a surprisingly good community fish. Thanks for the reply MB.
 
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You probably would have been right. Both passed away a few days ago of some type of intestinal problem. They were fine for the first few days, then stopped eating. As noted, Pet store refunded my money. I'm just going to stick with the one, above pictured FH, also from Pet store, that I've kept for about five months. It is unusually docile and gets along fine with my Red Texas, and Firemouths.
I'll admit that was a bad impulse buy. I would have had to split them up.
On a side note: When I went back to Pet store, the lone remaining FH in their display tank, was obviously very near death. Evidently a bad batch.
 
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Big box stores often have bad batches I’ve noticed. It’s sad how they stuff over 40 goldfish in a ten gallon tank.
 
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