Flowerhorn with bloat PLEASE HELP

[John Franzwa]

Hello it appears my flower horn is bloated what should I do, he/she is acting completely normal and eating a ton

 

[V227]

As long as he is still eating and otherwise acting normally, your Flowerhorn is probably just constipated. You might change up the food. My baby FH goes nuts for Omega One color flakes and Omega One "small grain" sinking cichlid pellets.
Is your FH a PetSmart Kamfa? Looks like it will be a solid fish.

 

[John Franzwa]

As long as he is still eating and otherwise acting normally, your Flowerhorn is probably just constipated. You might change up the food. My baby FH goes nuts for Omega One color flakes and Omega One "small grain" sinking cichlid pellets.

Is your FH a PetSmart Kamfa? Looks like it will be a solid fish.

Thanks so much, I have no clue what he will end up like or what he is I found him for around $10 in a 2 gallon and couldn't resist getting the little guy, that was about a month ago, he eats whatever I feed him! Now he's happily living in a forty breeder!

 

[V227]

I would just skip feeding him for a couple of days.
I found my tiny Flowerhorn at petco swimming in an African Cichlid Mbuna tank. The sales clerk didn't know what he was, so I got him for five bucks. I recognized him to be a FH but I don't know what specific type he is. He is only a little over an inch long.

 

[John Franzwa]

I would just skip feeding him for a couple of days.

I found my tiny Flowerhorn at petco swimming in an African Cichlid Mbuna tank. The sales clerk didn't know what he was, so I got him for five bucks. I recognized him to be a FH but I don't know what specific type he is. He is only a little over an inch long.

Nice you're a has really nice colors, I have a lot of tanins in my water so it's really hard to see color!

 

[coralbandit]

Why the tannins ? Readings says although a South American hybrid that the fish likes a higher ph ... Some articles even go as far as to say add crushed coral to water to keep ph buffed up over 7.6 ..
What do feed your FH ? Do you offer vegetable matter in his diet?
I don't keep this fish so just going off reading with out any real hands on experience....

 

[John Franzwa]

Why the tannins ? Readings says although a South American hybrid that the fish likes a higher ph ... Some articles even go as far as to say add crushed coral to water to keep ph buffed up over 7.6 ..
What do feed your FH ? Do you offer vegetable matter in his diet?
I don't keep this fish so just going off reading with out any real hands on experience....

I keep tanins in all of my tanks, and I feed him/her a lot of Diffrent food like krill pellets, a lot of diffrent types of hikari pellets (hikari pellets are cichlid gold cichlid staple or something like that and one other sinking one I can't remember) and some black worms occasionally and bug bites and stuff like that!

 

[V227]

I'm also a rookie regarding Flowerhorns. I think along with South American cichlid genetics, the FH also has a lot of Central American cichlid genetics mixed in. That likely explains the recommendation for the higher PH.
IMO, it would probably benifet your FH to add a limestone rock to your tank, in order to raise and buffer the PH. I wouldn't artificially add tannins into the tank with products like the old Tetra brand "Dark Water Extract" or Peat Moss. A little driftwood in the tank won't hurt.
My FH is pictured swimming with a Salvini, CA cichlid, amongst limestone rocks and driftwood. The PH is between 8.0 - 8.2.
I've read that FH' s are quite adaptable and can live in a broad spectrum of water parameters, but will likely do better in water more reflective of a Central American setup. Hard water, higher PH.

 

[John Franzwa]

I'm also a rookie regarding Flowerhorns. I think along with South American cichlid genetics, the FH also has a lot of Central American cichlid genetics mixed in. That likely explains the recommendation for the higher PH.

IMO, it would probably benifet your FH to add a limestone rock to your tank, in order to raise and buffer the PH. I wouldn't artificially add tannins into the tank with products like the old Tetra brand "Dark Water Extract" or Peat Moss. A little driftwood in the tank won't hurt.

My FH is pictured swimming with a Salvini, CA cichlid, amongst limestone rocks and driftwood. The PH is between 8.0 - 8.2.

I've read that FH' s are quite adaptable and can live in a broad spectrum of water parameters, but will likely do better in water more reflective of a Central American setup. Hard water, higher PH.

Ok I'll have to get some limestone and I'll also have to stop adding in the almond leaves! Thanks for telling me this. Do most pet stores have limestone in the aquascaping areas?

 

[coralbandit]

Do you know the real ph of your source water ? You may not need anything or much ?
Pour a sample of water from your source and test ph .Then let it rest for 24 hours [uncovered] and test again. The second test should reveal the true ph of your source water after outgassing excess O2 or CO2 usd by our suppliers.
I might look for a plant based food to offer in your line up.Often the veggies help keep fish regular...
He may just be eating like a monster as if allowed some fish will...I have had SA cichlids that ate every time I saw them while growing and they grew fast and large without issue...Talking 6 plus feedings a day !

 

[John Franzwa]

Do you know the real ph of your source water ? You may not need anything or much ?
Pour a sample of water from your source and test ph .Then let it rest for 24 hours [uncovered] and test again. The second test should reveal the true ph of your source water after outgassing excess O2 or CO2 usd by our suppliers.
I might look for a plant based food to offer in your line up.Often the veggies help keep fish regular...
He may just be eating like a monster as if allowed some fish will...I have had SA cichlids that ate every time I saw them while growing and they grew fast and large without issue...Talking 6 plus feedings a day !

Ok I will defiantly test ph again today, what is a good veggie based food that you use? I defiantly know about fish eating a lot it's all my peacock bass do lol!

 

[coralbandit]

Any food with spirulina as main ingredient will do well as a supplement.
I buy food in bulk due to my addiction and find Kens a good food for the money if you can work free shipping which is easy for me !
Ken's Premium Spirulina Max Sticks
Any spirulina food will help IMO. You would know better whether the fish likes flakes or pellets. I find pellets fill big fish quicker.

 

[John Franzwa]

Any food with spirulina as main ingredient will do well as a supplement.
I buy food in bulk due to my addiction and find Kens a good food for the money if you can work free shipping which is easy for me !
Ken's Premium Spirulina Max Sticks
Any spirulina food will help IMO. You would know better whether the fish likes flakes or pellets. I find pellets fill big fish quicker.

Thanks so much! Mine defiantly likes pellets better but will take flakes I think I have some spirulina food somewhere around here let me check!

 

[V227]

The water in my area is naturally hard, and my limestone has little effect actually raising the PH. The limestone does buffer the PH, guarding against a possible PH crash.
As Bandit noted, your water might already be fine, minus the decaying leaves.
I personally like to hardscape with limestone "Texas Holey Rock". Quality peices of it look like mother nature's sculptures. The natural holes and crevaces provide great hiding spots for the fish. Pictured is about 200 lbs. Of THR in my display tank as it looked several months ago. It cost me an average of 20 cents per lb. I bought them from my local rock yard / landscape company. Fish stores in my area sell THR for $1.50 to $ 2.50 per lb. I really over did the rocks so since that photo I have divided the rocks up into three separate tanks.

 

[John Franzwa]

The water in my area is naturally hard, and my limestone has little effect actually raising the PH. The limestone does buffer the PH, guarding against a possible PH crash.

As Bandit noted, your water might already be fine, minus the decaying leaves.

I personally like to hardscape with limestone "Texas Holey Rock". Quality peices of it look like mother nature's sculptures. The natural holes and crevaces provide great hiding spots for the fish. Pictured is about 200 lbs. Of THR in my display tank as it looked several months ago. It cost me an average of 20 cents per lb. I bought them from my local rock yard / landscape company. Fish stores in my area sell THR for $1.50 to $ 2.50 per lb. I really over did the rocks so since that photo I have divided the rocks up into three separate tanks.

Thanks, also that tank is amazing!

 

[tunamanphd]

I would just skip feeding him for a couple of days.
I found my tiny Flowerhorn at petco swimming in an African Cichlid Mbuna tank. The sales clerk didn't know what he was, so I got him for five bucks. I recognized him to be a FH but I don't know what specific type he is. He is only a little over an inch long.

I picked one up at a PETSUPPLYPLUS the same way. I paid a tad more @$12 still really cheap. Pretty sure mine is a female. I have her in my fishroom now as the Cull Killer

 

[John Franzwa]

I picked one up at a PETSUPPLYPLUS the same way. I paid a tad more @$12 still really cheap. Pretty sure mine is a female. I have her in my fishroom now as the Cull Killer

I also believe mine to be female but who knows they are still small

 

[V227]

That was a good pickup, Tuna. I get the impression that my FH is a female too. I hope she stays on the smaller side, 8" or so. I'm trying to domesticate her, pairing her up with several Firemouths, 1x Red Texas, 1x Salvini, as well as numerous very large Tetras- Silver Dollars, Buenos Aires, Diamond and soon, some Red Eyes currently in QT. So far so good. Chances are she will end up being a solo wet pet.