Please be kind...

[cogburn]

im prolly gonna get blasted for this... but i discovered an awesome new fish this weekend... the flowerhorn... i know its been around forever but this is the first ive seen it and i must have one... any chance of getting that in my 180 with my current tankmates... 2 oscars, 3 tinfoil barbs, 3 clown loaches, 2 jack dempseys, and 1 banded leporinus... or are flowerhorns so aggressive that im nuts and itll never work?

please be kind...

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'm not sure why you would get blasted for admiring the flowerhorn cichlid. It is a man made cross breed but if it does occur, the thread will be locked so don't worry about that.

I do not have experience with the Flower Horn so I can't give first hand experience. But I do know that they grow rather large and require a decent size tank, 180 being adequate. As far as getting along eith the others, I can't say for sure. Hopefully someone with experience with the Flowerhorn can chime in.

 

[darkmule27]

I can't offer firsthand experience, but...

Home
Flowerhorn Cichlids
The Flowerhorn Fish
Flowerhorn Craze

Hopefully those can help you some! The last link would probably be the most likely to find an answer.

 

[djrusselljoseph]

Why would you get 'blasted'? If that is what you like, so be it.

As long as you're not cruel to your animals, pets, who cares.

Just do your research.

 

[cogburn]

i guess what i said was taken out of context... i know nobody here would actually ridicule someone or "flame" them... i guess i just worded it wrong... i was trying to be humorous in my knowledge that i still have alot to learn about this hobby and i am by no means an expert... i wanted advice aobut flowerhorns but for instance didnt want somebody saying "you idiot, you cant put that fish in there stupidhead"... things like that i was trying to be humorous... sorry if i confused anyone

 

[djrusselljoseph]

No worries at all, but you just never know.

People here aren't stuck up or uptight, unlike other boards.

We're all here to learn!

 

[Fishyfanatic]

When it comes to "man made" species, some get very opinionated about the subject. I just wanted to assure you that if it gets out of hand we will take appropriate measures.

 

[miniflea84]

I've never understood how emotional some people get over hybrids. Personally I think flowerhorns can be very attractive.

 

[cogburn]

theyre AWESOME i really want one.. my question is do you think theyll work with my tankmates or would they be better with their own setup?

 

[TheNamelessPoet]

you cant put that fish in there stupidhead

 

[HooKooDooKu]

I've never understood how emotional some people get over hybrids...

Yea, you never hear of anyone complaining about a mule do you? But a mule is even more of a hybrid than the flowerhorn. At least the flowerhorn was produced by mating various forms of the same species. It's like cross-pollinating roses to get a better rose. But you don't hear anyone complaining about how beautiful modern hybrid roses are.

On the flip side, a mule is a cross between a horse and a donkey. These are two different species, and the result is a sterile cross-bread we call a mule. To do something similar to producing an aquatic mule would be like cross breading a shrimp with a crawfish to make a crimp.

Now obvious difference is that the genes of a shrimp and crawfish are likely not quite a close together as the horse and donkey, and therefore the production of a crimp is impossible. But if they just happened to have the same number of chromosom pairs (like the horse and donkey) it would be possible. So what would you think of a crimp compared to the flowerhorn?

 

[djrusselljoseph]

Every setup I have seen, and limited to store scenarios, no other fish in the tank except the Flowerhorn.
You might have better luck bringing the fish up around the same age (so when very young), unless one species grows at a faster rate than another.

 

[darkmule27]

But if they just happened to have the same number of chromosom pairs (like the horse and donkey) it would be possible.

Actually donkeys have 2 less chromosomes than horses, which is why mules are (mostly) sterile.


To cogburn: check out the links I posted earlier. To quote a few:
"Being big and aggressive is better not to house it with other fish species, specially if they are smaller. While if you plan to house more than one Flowerhorn, provide a big tank and divide it with accessories to let fish divide the territory; to avoid fights it is recommended not to keep more than two or three fish together in the same tank" - from "The Flowerhorn Fish"

"You can of course keep the Flowerhorn cichlid alone, but if you want to have more than one fish in the aquarium other big aggressive cichlids from South America is the best choice." - from "Flowerhorn Cichlids"

The last link is a forum that could likely provide you with exactly the answer you're looking for since it is specifically for flowerhorn owners.

 

[cogburn]

HAHAHAHHA.... thanks smart aleck

 

[cogburn]

that was for nameless poet btw

 

[cogburn]

yeah im reading more and more that say you shouldnt really house them with anything... which sucks... that would be the PERFECT centerpiece fish in my tank... oh well maybe one of these days ill get a 55 or a lil bigger and keep a flowerhorn all by his lonesome... theyre so flippin cool

 

[mimi leigh]

my friends dempseys were pretty aggressive, they eventually paired up & bred after that the male ended up in his own tank at my house, along with several babies in another tank while the female rejoined the african cichlids they started out living with, I later gave him away to a neighbor with several tanks and a pond...everyone I knew personally that kept oscars said they eventually got rid of them because they got so big & started eating everything - they were in a 125 I believe.

I suppose it would just be the temperment of your fish, since I assume they live well together, tho I have never heard of a Flowerhorn, but I wish you luck!

 

[cogburn]

my fish do great together... only problem i ever have is the bigger dempsey chases the smaller one... but they separate and leave each other alone... my oscars are lazy and dont bother anything... but they do eat like pigs... my tank as a whole gets along very well... im not gonna mess with things... ill get a separate tank for the flowerhorn