John Franzwa
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2017
- Messages
- 29
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.
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.
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'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.
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 !
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.
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.
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