How to House a Flowerhorn

The flowerhorn cichlid is purely bred for the pet fish trade. It does not exist in nature and is actually a hybrid of undetermined lineage that sprang up in Malaysia during the mid 1990s. Flowerhorns are large hardy fish that are relatively easy to take care of, but they have a tendency towards aggression. The aggressive nature needs to be taken into consideration when choosing flowerhorns as pets.

Things You'll Need

  • Large aquarium
  • Aquarium gravel
  • Water heater
  • Water filter
  • Tank decorations
  • Water pH testing kit
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay a 2-inch to 3-inch layer of aquarium gravel on the bottom of a solid 55-gallon fish tank. Flowerhorns like to push around the gravel and will create raised areas as they do. A thick layer gives them plenty of gravel to dig in without reaching the tank's base.

    • 2

      Set up a high-power aquarium water filter in the tank. The larger the tank, the more powerful the filter should be. Flowerhorns are carnivores and produce a lot of waste, so a good strong filter cleans the water and keeps it oxygenated.

    • 3

      Fit the tank with a suitable water heater that can warm the whole aquarium to a set temperature. The heater should be set between 80 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably in the middle of this range.

    • 4

      Decorate the tank with solid heavy aquarium ornaments such as caves and other colorful objects. The fish likes places to hide and swim through, but is also powerful and might break delicate decor.

    • 5

      Test your tap water with a pH testing kit to find out its natural pH level. For flowerhorns, a comfortable pH range should be around 6.5 to 7.8, and a pH of 7 is ideal. Water additives can be purchased at pet stores to increase or decrease pH as needed.

    • 6

      Fill the tank with water and adjust the pH as needed before adding the flowerhorn to the tank. Check the pH regularly to make sure the tank is kept within a comfortable range and replace water as needed.