Care
Tropical fish do not come much more controversial than the Flowerhorn Cichlid. This man-made hybrid is quite the 'Marmite fish' - people tend to either love 'em or hate 'em. The parentage of these impactful fish has always been something of a closely guarded secret, but when they were first glimpsed in Malaysia during the 1990s, there was much speculation that they were a cross between the Three-spot Cichlid (Amphilophus trimaculatus) and another Central American cichlid, the offspring of which was then crossed again with another cichlid, possibly a Red Parrot Cichlid (a man-made hybrid itself). Some sources claim up to 5 species were involved from multiple genera, and it remains a closely guarded secret with those who developed them. As their popularity increased, more species have been crossed in to bring in desired traits such as increased 'pearling' from species such as Herichthys. Whatever the parentage, and love them or hate them, it seems that these fish are here to stay in the fishkeeping hobby. Indeed, in parts of Asia, the Flowerhorn Cichlid is highly prized and is considered by many to bring good luck or create good 'Feng Shui', with some specimens valued at hundreds of thousands of pounds. These cichlids are of heavyset appearance, are vividly coloured, and have a distinctively shaped profile with the enormous nuchal hump. Like other large Central/South American cichlids, they are highly territorial and require a voluminous aquarium with oversized filtration to match. Provide a substrate of soft sand or small rounded gravel. Sizeable pieces of driftwood and rocks/slate can be used to create sheltered areas, but these should be made secure as these hefty cichlids are notorious diggers and they more than capable of moving decor around. Bonding pieces of rock together with aquarium grade silicon sealant prior to filling the tank is sensible. As large quantities of substrate are likely to be bulldozed on a daily basis, plants cannot be cultivated. A guard should be fitted to the heater in order to protect it against breakages, or better still, opt for a canister filter that has a heater built in, so the element is not situated in the tank itself. Partial water changes should be carried out on a very frequent basis to help keep nitrate to a minimum.
This is an exceptionally pugnacious fish which is best maintained singly as a pet. Tankmates could include other Central/South American cichlids of a similar size and temperament, or large armoured catfish, but always observe carefully and have a means of separating them if necessary. A significant percentage of male fish are sterile; however, if two fish do pair off intending to reproduce, expect a huge amount of aggression directed towards the other fish and be prepared to move the tankmates to another aquarium for their own safety. Sometimes the male can be very persistent when wanting to breed, and if the female is not receptive, he may harm her. So always observe carefully and have a tank divider on hand, should the need arise to separate an overly amorous male from his female. Ensure the aquarium has a tight fitting hood that is weighted down, as these sturdy fish are expert jumpers. Despite its controversial origins with a seemingly unprecedented level of hybridisation, large adult size, and belligerent nature, this remains a popular fish with many cichlid enthusiasts. Several colour varieties exist including the original Louhan, along with forms that have been hybridised further such as Golden Monkey, Kamfa, Fader, and Zhen Zhu.
Feeding
Omnivorous. This species requires a balanced diet in order to retain good colours. Slow sinking pellets/sticks, frozen foods such as Mysis shrimp, krill, chopped cockle, chopped mussel meat and prawns will all be taken with much enthusiasm. Be sure to provide a vegetable component to the diet, such as spinach, kale, lettuce and cucumber.
Breeding
The Flowerhorn Cichlid has been bred in the home aquarium, but it can be difficult establishing a compatible pair, plus there is the added problem that male fish are not always fertile. Simply placing a male and female together is unlikely to work and may have disastrous consequences. It is far better to obtain a group of juveniles and grow them on, letting a pair form naturally from the group. However, you would need to have a plan in place for rehoming the remaining fish. Even then, if the female is not receptive, the male may end up killing her, so always have a tank divider on hand should things get violent. Courtship is a vigorous affair, with much mouthing and tail slapping. Again, have the tank divider handy in case things get a bit out of control. Eggs are usually deposited on a vertical piece of slate, a flat piece of driftwood, or in a rocky cave. Up to 1000 eggs will be laid/fertilised, and these can be expected to hatch within 72 hours. The parents will then move the wrigglers to a pre-dug pit. They will become free-swimming after a further few days when their yolk sacs are used up, and can be offered baby brineshrimp or crushed flake. At this point, it would be wise to separate the male from the female using the tank divider, as the male will be hyper-aggressive in defence of the fry. If carrying out maintenance on the tank, he is quite likely to attack your hands, so be very careful. Parental care usually continues for around 6 weeks. Please be aware that a bonded pair may reproduce on a regular basis, and always in exceptionally large numbers. Therefore, it is important to consider whether you should really allow your Flowerhorns to reproduce in the home aquarium, and should have a homing plan in place for the potentially hundreds, if not thousands, of juvenile fish (that are going to attain a substantial size), which are going to quickly overwhelm an aquarium. Once the fry have been removed from the aquarium, observe the adults carefully as the male may attempt to spawn again immediately, and the female may not be ready.
