Many things might stress you when you are a novice aquarist, especially when a fish is as beautiful as a Flowerhorn. There are so many myths and legends about this fish that it is hard to know what is true. One of the most common questions people ask is whether or not a flowerhorn can eat the chicken heart.
Since Flowerhorn is a carnivore, they can eat the chicken heart. The chicken heart is one of the favorite diets for most Flowerhorns. I feel the reason for this might be due to its chewy texture.
Moreover, there is no doubt chicken hearts are highly nutritious for fish. But excessive chicken might result in various health hazards in your fish. Therefore, it is best to give chicken heart in moderation, considering the weight and age of your Flowerhorn.
I have been keeping four flowerhorns for around five years now. And, from my personal turmoil when I was new, I used to feed my fish a lot of chicken and chicken heart. As a result, half of my fish died due to constipation, bloating, and allergies. After losing 4 out of 8 buddies, I now have a clear idea of how, when, and how much chicken heart I should feed.
I know! Being a beginner aquarist can be tough, but don’t worry! This article is here to help you. We will be discussing everything about feeding chicken hearts to your flowerhorn.
Can Flowerhorn Eat Chicken?
Mostly, Flowerhorns are the fishes that are famous for their meat-eating behavior. So, no doubt, Flowerhorns can eat chicken! They enjoy chicken a lot, and it is a good source of protein for them. You can start giving your flowerhorn chicken when they are around six to eight months old.
However, you must be very cautious about the quantity and how to prepare chicken. Even though chicken benefits your fish, too much of it might be hazardous to their health. Therefore, make sure that the chicken you provide is boneless and skinless to make it easier for your fish to digest. Also, it is best to chop up the chicken into smaller pieces before feeding it to your fish. This will prevent bloating, constipation, and indigestion in Flowerhorn.
Trust me! I have been through this, and I can feel you. Since you need to take care of everything, feeding your fish can be daunting. As I have already mentioned earlier, you must be attentive about the amount of chicken you give your flowerhorn. But do you know how much?
Actually, I prefer feeding my four flowerhorns chicken once every day, but only in a small amount. The best bet, in my opinion, is to give around 100 grams of finely chopped chicken to them. Nevertheless! It’s up to you. If your fish is bigger than 14 inches, you might need to feed more.
Can Flowerhorn Eat Chicken Heart?
The chicken heart might not seem like a food for fish to some. I, in fact, have come across some aquarists that often do not categorize chicken hearts as a meal for their fish. So, if you are one of those that finds chicken heart a little disgusting to give to your pet, the answer to this question might surprise you.
Flowerhorn does eat the chicken heart, and most of them love it. I personally find my flowerhorn enjoying chicken heart a lot. My flowerhorns finish up the chicken heart in no time. So, I was curious why they find this meal so interesting. After a little research, I concluded that it might do something with the chewy texture of chicken hearts.
Whatever may be the reason for them to like it! Chicken hearts, in general, are a great source of protein for flowerhorns. They can also provide your fish with many other nutritional benefits. So if you’re looking for a healthy snack to give your flowerhorn, chicken hearts are a great option!
In addition, Chicken hearts also happen to be one of the most affordable sources of protein out there. So if you’re on a budget, they’re a great option as well. You can usually find chicken hearts at your local grocery store or butcher shop.
Having said that, I do not suggest only giving your flowerhorn chicken heart. So, how much is the perfect quantity to feed your Flowerhorn?
How Much Chicken Heart Can Flowerhorn Eat?
If you leave this up to your fish, I guarantee you that they will overfeed themselves. My Flowerhorns are so fond of chicken hearts that they can eat them every day. And this is the mistake I made when I was new to fish keeping. I often overfeed my fish with chicken and chicken hearts. Consequently, I found half of my lovely fishes dead in the first three months.
However, after some trial and error, I can finally give you a hint about the right quantity to feed. I usually go for the optimum amount, i.e., two chicken hearts a day for my four flowerhorns. That will be precisely about 35-50 grams per fish. But this is something that suits me, and I can’t claim that you must give the exact amount.
If you have a bigger flowerhorn around 16 inches in size, you certainly need a little more chicken heart. I personally feel that feeding your fish a little less meat than they need will encourage them to take fibers (from plants present in the aquarium). This will benefit your lovely buddy in two ways. First of all, it will reduce the chance of bloating and constipation. And also help them to improve digestion.
What Are The Advantages Of Giving Chicken Heart To Flowerhorn?
I know it sounds a little insane. But to me! one of the benefits of giving chicken hearts to my flowerhorns is their happiness. From my five years of experience, I always find my Flowerhorns swimming in circles, glowing more, and enjoying themselves whenever I feed them chicken or chicken heart. They sometimes remind me of my two-year-old cousin, who brightens up whenever I give him chocolates.
But just like every other thing, feeding chicken hearts has its pros and cons. Let me first give an idea about the advantages, and we will later go through the downsides. Here are some of the benefits of giving chicken heart to your Flowerhorn:
- providing a good amount of protein
- being easy to digest
- rich in essential vitamins and minerals
- helping to improve Flowerhorn’s coloration
- cheaper than most other live foods
- can be easily found in most grocery stores
Therefore, it can be an excellent addition to your Flowerhorn diet. Just make sure that you don’t give your fish too much chicken heart, as it might not have all the nutrients your pet needs.
What Are The Downside Of Feeding Chicken Heart To Flowerhorn?
If your flowerhorns food preference is like mine, I am sure that they can eat as much chicken heart as possible. However, even though I have mentioned a fair amount of benefits of feeding chicken hearts to Flowerhorn, there are some potential risks associated with feeding chicken hearts to flowerhorn too. They are:
- Chicken hearts can contain harmful bacteria that can potentially cause illness in flowerhorn fish. The most common one is a parasitic infection.
- Additionally, chicken hearts can also contain high levels of cholesterol which can be bad for flowerhorn health. Therefore, it is important to feed chicken hearts as an occasional treat and not as a regular part of their diet.
- Furthermore, too much chicken heart can lead to nutritional imbalances, negatively affecting the fish’s health.
- Chicken hearts do not contain all the nutrients that flowerhorns need to stay healthy. Therefore, they cannot be a complete diet for your fish. Therefore, it is important to ensure they get additional supplements for a balanced diet.
For these reasons, it is important to carefully monitor the amount of chicken heart fed to flowerhorn and only feed this foodstuff in moderation.
How To Prepare Chicken Heart For Flowerhorn?
I truly believe how you prepare chicken heart can add up to the benefits and deduct some disadvantages. However, it is crucial to prepare chicken hearts correctly so that your flowerhorn can get the full benefit. But only if you do it correctly. So, what is the correct way of preparing the chicken heart for flowerhorn?
Preparing seems like a difficult task, but it is not. Just follow these simple steps, and you will be done in no time!
Step 1: Clean The Chicken Heart
First, you need to rinse the chicken hearts thoroughly. Next, you need to remove any excess fat on the chicken hearts. Once you have done that, you need to cut the chicken hearts into small pieces. The smaller pieces, the easier your flowerhorn will eat them.
Step 2: Cut The Chicken Heart In Small Pieces
After you have cut the chicken hearts into small pieces, you need to cook them. You can either boil or fry the chicken hearts. If you choose to fry them, make sure that you do not use too much oil.
Step 3: Cook The Chicken Heart
Once the chicken hearts are cooked, you need to give them to your flowerhorn. You can either mix them in with their food or hand feed them. If you hand feed them, make sure that you do not overdo it.
All these are actually the steps I perform. But there’s no hard and fast rule that you must do exactly like what’s given above. You can have your own way of preparing. Just make sure of three things:
- Always wash the chicken heart properly
- Cook the chicken heart until the innermost part doesn’t appear red.
- Avoid adding seasoning, spices, or oil while preparing.
When Should You Feed Flowerhorn Chicken Heart?
The best time to feed your flowerhorn chicken heart is in the morning before they start their day. This way, they’ll have to digest their food all day and won’t be as likely to get sick. You can also give them chicken heart at night, but make sure they’re not eating too late so they don’t have trouble sleeping.
A good rule of thumb is to give them no more than they can eat in one sitting. If you’re not sure how much that is, start with a small amount and increase it over time. Usually, if you have a flowerhorn with an average size of 14 inches, you can give them one chicken heart per day.
However, even though my flowerhorn is 14 inches, I also give only have the amount. I intentionally do this to encourage my flowerhorns to eat the plants and vegetation so that they can get fibers.
I have been through this and know that feeding flowerhorn chicken hearts can lead to obesity and other health problems. So, I always stick to the optimum amount. But you can do whatever seems good for you. Just make sure that you are not overfeeding your fish!
Can Flowerhorn Eat Other Parts of Chicken?
Yes, the flowerhorn can eat other parts of the chicken. Being carnivores, Flowerhorn enjoys meat as a whole. So, your flowerhorn can eat everything from skin, bone, breast, and heart to the feet of the chicken. But it would be best if you gave all these things in moderation.
In addition, some aquarists do not recommend giving chicken bones, feet, and skin to fish This is basically because these parts have a higher tendency to cause bloating, constipation, and even indigestion in fishes. There are also some incidences where flowerhorn has stuck bone and died. Thus, I feel it is best to exclude these parts as much as possible.
However, if you still feel like giving bones to improve calcium intake, I suggest boiling the bones properly and softening them before giving them. Also, don’t forget to give it an optimum amount. Furthermore, it is also important to make sure that no spices or seasonings are added to it. Finally, remember that species are not made for fish.
Some FAQs
Can I Feed 4 Months Old Flowerhorn With Raw Chicken?
You can feed a four-month-old Flowerhorn raw chicken, but it is not the best diet. Ideally, you should give your fish pellets or other commercially made food designed for cichlids.
What Happens If I Feed My Flowerhorn Raw Chicken?
If you feed your Flowerhorn raw chicken, they may suffer from malnutrition or other health problems. Raw chicken is not a balanced diet, and it can also contain harmful bacteria that can make your fish sick.
Is It Ok To Feed My Flowerhorn Cooked Chicken?
You can feed your Flowerhorn-cooked chicken, but only as an occasional treat. This is because cichlids need a high-protein diet, and cooked chicken does not have as much protein as raw chicken.
Can I Feed My Flowerhorn Chicken Bones?
No, it would be best if you did not feed your Flowerhorn chicken bones. This is because chicken bones can splinter and cause injury to your fish. But if you think bones can be a good source of calcium for your Flowerhorn, I suggest you soften it by cooking it thoroughly before feeding.
What Other Foods Can I Feed My Flowerhorn?
Other good foods to feed your Flowerhorn include live or frozen brine shrimp, live or frozen bloodworms, and pellets or flakes designed for cichlids. You can also give your fish vegetables like zucchini, peas, and spinach. Remember to always consult with a veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet.
Conclusion
Concluding up, flowerhorns are not picky eaters. They will accept anything you give them, including chicken hearts. Just remove the bones first and cook them well to avoid indigestion issues.
Now that you know the answer go ahead and experiment with different types of food for your flowerhorn. Who knows! Maybe chicken heart will become your Flowerhorn’s new favorite food!
Happy feeding! 🙂
