Why do you think most Flowerhorn keepers choose Kamfa over other Flowerhorn types? This is all because Kamfa Flowerhorns possess traits that make them desirable.
Kamfa Flowerhorns are the early generation of Flowerhorns that originated from Luohans. To call any flowerhorn a Kamfa Flowerhorn, it needs to inherit some Kamfa Traits. The reason that many Flowerhorn keepers choose Kamfa over other variants is that they possess traits that make them desirable.
They are one of the most popular breeds of Flowerhorns today, which was first developed in Taiwan, Malaysia, and Thailand. As Kamfa Flowerhorns are difficult to raise, they need more focus and good care.
The Kamfa Flowerhorn is the most beautiful and must-have fish for hobbyists who desires to have colorful and big aquatics.
Traits To Be Kamfa Flowerhorn
Some of the traits that define a Flowerhorn to be a Kamfa Flowerhorn are a square-shaped body, small rounded lip, short-round fins, and a strong tail. Additionally, Kamfa Flowerhorns shouldn’t have defects like overbites or underbites.
The Kamfa Flowerhorns that have more vibrant colors, pristine pearls, and vivid colors are known to be King Kamfas. However, they are rare, and usually, less than 10% of Kamfas have traits of King Kamfas.
You cannot expect similar results from Kamfa Flowerhorn that you would get from Zhen-Zhu. They need some time to show their potential.
Appearances, Behavior, And Biology
The Kamfa Flowerhorn comes in a variety of colors. They contain the main characteristics of the Hua Lo Han.
Appearances
This fish is characterized by a squared body type. The hump of this fish is watercolored. They have a fantail and they have yellow or blue colored sunken eyes. Compared to Zhen Zhu, their lips are rounder and smaller.
Color
You can find red body Kamfas with blue or green blobs horizontal to the side of the fish. Young Kamfa Flowerhorns are found to have a white-colored body with a fade of red color towards the head.
Size
The normal body size of a Kamfa Flowerhorn is 6 inches. Some are found to have the size of 16 inches as well.
Diet
You must keep in mind to give nutritious and high-quality foods to you, Kamfa Flowerhorn. When you feed low-quality food to this fish, it becomes pale and unhealthy. On the other hand, when the amount of proteins, vitamins, and fatty acids in the food is balanced, the strains in the body of this fish are a sign of a healthy fish.
You can feed them live food as well such as bloodworms, shrimps, and small fish fillets. Adding live plants to the tank is also the best thing to do to feed the Kamfa Flowerhorns.
Northfin Cichlid Pellets
This pellet is for the fish that inhabit a tropical freshwater tank, and the ingredients are formulated carefully and consist of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. This food is also slow-sinking that are perfect for top-feeders.
Floating Pellets
Floating pellets have a slow sinking rate. Additionally, they provide nutrients that Kamfa Flowerhorns need for their growth. This food not only produces vibrant color to their body but also pops up a color that you may have never seen before.
Freeze-dried Krill
Freeze-dried Krill is one of Kamfa Flowerhorn’s favorite food that is rich in protein. Along with that, this food does not introduce bacteria and parasites.
Kamfa Flowerhorn Temperament
As with other Flowerhorns, indeed, Kamfa Flowerhorns are also generally kept alone. The reason behind this is their aggressiveness. If you wish to keep Kamfa Flowerhorns with mates, then keeping them with the opposite sex is recommended.
Tank Condition
It is best to filter and cycle the water beforehand as they are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrates.
Ideal water parameters for Kamfa Flowerhorn
Temperature: 80-85°F
Alkalinity: 6°-20° dGH
pH: 7.4-8.0
Tank Size
Tank size is considered important as the health and stress level of Flowerhorns depend on the tank size too. Kamfa Flowerhorns require 125-175 gallons of the tank and larger tanks for breeding or ensure to have a 100-gallon size big tank. This will ensure that the fish will grow in prime and ideal condition.
Moreover, if you wish to keep them with other cichlids, a 250-gallons tank is recommended.
Flowerhorns like to swim freely, so bigger tank sizes are the best to give them. Big tanks will also have enough space to stay away from stressed conditions and can swim freely.
Temperature
I recommend you keep the temperature for Kamfa Flowerhorn between 80-85°F. This is the best temperature they survive and thrive. As they have been growing in captivity, we cannot give the temperature as their natural habitat, but this temperature is the ideal one.
pH Level
Kamfa Flowerhorn needs between 7.5 to 8.0, a moderate pH level. It is best to change the water regularly every week at least once.
Substrate
Be careful to not add any gravel mistakenly while digging the food. It is fine to keep a bare bottom. But it’s better to not leave it bare because the bare bottom doesn’t imitate the natural habitat for the beneficial bacteria to colonize.
So, add sand or bigger pieces of tiles so that the fish cannot consume those substrates.
Water Filteration
An overhead and powerful filter is recommended. I recommend you have a canister Filter or a bio sump filter for Kamfa Flowerhorn.
Choosing a good filtration system increases efficiency, minimal clogging, and ease of cleaning.
Water Changes
There is a need to change the water partially once a week, which is around 30 to 40%. You should add water of the same temperature in your tank as existing water after a water change.
It is preferred to give aged water to Kamfa Flowerhorn because when you age water for a minimum of 2 or 3 days due to evaporation, the chlorine content of the water is evaporated.
Tank Mates
As Flowerhorns come from a Cichlids family, choosing tank partners for them is a bit difficult. They can even become aggressive, mostly while feeding. You can keep them alone or in pairs.
If you want to keep them with other fish, you can choose the ones with similar or bigger sizes, such as Pirapitiga, Jaguar Cichlids, Leopard Pleco, and Armoured Catfish.
Kamfa Flowerhorn Grooming Tips
For happy and healthy Kamfa Flowerhorn, it is necessary to give them proper food and environment.
Kamfa Flowerhorn: Guide To Increase Color
Using too many color enhancers means developing allergic reactions in a fish. One such example is feeding the Flowerhorn red pellets believing it will transform the fish color into red. Instead, this will turn the fish dark.
Generally, these fish have dark colors, and nothing can be done to change them. However, it is best to choose light-colored Kamfa Flowerhorns initially rather than dark ones.
Food is one of the factors that affect the color of your fish. To enhance color, you can feed Kamfa Flowerhorn foods like blood worms, cyclops Flowerhorn food, etc.
Using Pellets With Color Enhancement Pigment
Pellets are available that enhance the color pigmentation. The most common food among color-enhancing foods is Astaxanthin. It is used for enhancing the orange and red coloration of Flowerhorns.
Note that before using them, you need to remember that such foods should have pigmentation in a balanced amount. Mostly this method is used when Flowerhorns need to compete in participation.
Water Changes
Old and new varieties of Kamfa need a water change on a weekly basis. You need to change 30-40% of the water every week. Add water of the same temperature in your tank as existing water after a water change.
Type Of Water
Almost all Kamfa Flowerhorns prefer 2-3 days of aged water. It is preferred to give aged water to the Kamfa Flowerhorn because when you give them aged water, the chlorine content of water is evaporated. Doing this is very beneficial.
If you change the tank water, make sure to add aged water if possible.
Type Of Decorations
The type of decoration is important for Kamfa or any other Flowerhorns. If you are keeping a Flowerhorn, you should have a background of any color. A background color would make your fish feel relaxed.
If you have a bare bottom tank, you can add a background color or a background paper to the bottom of the tank because at the bottom of the tank, the fish can see its reflection which could stress the fish.
You can also add a mirror to the tank after feeding the Kamfa or any other Flowerhorns because the mirror would help them to do some exercise. Seeing its reflection, it would become aggressive and attack the mirror that helps in digestion.
So, a mirror should be added after feeding the fish for not more than 3 to 4 minutes.
Addition Of Salt
Non-iodized salt can increase the growth of your Flowerhorn. It is preferred to add half a cup of salt to every 30 gallons of water. Whenever you do a water change, you should add the amount of salt which is removed during the water change.
For instance, if you have a tank of 100 gallons of water, and you have done 30% of water change, you should only add the salt which is required for 30 gallons, not for 100 gallons.
pH Buffers
For Kamfa Flowerhorns, high pH water is preferred. You can add a pH buffer to increase the level of pH in the water.
To increase the pH, you can add coral chips inside the filter as a medium for increasing the pH. Additionally, you can add some lava rocks that would be beneficial for your tank that would help in the growth of beneficial bacteria in the tank. Use natural buffers rather than artificial ones such as coral chips or lava rocks.
Kamfa Flowerhorn Breeding
Kamfa Flowerhorns are not easy to breed as infertility in males is found in many cases. Many aquarists fail in the breeding of this fish.
However, you can try breeding with another cichlids species. You may not get Kamfa Flowerhorn as offspring but you can get Flowerhorn of another variant.
Breeding a pair of Kamfa Flowerhorns is almost not possible in many cases. It must be paired with another fertile Flowerhorn species. If you find a pair of fertile male and female Flowerhorn, you are lucky as this is a rare case.
The breeding process of the Kamfa Flowerhorn is the same as other Flowerhorns. The female Kamfa lays eggs and the male fertilizes the eggs.
For breeding, you should set up a separate tank with minimum decorations. Add some sand and a sponge filter to the breeding tank.
Choosing the right mate is a vital task before you keep them for breeding.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the difference between Kamfa and King Kamfa?
White or yellow sunken eyes characterize King Kamfa. Red-eyed King Kamfas are also possible. It can also be differentiated through intense black double flower row with lateral lines and thick pearling. The King Kamfa is a pure white flower with a slightly translucent quality. It has large, full petals that open wide and a prominent crown-like pistil in the center.
The King Kamfa is native to Southeast Asia and is commonly found in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, and parts of China. It is named after King Cobra, which it resembles due to its hooded shape.
The King Kamfa is an extremely popular fish among aquarists due to its beauty and peaceful demeanor. It is a hardy fish that can adapt to a wide range of water conditions making it an ideal addition to almost any aquarium.
How to identify a Kamfa Flowerhorn fish?
A Kamfa Flowerhorn is a type of Flowerhorn renowned for its beautiful flower-like head fins (also called nuchal humps). Along with the distinguished head fins, Kamfas are identified by several other physical traits.
These traits include a square-shaped body, a small rounded tip, short-round fins, and a strong tail. In addition, Kamfas should not have any defects like overbites or underbites.
All of these attributes come together to create a fish that is both beautiful and unique. For anyone looking to add a Kamfa Flowerhorn to their collection, it is important to be aware of these defining characteristics.
Conclusion
Kamfa Flowerhorns are colorful and beautiful fish to add to your tank. In addition, they are aggressive. But Kamfa can be a “puppy fish” to keep. Maintaining a water condition is a challenging task to keep Kamfa Flowerhorns. If you can give this fish a proper healthy environment, it’s not hard to own this fish.