Should I prefer a male or a female flowerhorn? Well, you might have this question in your mind, obviously. You will get a clear answer to this confusion.
Starting from the most known difference, that is, the aggressiveness of this fish. Female flowerhorns are a little less aggressive than males. Flowerhorns are thought to be aggressive ones. But they are not very aggressive if you know “how to not make it more aggressive”. It emphasizes more of tank size, decorations, and tank mates or pairs. Now you might be thinking of choosing a female flowerhorn.
Should I Get A Male Or Female Flowerhorn?
Most hobbyists have thought that they don’t need a female flowerhorn as they are not thinking of breeding the flowerhorn. Due to this mindset, they prefer males. Now, definitely, your preference has changed to selecting a male flowerhorn. But let’s look at the validity of this mindset.
Breeding Mindset
Whether you breed the fish or not, the fact is to allow it to live with its opposite sex. It is their requirement to live together in nature. Even if you do not want to keep pairs, you should at least keep it with a few mates of other varieties it goes well with. You do not want your flowerhorn to feel alone, do you?
Keeping Aggression In Mind
Talking about aggressiveness, the flowerhorn gets aggressive even towards the pet owners. Only after a few days of the feeding session, does the fish gets acquainted with its owner. It needs a certain duration to settle its aggression towards the unknown. Similarly, the flowerhorn takes time to adjust with its tank mates as well.
Male or Female Flowerhorn?
Well if you think to choose anyone from the male or female, you might end up losing either of the fish.
The reason is, that any kind or variety of fish needs an opposite pair to live. If you choose anyone over the two genders, either of them will feel alone and the lifespan of this fish will decrease. They die within a short span of 1 or 2 years.
So the best thing is to keep them in pairs.
Keeping Flowerhorns in Pairs
Now if you want to add a female flowerhorn with the male in the tank, choose the one with a body size smaller than the male. If you keep a couple of males or females together, they will definitely get into fights and attack one another severely. Hence, keeping a male and a female reduces aggressiveness and fighting as well.
But there are times when the male flowerhorn cannot tolerate females and might attack their pair as well. In that case, they must be separated through a glass partition or a plastic sheet as a barrier.
So we need to have a bigger tank. As flowerhorns create territories and secure their spaces, a bigger tank means larger territories and fewer chances to get into a fight.
Keep both the flowerhorns in the same tank with a partition glass in between to let them settle down for some days. Both the flowerhorns will show aggressiveness in the initial stages. You can just make a hole that is large enough for the female flowerhorn to go through another side. When the male tries to bite the female, it goes back to its territory through the hole.
After the female flowerhorn has produced more eggs, the Genital Papilla of the female will be down. This is the right time we unite them. Remove the glass partition at the time of breeding. If you try to unite them before the tube is down, there is a high chance they might get into a fight.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)
Is the Flowerhorn Fish Lucky?
Yes, according to modern Feng Shui, flower horns are believed to be a lucky charm and bring good signs of fortune. Restaurants, hotels, and banks have aquariums with one or more flowerhorns as a sign of prosperity.
This fish has to be kept at the southeast corner to prevent negative energies and to attract the positive ones. Due to the flowerhorn’s bright color and activeness, simply watching the fish feels very good.
Why Do Flowerhorn Turn Black?
It’s normal for a flowerhorn to completely fade its bright color as they go through its juvenile period. If your flowerhorn is in this phase, do not worry as this will not last forever.
But if your flowerhorn is not related to the Golden Bases, the fading color actually means your fish is stressed. Stress causes the immune system of the fish to weaken and susceptible to death or diseases.
Your flowerhorn may be stressed due to:
- Lack of space
- New tank mates
- Noises
- Overpopulation
- Minimum hiding spots, etc.
What is Special About Flowerhorn Fish?
Flowerhorn is a hybrid fish or artificial fish that is created by humans for its beauty and unique features. It is very attractive and fun to watch. The hump on its head is the main thing that makes the flowerhorn a unique fish.
“Flowerhorn” name came as they have “flower” markings and a horn-like hump on their head. Despite their aggressive nature, they are famous among the aquarists for their vivid colors and unusual appearance.
Is Flowerhorns Hard to Keep?
Flowerhorns are not that hard to keep until you provide them with a suitable environment and diet. As they are hybrid and manmade fish, they do not have an exact habitat in the wild. Giving them the replication of South African cichlids is the best.
Should You Get a Flowerhorn Cichlid for Your Aquarium?
Flowerhorns are colorful fish that are fascinating to watch. They are known for their unique feature, i.e. the nuchal hump. They are also well known for their aggression.
If you have a budget to buy a large tank, you can keep the fish. If you have a smaller tank, it is not a good decision to keep the fish as they need larger space. As we know, flowerhorns are the one that gets aggressive if they get smaller space and attack the tank mates, the tank size should be large enough.
| Types of equipment | Features | Link to amazon |
| SeaClear Acrylic Combo Aquarium |
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| Flipper Ollie & Hutch Wildwood 55 Gallon, Rustic Gray Aquarium Stand |
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| EHEIM NORTH AMERICA – JAGER HEATER 150W |
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EHEIM NORTH AMERICA – JAGER HEATER 150W |
| Marineland Penguin 350 BIO-Wheel Power Filter |
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| Penn Plax Aquarium Cascade Canister Filter |
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| Imagitarium 50-Gallon Terrarium Screen |
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| MingDak LED Aquarium Plant Light |
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| TEEMO Aquarium Groot Air Bubbler Decorations |
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| Penn-Plax Reptology Shale Step Ledge for Aquariums & Terrariums |
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How To Make Flowerhorn’s Head Bigger?
Flowerhorn’s head gets bigger as they mature. Their heads can be made bigger explicitly as well.
Although not proven, some dry foods in Asia are claimed to increase the size of the hump. The fish having bigger heads as juveniles are likely to have even bigger heads as an adult.
Flowerhorns having bigger heads are more expensive than the ones with smaller or no humps.
Do Flowerhorn Fish Need a Heater?
Yes, the flowerhorns do need heaters on their tanks. As flowerhorns are the hybrid fish bred by the mixing of Central and South American cichlid species, their native habitat for an ideal temperature. What we can do is assume that they need a condition similar to the newest world cichlids.
The temperature between 24°-28°C is the best to keep the flowerhorns. So, the flowerhorn obviously needs a filter. Since they need a larger tank with plenty of space, a couple of filters are recommended.
How Big Do Flowerhorn Cichlids Get?
Flowerhorns can get big enough. Males can grow up to 12’’ in length and are bigger compared to females. There is also the variety of flowerhorn whose body is short and grows up to 6’’ in length.
What Is The Tank Setup That The Flowerhorn Needs?
For flowerhorns, 4*2’ tanks are needed for them to grow upwards. Five to six-foot tanks are better for the long term.
Set the tank up with rocks, gravel, and the odd plastic plant. Use plastic plants as these fish will dig them up, shred them, and eat them.
Minimum decorations are recommended to give them plenty of space to swim. Plenty of space will minimize the aggression in the flowerhorns.
Is Flowerhorns Right For You?
Flowerhorns are unique fish with unique characteristics. But as they get big, it requires a huge tank and many hobbyists may not be able to swing a 150-gallon tank. They cannot be kept in a community tank and need a tank of their own. As they live 11 to 12 years, you need to give them a lot of dedication.
But if you do have a big tank and show commitment towards the fish, you can have that fish as they have great features and love to interact with their owners.
Conclusion- Male Or Female Flowerhorn
As all fish needs a partner to live, Flowerhorns also need mates of the opposite sex throughout their life. A single flowerhorn cannot be chosen which can minimize its life span.
A couple of males or a couple of females only cannot go along. They get aggressive and can have a severe fight. For a healthy environment and happiness of the fish, a male and a female as a pair should be kept together in a tank.
It’s not that they won’t get into fights. Even if they do so there will be less fight. So I recommend you to choose a male and a female as a pair instead of choosing only one gender.
