You may have a hobby of acquiring an aquarium and want to pet a new fish. For that purpose, You need to research and implement the research ideas of the new fish to provide care properly. After reading this article, you will learn about the tank setup and water conditions for a particularly unique fish named flowerhorn fish.
To set up your quality tank for your flowerhorn fish, you need first to use a minimum of a 50-gallon tank. In addition, you have to be concerned about your fish’s water parameters, including pH, water temperature, and other water parameters. After setting up filters, decorations, substrates, lighting, and heaters, your flowerhorn fish is ready to swim!
Equipment List That Might Help You Choose For Flowerhorn Tank
| 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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Introduction And Origin Of Flowerhorn Fish
Flowerhorn fishes are aquarium fish with a unique physical appearance; they belong to the cichlids family, a grouping of fish. Their shining colors and unique hump, which is also known as KOK in their head, make the fish more attractive and unique.
Flowerhorn is now not even a hybrid; they are a hybrid of hybrids. A hybrid of two cichlids and every one of them had been crossed and bred with “Giant Blood Parrot, “which is a hybrid of its own.
Then with the resource of this crossing and breeding, the Flowerhorn used to be originated artificially with the aid of the capacity of people.
Additionally, Flowerhorn fishes are considered as fortunate fish or the fish with a precise success charm. They are also very aggressive fish.
Now, going on further, let’s look at the water conditions and aquarium setup that I use for my golden base flowerhorn fish.
Aquarium Setup
The simple component is water, which is the primary source of their survival. Flowerhorn is a messy fish, so the water in the tank needs to be changed regularly. Water should be kept at a constant temperature and filtered thoroughly.
Tank Size
My flowerhorn fish is quite aggressive. It is large fish of 4 inches in length. So, I separately placed my flowerhorn fish in my 50- gallon dimension tank.
You can generally use a 50 to 70-gallon size tank for large flowerhorn fish (3-8 inches). It can grow monstrously big and requires a large space.
For small flowerhorn fish, I recommend the use of a smaller tank which has 20–gallon size.
Can You Use Stickers For Your Aquarium Background?
Yes, you can use stickers like Oyama blue stickers for the good decoration of your tank.
Proper Clean Up
Before adding water and fish, the new fish tank must be cleaned up properly to maintain freshwater for your flowerhorn fish.
Algae
Whether the aquarium tank is big or small, algae are found in healthy or unhealthy tanks. Algae might make your tank dirty, and you cannot observe the beautiful flowerhorn fish satisfactorily.
You can minimize the presence of algae by keeping the tank away from direct sunlight or reducing light usage in the tank, and avoiding overfeeding.
Cloudy Water
You may face cloudy or green water in new tanks. Cloudiness occurs when substrates like rock, pebbles, gravels, etc., are not completely rinsed.
The appearance of cloudy water is the combination of substrate dust and aquarium water.
The tap water contains chemicals like ammonia, chlorine, etc., which make cloudy water. You can use filters like RO filters to remove them.
Bad Odour From Aquarium
Flowerhorn fishes are excessive eaters and throw more waste in the aquarium. Hence, it causes a bad odor in the aquarium.
You can sort out this problem by water change, avoiding overfeeding, etc.
Learn about how you can change the water in your flowerhorn tank from here.
Setting Up Lights
Lighting is considered an important aspect of the balance of fish internally and externally in an aquarium. Fluorescent or LED lighting is the best type for an aquarium.
How Much Light Should Be Given To Flowerhorn Fish?
Lighting should be given to flowerhorn fish for 8 hours a day for three months after the tank setup. Flowerhorn fish require eight hours of darkness for their sleep.
Why Is The White LED Lighting Better Than Pink, Blue, Green Lights?
While Pink, Blue, and Green lighting may look cool and good for the viewers, it is not good for the fish because, without white lighting, you may find difficulties in finding external parasites of flowerhorn fish’s scales or skin that are red.
Additionally, you cannot find the white poop disease as it shows the excretion in pink or red. This will lead to problems for your flowerhorn fish as the early stage of symptoms is not treated.
Other Benefits Of Lighting
The natural or yellowish warm lighting is healthy for your flowerhorn fish. The white LED lighting helps to see the true color of the flowerhorn fish.
Filters
In a big size aquarium, a proper filtration system setup is a must. Filtration helps your tank to maintain the oxygen level and good condition of the water. Filtration helps your fish to survive and get the sufficient oxygen required for your flowerhorn fish.
You may encounter the tank water degrading due to overstocking. The chemicals present in water may stress the flowerhorn fish.
How Does Installing Filters Help In Nitrogen Cycle?
Placing filters helps in the nitrogen cycle of your tank. Filters help to separate harmful toxins present in water due to organic waste. It changes ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrogen. And finally, nitrogen can be removed by processing the water cycle with the help of aquatic plants.
Which Filter Is Best For Your Flowerhorn Fish?
I recommend using the Fluval 406 canister filter as it is the best filter for your flowerhorn fish. It contains a large sponge on one side of the filter can, and 4 media trays on the other side, which include a small black sponge, ceramic media, carbon with the filter pad, and carbon.
Heater
Flowerhorn fish requires proper room temperature for its survival and is free from a stress-free environment. Changes in room temperature in the different seasons might affect your flowerhorn fish.
For flowerhorn fish, it requires 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit temperature. Therefore, a mid-ranged heater is a must for your flowerhorn fish.
hygger Saltwater Tank Titanium Tube Submersible Pinpoint Aquarium Heater with Digital Thermostat can help you maintain the water temperature you might need in your aquarium.
Decoration
Decorating your Flowerhorn fish tank creates a surrounding for your fish to live in and a pleasing appearance for your fish to look at. Aquarium decoration helps your flowerhorn fish to be stress-free and swim comfortably.
Generally, flowerhorn do not like much decoration in their tank as it destroys everything in their way. Anyway, if you wish to decorate your tank, you can use decorative items like caves, plastic plants, driftwood, etc., attached carefully to your tank.
For driftwood, you can use Natural Large Coral Driftwood for Aquarium Decor Reptile Decor, Assorted Driftwood Branch 9-14″ 2 Pcs, Fish Tank Decoration.
Substrate
Substrates like mixing white and black gravels, rocks, and driftwood can be used for your flowerhorn fish. These substrates can be used for your flowerhorn fish because of their weight and durability.
Your flowerhorn fish cannot harm these substrates easily. But you have to be careful because your flowerhorn might eat the gravel when you feed them.
NOTE: You must not overdecorate your flowerhorn tank because it might create a stressful environment for your flowerhorn fish. Your flowerhorn seeks to swim in a large space freely.
Some of the good substrate recommendations are:
Can You Put Living Plants In Flowerhorn Fish Tank?
No, because the flowerhorn is a very curious fish and is likely to destroy living plants.
Water Conditions For Flowerhorn
There are certain water parameters that you need to follow for your flowerhorn fish to survive in your aquarium. The pH value, temperature, hardness, etc., must be looked after using water testing kits.
Here are the required water parameters for your flowerhorn fish:
pH level:
pH level maintains the acidity of water. The ideal level of pH value for flowerhorn fish ranges from 7-to 8.
TDS level:
TDS stands for Total Dissolved Solid, which helps to maintain the hardness of the water. The higher the TDS level, the harder the water will be. The recommended TDS level for your flowerhorn fish is up to 200-400.
Ammonia And Nitrite:
Flowerhorn is very sensitive to Ammonia and Nitrite. Ammonia and Nitrite should not be present in your aquarium. The higher ammonia level will burn your flowerhorn fish’s gills. On the other hand, a few Nitrate level suffocates and slowly kill your flowerhorn fish.
NOTE: You should check for ammonia and nitrite levels every week with your water testing kit.
Tank Mates For Flowerhorn
Some say Flowerhorn fish should be kept in a separate tank because of their aggressive nature. At some point, I agree, but there are some friendly fish or tank mates for your flowerhorn fish that can be kept together.
Popular tankmates for your flowerhorn fish are:
- Jaguar cichlids
- Oscar fish
- Giant Gourami
- Midas cichlids
- Arowana
These are the few of the tank mates which is suitable for your flowerhorn cichlid. It is safe to put these flowerhorn tankmates in a single tank.
FAQs
Do Sponge Filters Keep Water Clean?
If you’re a flowerhorn enthusiast, then you know that having a clean tank is essential to keeping your fish healthy. And one of the best ways to keep your tank clean is to use a sponge filter. Sponge filters trap the waste that accumulates at the bottom of the tank, preventing it from polluting the water.
They also provide a place for beneficial bacteria to grow, which helps to break down waste and keep the water clean. Best of all, sponge filters are easy to maintain – simply remove them from the tank and rinse them in freshwater every few weeks. So a sponge filter is a great option if you’re looking for an effective way to keep your flowerhorn’s home clean.
What Are The Easy Tools For Cleaning The Aquarium Without Chemicals?
A flowerhorn is a unique and beautiful freshwater fish that is becoming increasingly popular with aquarium enthusiasts. While they are not the easiest fish to care for, they are certainly worth the effort.
One of the most important things to keep in mind when caring for a flowerhorn is to maintain a clean tank. A Stainless steel aquarium Algae scrapper and Finger brush are great tools for keeping the tank clean without using harsh chemicals.
The scraper can be used to remove algae from the glass, and the finger brush is perfect for getting into hard-to-reach places. In addition to regular cleaning, it is also important to maintain proper tank parameters.
Flowerhorns require a tank of at least 30 gallons, with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. They also prefer a water temperature of around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. With proper care, flowerhorns can be healthy, happy fish that bring beauty and enjoyment to their owners.
Do You Need To Clean Before Mixing Gravels In Your Aquarium?
A flowerhorn is a brightly colored freshwater fish that is popular among aquarium enthusiasts.
These fish are relatively easy to care for, but there are a few things you need to do to keep your flowerhorn healthy and happy. One of the most important things is to clean the gravel in your tank on a regular basis.
Gravel can quickly become fouled with waste and debris, which can lead to cloudy water. While you may be tempted to skip this step, it’s important to remember that clean gravel is essential for the health of your flowerhorn.
Not only does it help to keep the water clear, but it also provides a place for beneficial bacteria to grow. So, be sure to add gravel cleaning to your regular tank maintenance routine.
Conclusion
Flowerhorn fishes love being fed and can recognize the owner’s face. The flowerhorn fish will be a splendid choice for people who have a great hobby of unique fishkeeping. Despite their aggressive nature, the flowerhorn fish is fun to take care of.
With a proper aquarium setup, water cycle, and feeding, you can pet your flowerhorn easily.
I hope this article might help you for setting up your flowerhorn tank.
