Flowerhorn Laid Eggs!?!

[FrancisFloe]

I wasn't planning or had any interest in keeping flowerhorns but I was given a pair because the previous owner can't keep them any longer so I toss them in a growout tank. I wanted to keep them separate cuz I thought they are aggressive but I have no capacity to manage an additional two tanks, right now they are doing fine with an oscar, tsn and pleco. The Flowerhorns are around 3-5 inches and this morning I saw eggs under the driftwood with the smaller fish guarding it meanwhile the larger one had his fins tattered a bit and was suddenly territorial against the oscar which was not the case before, could he be protecting the eggs?? I don't even know if they're fertile and I have no prior knowledge in breeding fish. Should I move the rest of the fish out of the tank and leave the pair or should I transfer the eggs on a smaller tank with airstone and should I put the pair of fish in or just the eggs? Also are they fertile?

 

[Fishyboy🐟🐟🐟]

I wasn't planning or had any interest in keeping flowerhorns but I was given a pair because the previous owner can't keep them any longer so I toss them in a growout tank. I wanted to keep them separate cuz I thought they are aggressive but I have no capacity to manage an additional two tanks, right now they are doing fine with an oscar, tsn and pleco. The Flowerhorns are around 3-5 inches and this morning I saw eggs under the driftwood with the smaller fish guarding it meanwhile the larger one had his fins tattered a bit and was suddenly territorial against the oscar which was not the case before, could he be protecting the eggs?? I don't even know if they're fertile and I have no prior knowledge in breeding fish. Should I move the rest of the fish out of the tank and leave the pair or should I transfer the eggs on a smaller tank with airstone and should I put the pair of fish in or just the eggs? Also are they fertile?

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I’m not an expert but some female flower horns lay eggs randomly but I’m not sure but clear eggs mean fertilized and cloudy Is not
I’m not sure but I see a mixture of both

 

[bentobox]

Not sure you want to try to move the eggs and parents. They may just eat them if you disturb them.

 

[FrancisFloe]

Ok nevermind now, most of the eggs are gone and I'm pretty sure they're unfertilized. I decided to move the pair into their own seperate tank so if they atleast wanna breed then they can do so in peace. But I dont think flowerhorns are fertile anyways because theyre a result of two fish species hybridization. but ill try

 

[bentobox]

Male flowerhorns can be fertile so I would keep trying.

 

[Magnus_Bane]

I’m not an expert but some female flower horns lay eggs randomly but I’m not sure but clear eggs mean fertilized and cloudy Is not
I’m not sure but I see a mixture of both

With FH's it's fertile if they are tan/ish. If they are white they are infertile.

 

[Magnus_Bane]

Ok nevermind now, most of the eggs are gone and I'm pretty sure they're unfertilized. I decided to move the pair into their own seperate tank so if they atleast wanna breed then they can do so in peace. But I dont think flowerhorns are fertile anyways because theyre a result of two fish species hybridization. but ill try

Btw FH's can be fertile it's just an odds game with most. Depending on the strain it can be as high as 80% fertile or as low as 60%. Red dragons, which I'm pretty sure yours are, are on the higher end of that and tend to be fertile more often then not. But just like in any other fish, it may take then several tries before they get the whole process down right. It's not all about being fertile, sometimes it's just bad baby sitting that kills off a batch.

 

[FrancisFloe]

Btw FH's can be fertile it's just an odds game with most. Depending on the strain it can be as high as 80% fertile or as low as 60%. Red dragons, which I'm pretty sure yours are, are on the higher end of that and tend to be fertile more often then not. But just like in any other fish, it may take then several tries before they get the whole process down right. It's not all about being fertile, sometimes it's just bad baby sitting that kills off a batch.

Thanks for the info! I have no idea about this, maybe it's their first time that's why.

 

[Magnus_Bane]

Thanks for the info! I have no idea about this, maybe it's their first time that's why.

Took my first pair 4 tries before they finally got it right. I had another pair, Flowerhorn x Red Texas, going for a bit but they sadly never got it right and the male killed the female in the end. Currently trying with my oldest female FH with the male Red Texas but he's locked up in a minnow trap to prevent him from killing her.

Lol not gonna risk lossing my 5 year old dwarf FH that I helped bring into existence, I'd rather go out and trade the male out for a different one before I lose my girl.

 

[FrancisFloe]

Oh damn that's alot of risky business. It's so interesting that you can hybridize flowerhorn with other cichlids!