75g flowerhorn tankmates

[Kolton13]

Not sure how an open glass lobster tank is good for the fish. The owner yeah, the fish no. Also piss poor surface beneficial bacteria.

Silk floating vines work. U can also paint/cover the sides. Sand. Smooth stones at the bottom. It can be done easily. More glass equals more reflections/shadows to spook at. Another trick is to silicone filter foam on the sides and back. Gives padding, looks good and has great bacterial surface.

An open tank as you described as an “open glass lobster tank” is probably the best option for specifically a flowerhorn. As a few days ago he only had 2 small caves inside her tank and messaged me with pictures of his flowehorn with his kok scraped up. Even lost scales. You can keep your flowerhorns with decor all you would like. Do I personally think it’s the best way? No. I feel flowerhorns are a trophy fish. Not as in a rare fish, but as a fish that will win competitions. A flowerhorn with less decor to no decor and no gravel will have significantly better look and health. It is a win win for the flowerhorn and the owner. As the owner have less to clean and the flowerhorn will stay healthy.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

An open tank as you described as an “open glass lobster tank” is probably the best option for specifically a flowerhorn. As a few days ago he only had 2 small caves inside her tank and messaged me with pictures of his flowehorn with his kok scraped up. Even lost scales. You can keep your flowerhorns with decor all you would like. Do I personally think it’s the best way? No. I feel flowerhorns are a trophy fish. Not as in a rare fish, but as a fish that will win competitions. A flowerhorn with less decor to no decor and no gravel will have significantly better look and health. It is a win win for the flowerhorn and the owner. As the owner have less to clean and the flowerhorn will stay healthy.

How will no gravel improve the looks of the fish? The scraped kok was a week ago, feels like 2 weeks but I don’t know I have a bad memory. It’s all healed over now and you can’t tell there was ever any damage. I agree that the fish is a trophy fish and I’m doing the absolute best I can for the fish. Plan on getting a 75g soon and in that tank I’ll have no other fish like I do in my 55g right now. Also this time I’ve actually talked with my parents and we are positive that I will be getting a 75g soon.

 

[Kolton13]

How will no gravel improve the looks of the fish? The scraped kok was a week ago, feels like 2 weeks but I don’t know I have a bad memory. It’s all healed over now and you can’t tell there was ever any damage. I agree that the fish is a trophy fish and I’m doing the absolute best I can for the fish. Plan on getting a 75g soon and in that tank I’ll have no other fish like I do in my 55g right now. Also this time I’ve actually talked with my parents and we are positive that I will be getting a 75g soon.

Gravel can have sharp edges. At least for a fish. Say your flowerhorn scratched himself on the gravel and it ripped up a few scaled and a few scratches. It can lead to an infection or it could not heal all the way.

 

[Rtc/tsn]

Gravel can have sharp edges. At least for a fish. Say your flowerhorn scratched himself on the gravel and it ripped up a few scaled and a few scratches. It can lead to an infection or it could not heal all the way.

What about sand?

 

[FINWIN]

An open tank as you described as an “open glass lobster tank” is probably the best option for specifically a flowerhorn. As a few days ago he only had 2 small caves inside her tank and messaged me with pictures of his flowehorn with his kok scraped up. Even lost scales. You can keep your flowerhorns with decor all you would like. Do I personally think it’s the best way? No. I feel flowerhorns are a trophy fish. Not as in a rare fish, but as a fish that will win competitions. A flowerhorn with less decor to no decor and no gravel will have significantly better look and health. It is a win win for the flowerhorn and the owner. As the owner have less to clean and the flowerhorn will stay healthy.

We're going to have to agree to disagree. Did you read my post about what could work to minimize injury? Blank tanks induce stress and give the fish no stimulation other than manically swimming back and forth. Trophy or not, flowerhorns are living creatures that need an environment that gives equal parts safety, stimulation and 'get away' space. I would never want interaction at the cost of the fish well being. Otherwise its just an ego trip.

Caves are not good option for horns because of those bubble heads. But soft fake plants work, floating or bunched.

 

[Kolton13]

We're going to have to agree to disagree. Did you read my post about what could work to minimize injury? Blank tanks induce stress and give the fish no stimulation other than manically swimming back and forth. Trophy or not, flowerhorns are living creatures that need an environment that gives equal parts safety, stimulation and 'get away' space. I would never want interaction at the cost of the fish well being. Otherwise its just an ego trip.

Caves are not good option for horns because of those bubble heads. But soft fake plants work, floating or bunched.

Fair enough. But plants are an easy target for fh as you know they are cichlids and will dig them up and eat them and honestly destroy them. Have had good results with plants?

 

[HybridFinatic]

Not sure how an open glass lobster tank is good for the fish. The owner yeah, the fish no. Also piss poor surface beneficial bacteria.

Silk floating vines work. U can also paint/cover the sides. Sand. Smooth stones at the bottom. It can be done easily. More glass equals more reflections/shadows to spook at. Another trick is to silicone filter foam on the sides and back. Gives padding, looks good and has great bacterial surface.

You make a very good point about not a enough surface area for a healthy colony of bacteria. I’ve grown to prefer flowerhorn’s with substrate and a more natural environment anyway.

 

[HybridFinatic]

Gravel can have sharp edges. At least for a fish. Say your flowerhorn scratched himself on the gravel and it ripped up a few scaled and a few scratches. It can lead to an infection or it could not heal all the way.

That’s kind of a stretch. I don’t think small gravel could produce a wound that wouldn’t heal completely especially if you have proper parameters and same for infection. I think gravel is actually completely fine with flowerhorns. Ruturaj knows

 

[HybridFinatic]

Fair enough. But plants are an easy target for fh as you know they are cichlids and will dig them up and eat them and honestly destroy them. Have had good results with plants?

I believe Finwin was talking about fake plants which I agree are good if they area soft material like silk.

 

[Ruturaj]

That’s kind of a stretch. I don’t think small gravel could produce a wound that wouldn’t heal completely especially if you have proper parameters and same for infection. I think gravel is actually completely fine with flowerhorns. Ruturaj knows

+1 I kept my guy for a year, it's perfectly safe. I removed it since it was adding more work of cleaning.