Jerad's Einstein Project

[Jerad Wilson]

Hello, after getting rid of all my fish while I stay at someone else's house (Fam's Selling house and building a new one) I am getting ready for my first new fish. For a while, I have only had smaller fish, and what really drew me to larger fish are their personalities. So, after much research, it seems the Flowerhorn has the best mix of Flowerhorn and Display ability. (They're pretty) So that's why I am getting a Flowerhorn and not an Oscar. I ordered a nice sized flowerhorn from my LFS where I am currently employed, so I need to start this project now!

The setup: ?

So, my first question is: How can I optimise this tank for a flowerhorn?

I have been doing research and I have decided a couple things:

Upgrade tank Size as I go: I will be starting the fish out in a 40 Breeder for a few months and then upgrade to a 75 or so.

Barebottom Tank: Most articles say that Flowerhorns are very messy, so I think I'll stick with a BB tank.

So, with that said, what else?

What about lighting? Do flowerhorns mind strong lighting, or should I go dimmer?

Sump, HOB, Canister, or what?

I would have to drill my own tank If I wanted a sump, but perhaps, it's for the best? Would a 10 gallon work well as a sump for a 40b?

Would an aquaclear 110 work just as well?

How do flowerhorns feel about decorations? I'm fine with nothing, but perhaps he/she would benefit?

How often for water changes? I plan on running some pothos in a HOB or refugium in the sump with wysteria or something to get rid of excess nitrates. How often am I looking at water changes? 50% a week?

How do you tell between a quality flowerhorn and a not so quality flowerhorn at a young age? We do carry a couple flowerhorns, but they are small and I see little red and little to no pearling. Then again, they are most likely just a couple months old... The owner says he gets them from a very high-quality source, but I have my doubts. Any stories of drab looking flowerhorns turning out pretty nice?



Sorry for all the questions. Thanks in advance

 

[koltsixx]

What defines a quality Flowerhorn is a very subjective thing. In my opinion in general it's very unlikely to find a quality Flowerhorn in a LFS unless it's an exceptional LFS such as Monster Aquarium Inc. Usually your best bet in my opinion is to use a known source for quality FH's and often times you'll find even the juvies show their great potential. Large nuchal humps at a young age, coloration, pearling, etc.

Determining a Flowerhorns potential when it's not readily seen visually is daunting to say the least. Some fish really turn around others don't. You can't even tell accurately by knowing their parentage as often times as there's so much genetic diversity due to hybridization that offspring from the same spawn can be highly variable in appearance.

As for the tank a 75 should be okay, I'd personally might have chosen to err on a larger size but I think it'll be fine for a lone FH. A bigger tank however would give him more space to swim as well as giving you a buffer of extra water for dilution of waste.

An HOB like the an Aquaclear 110 in my opinion is best used to supplement a primary filter. Just my opinion as is much of my response here. I'd go with a Canister or Sump. Each have their benefits and drawbacks but bot are fairly capable biological filters. The sump would however have the benefit of increasing the amount of water for waste dilution more then a canister and makes incorporating the wisteria you mentioned possible. Though I have no personal experience with wisteria I personally wouldn't alter my water change schedule based on adding any plants to my filtration but I prefer to err on the side of caution, perhaps too much so? I personally like to do 50-75% water changes every 2-3 days.

As for lighting, well no fish really likes bright lighting. In general in nature very little light penetrates the water to reach fish which of course depend on shade and shadows as well as their surroundings to use to hide from potential predators. However one of the primary joys of fish is observing them. As such unless I'm keeping very shy species such as certain cats and other light sensitive fish I illuminate the tank with a standard aquarium light source/hood. How ever I do try to provide shelter and shady spots for my fish to retreat.

Which brings us to decorations. With only one fish I wouldn't have many decorations so I could optimize swimming space for the fish but I would still get one or two at least and it would be hides. Something the fish felt it could retreat into and feel secure. Hides can be a pain since fish usually like something not too big and as such it would probably be best to change them to larger and larger ones as the fish grows. I'd also add a toy or two. I know sounds dumb but I'd want to keep my fish mind distracted. I've personally seen fish that love to hate floating toys. It started with my thermometer. I noticed a parrot I kept sinly used to always bang it around. Heck he even learned to associate banging it around with me approaching. As such he kind of trained me because he'd bang it around to get my attention and then beg for food. For FH's I've seen people use mirrors with suction cups so the fish has a sparring partner to keep his interest. Hey it gives them something to do in that limited amount of water we give them, right?

 

[Jerad Wilson]

What defines a quality Flowerhorn is a very subjective thing. In my opinion in general it's very unlikely to find a quality Flowerhorn in a LFS unless it's an exceptional LFS such as Monster Aquarium Inc. Usually your best bet in my opinion is to use a known source for quality FH's and often times you'll find even the juvies show their great potential. Large nuchal humps at a young age, coloration, pearling, etc.

Determining a Flowerhorns potential when it's not readily seen visually is daunting...

Thanks for the info! I will definitely keep that in mind.