Can someone tell me the potential for this FH? THanks

[nycom2011]

I just got this fish a few days ago. Its about 3.5-4inches long from mouth to tail. I dont see much of a hump on the head but i am guess its probably the genes. I feed it Alife pellet food and currently still looking for so other good brands to help it increase color and head size. I feed it twice a day and give it a mirror to work out infront of after 15mins of each meal. Anyways here are a few pictures. I do 2 10% water changes each week on all my tanks and he is currently in a 20gallon. I know he will outgrow it soon but ill have to wait two months before i can get him into something bigger. IT has a huge appetite too but i try not to overfeed. I feed it pellet by pellet so i could teach it little tricks like to follow my finger.

Any tips are greatly appreciated.

 

[bigspizz]

He has a great shepe to him

 

[AMG]

Nice looking little FH.

 

[nycom2011]

I was wondering if someone could tell me its potential for head growth?

IF the red in the body will grow out more or stay the same in size?

Do mirrors work to keep the fish in shape? help color, or head growth (like the more you bang with the head the more skin you develop there.?)

If mirrors work in that way i would probably give it to the flowerhorn less often so it can heal.

Can someone tell me the sex too? thanks for the all answers

 

[Pout]

Looks Female.

Feed Chingmix

 

[silvergrayhair]

i think thats a male yellow based ZZ. i think the hump can still grow and the coloration can still improve.

dont give alife solely because you might 'burn' the fish - meaning overcolor it. i suggest these following fish foods if available in your place:

1. humpy head
2. grand sumo red
3. chingmix headbooster SP80
3. chingmix maxima SP50 or SP80
4. ocassional bits of fresh shrimps - shelled and cut into bite sized chunks

 

[John Rambo]

I wouldnt give too much ching as it has hormones. wait untill its bigger. grow it out on safer food that you would feed a cichlid, then once larger, you can feed some of the listed food above that has not been approved by any sort of fda. hormones stunt growth, and yes, even ching has hormones.
at 4-5", they should really start looking like what they will end up as. It does already look pretty good, might be a female with a little nuchal hump. good luck

 

[josefandtin]

sir honestly speaking if its already at that size tip to tip. it might not develop a great head. its one of the classic strains. might develop great red coloring but im sure it's never going to have that great big lump on the head that all flowerhorn lovers aspire for.

 

[josefandtin]

I wouldnt give too much ching as it has hormones. wait untill its bigger. grow it out on safer food that you would feed a cichlid, then once larger, you can feed some of the listed food above that has not been approved by any sort of fda. hormones stunt growth, and yes, even ching has hormones.
at 4-5", they should really start looking like what they will end up as. It does already look pretty good, might be a female with a little nuchal hump. good luck

flowerhorn is a man made fish and its diet is not the same as to other cichlids.
giving those mentioned food should be done in the fh's juvenile stage as it is at this stage where great development occurs and at this stage it will need the best supply of nutrients to maximize its potential. when it reaches the 5" mark, development of hump and color slows down and this will now be the right time to feed it with staple food as it will no longer need as much nutrition compared to its juvenile stage.

 

[josefandtin]

I was wondering if someone could tell me its potential for head growth?

IF the red in the body will grow out more or stay the same in size?

Do mirrors work to keep the fish in shape? help color, or head growth (like the more you bang with the head the more skin you develop there.?)

If mirrors work in that way i would probably give it to the flowerhorn less often so it can heal.

Can someone tell me the sex too? thanks for the all answers

sadly sir it has no potential for head growth. its a "hard kok" as we call it here in the philippines. the redness will develop more through constant partial WC and a steady temperature. also it will help if you could give it a doze of color enhancers maybe twice or thrice a week but not daily.
the flowerhorn mirror treatment is really to promote its deportment and not for its other physical aspects but others claim otherwise. all flowerhorns are different from each other and the mirror treatment will have different effects for each.