Few FlowerHorn questions and concerns!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
ShroomMastap;4486634; said:
Well, The most recent one I had was doing super great, then my FH ate its eyes and gills one night.... Hence why the FH is in its own tank now!

Found this after a quick google search: "The feeder fish bought at stores are also kept in even poorer conditions than the ones meant for ornamental use. They are often riddled with disease and malnourished, thus passing on nothing but disease and poor nutrition to the fish that consume them."

AND that makes total sense! So i'll stick with the Hikari pellets and Blood worms!

Thanks for the responses by the way! very helpful!
Click to expand...

Yup, that's exactly what feeder fish does.
 
So i finally got some pics of it tonight, Been feeding him (i think its a he because there's signs of a kok..) Floating Hikari Gold pellets in the mid day and evening and half a beef heart cube in the mornings.

Now slowly by the day he keeps getting more and more grey and tonight when I came home he's really dark, almost black, So I assume that its a fader correct? A Fader ZZ based on the parents?

still hides like crazy too and startles really easily... except when I'm feeding him.

here some pics: (background looks blackish in the pics but its lighter blue...)
DSC08599.jpg

DSC08595.jpg
 
Flowerhorns will also benefit hugely from a bit more vegetable matter in their diet, and will be much less prone to gut complaints. There are loads of different pellets out there with higher veg content that you could add in the mix with the hikari.

As for the hiding, I am sure that you just have a slightly nervous fish and with patience he/she will get their confidence back.
As for the change of colour, I'm sure it's just a stress/emotional response.
Faders usually have a golden base colour, and by the size of yours would probably have already gone through their black stage and would be fading or have already faded.
 
As everyones mentioned, give it time, keep the water clean and keep it's diet in order. I feed mine Hikari Cichlid Gold pellets, NLS Thera +A, frozen Brine Shrimp with spirulina (once or twice a week), frozen blood worms (once a week), thawed frozen peas and he's doing quite well. I do from time to time throw a few molly or guppy fry that I've raised in as a live treat other than that, I never use store bought feeders. I am also considering adding some freeze dried krill to the mix.
 
Thanks for the positive answers everyone and helping me further the knowlege of my fish. I've been reading non stop about them just asking the questions I can't get answered.

Only difference is I've read that beefheart IS a good thing to feed them becauses its a good source of protein. Just it dirtys the water faster so as long as you stay on top of water changes there should be no issue? (Any comments about this) but I've been trying to move more towards pellets and I have been doing the once or twice a week bloodworms.

And I've ordered freaze dried krill to give as a treat once a week because I've read many places that's great for color. But then again so should the pellets. I'm patient about the hiding I don't mind it so much just want to make sure I'm not missing any major warning signs saying I'm doing something wrong or anything.

Thanks again for the positive help!
 
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