Flower Horn growth

[Mac.]

Hey guys, I just picked up a red dragon from my buddy and was wondering what I can expect on how she''l grow? She is about 5" now and I have been doing bi-weekly water changes, feeding her hikari gold growth pellets, frozen blood worms, and cichlid flakes. Right now she lives in a 55 with a little red devil and jag, I know they won't last for long but she is the dominant for now. Thanks for the help!

 

[VRWC]

Hi Mac.

Flowerhorns are a hybrid and there is a forum especially for them located here---> http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=22

 

[BIG_ONE]

Well, first of all. Ditch the flakes, they are not good for flowerhorns. Hikari gold is an okay pellets, but there are better pellets out there for flowerhorns. Keep pellets as staple and the frozen blood worms as treats. Keep the water crystal clean as possible. Don't change more than 20% of water each day if your planning to do regularly water change. Even if you do it once a week, no more than 20% water change.
As far as growth goes, they grow quite fast depends on certain strain. But Red ZZ tends to grow the fastest out of all flowerhorn strains out there. Can we see some pics?

 

[RD.]

Even if you do it once a week, no more than 20% water change.

Say what? I do 50-60% water changes every 5-7 days, even in my 6ft 125 gallon tanks that house a single FH.

You can never go wrong with clean water.

 

[BIG_ONE]

Say what? I do 50-60% water changes every 5-7 days, even in my 6ft 125 gallon tanks that house a single FH.

You can never go wrong with clean water.

Can be possible if your water meets the right standard. But fortunately on average, too much water changes jumps the water in your tank all over the place. There is a lot more than just a 20% water change limit, and you can definitely go over if you got everything together just right. But I'm just stating the basics to keep out of any stress to the fish or so on because I don't know where is his water standing at the moment.

 

[hamfist]

As a basic truth, I am certain that more frequent, smaller water changes will keep more stable water parameters. However, less frequent larger WCs will actually keep lower nitrate levels on average (if you do the maths it is actually true).
There is little hard and fast data or evidence on which might be better or worse for certain fish. However, my feeling is that large WC's are definately acceptable so long as the temp is not dropping more than a degree or two, and that the pH shift is somewhere within 0.2 or less (lets remember that fresh tapwater is usually a considerably different pH out of the tap, compared to when it has aged a day or so).

Different species of fish also seem to be more more or less susceptible to this. Large cichlids seem to be pretty robust and able to be happy with pretty significant water parameter changes though.

 

[scriving]

i agree 50% a week for me is optimal.

 

[RD.]

Quality diet, low stress environment, and frequent water changes are the key to optimum growth in fish. That's certainly not a trade secret.
As long as the water parameters going in, closely match those going out, most species of cichlids (certainly FH) will have no issues, and will grow like weeds.

Here's how discus breeders in Asia perform water changes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWMnPZKJWaE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQzZHwnO3I4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr9fa66X1JU

 

[scriving]

Quality diet, low stress environment, and frequent water changes are the key to optimum growth in fish. That's certainly not a trade secret.
As long as the water parameters going in, closely match those going out, most species of cichlids (certainly FH) will have no issues, and will grow like weeds.

Here's how discus breeders in Asia perform water changes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWMnPZKJWaE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQzZHwnO3I4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr9fa66X1JU

thats crzy if i did that on my hardwood floors i dont think it would work out very well

 

[aquatic_wonders]

Can be possible if your water meets the right standard. But fortunately on average, too much water changes jumps the water in your tank all over the place. There is a lot more than just a 20% water change limit, and you can definitely go over if you got everything together just right. But I'm just stating the basics to keep out of any stress to the fish or so on because I don't know where is his water standing at the moment.

And plus fh's don't appreciate big water changes like you were doing....anyway to the OP give your fh Chingmix sp 100 and Grand summo Red just my suggestion,