New to FH

[M5rk]

Hello, new to FH and this the flowerhorn we picked up at LFS. He is in 55 gallon cube with canister filter, and heater. My first "big" tank, always had 10-20 gallon fresh water tank but never this big. Will take a full tank shot when I get home, also tank has trumpet snails, not sure if I need to get rid of them or keep them.
Also has tank mate bushy nose pleco, I think that's the name, hiding in his driftwood, I also have a Moss ball, and 1 plant


First question might be too early, what kind of flowerhorn is this?
he is only eating bloodworms not even that much, he will look at it first then eat it. (we have pellets Grand Sumo but he doesn't eat it at all) What I have been reading is to starve him for a few days and put pellets, will this be okay for young FH?

Thanks!

 

[biguebs]

He is big enough to go a couple days without food. Can also just not offer anything but the pellets.. put them in and then take out a couple minutes later if he doesn't eat them so it doesn't foul up the water.

I haven't really ever read about a FH being stubborn about eating, may want to ensure your water parameters are ok etc. May just need to settle in. I just got into the FH game as well, but mine literally has eaten anything that touches the water from minute one (I'm also feeding the Grand Sumo pellets as primary diet staple).

 

[M5rk]

Full tank shot, I bought brine shrimp and he devoured it

 

[M5rk]

Full tank shot

 

[flowerhornfishman]

the bigger the tank size, the easier for him to go at its full potential. its good tht u put him in a single big tank. if he keeps refusing the pellets but eating the bloodworms, i advised not to continue feeding him just bloodworms, cuz he may not eat pellets at all, that can lead insufficient nutrients required for him. getting fish to eating pellets again may not be easy. starve him until he has to take the pelllets. grandsumo is good enough for his main diet but varying his diet is better.
yours look more like a kamalau flowerhorn to me

 

[M5rk]

Thanks for the advice, I want to change me light, right now I have flourecent round bulb with blue, I know when the bulb goes out it will be hard to find. Want to change to led flood light. What do you guys think? It's like 27.00 in amazon

 

[flowerhornfishman]

Thanks for the advice, I want to change me light, right now I have flourecent round bulb with blue, I know when the bulb goes out it will be hard to find. Want to change to led flood light. What do you guys think? It's like 27.00 in amazon

your fh has a lot of blue pearls on him, so a blue led should be better, it can pop out his blue more. i use a pink led light, works good enough for me. but during the day, i use as much natural light i can. natural sunlight are the best for fhs.

 

[M5rk]

1 month update on my flowerhorn

Updated the light to LED, with Blue LEDs

He's eating pellet food now Grand Sumo Red.

Very active, haven't tried live food yet or mealworms. From time to time I give him frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp

 

[Ninja14]

Looks good

 

[M5rk]

Quick question on my flowerhorn, my canister filter started leaking and I have a sponge filter rated for 50gallon tank. Is sponge filter enough for my flowerhorn tank?