One last attempt at tankmates

[HokieFish]

Well, I got contacted by someone that has 3 large male Convicts that are 4.5-5.5" long. If i bought the group, do you think they would be able to hold their own against the 7" FH, or is this inviting trouble, again...

Thanks, for you help.

(Meant to post in Hybrid area, but open to all feedback. If it needs to be moved that is cool too.)

 

[clayton1985]

trouble is mate the flowerhorn is only going to get bigger and meaner with time, if you have tried tankmates before and he has taken them out (the way you phrased your comment sound like he has rumbled a few) he will continue to do the same. iv seen some stunning flowerhorns but there always housed on there own or with armoured plecos to get the best out of them. Its only my opinion but if he has killed before he is likely to again. What ever you do good luck

 

[VRWC]

Several things...

As youre finding out, FHs usually want a tank to themselves. If youve tried 1 tankmate, youve basically tried them all with these fish. Ive never had luck with adding tank mates with one once it hit about 4 inches.

3 cons are just 3 things to kill one at a time instead of 1 at once.

Now, I wouldnt recommend this unless youre willing to give it the attention it needs, but it is possible that a large spawning pair of cons would work. If it were me and I really wanted tank mates, thats what Id try.

Id divide the tank, let the cons spawn then remove the divider so the FH got the brunt of the cons willingness to destroy him and see where it goes from there...

Ive had a pair of cons take over 80% of a 125g with a large RD, large female festae and large freddi all huddling in the top in fear of the con pair, as well as having a con pair do the same in a 265 with more large fish. In both instances, I removed the cons.

Pound for pound, a spawning con pair is as tenacious as the largest cichlids alive.

 

[HokieFish]

Yeah. He's in a tank with 2 Raphael cats right now and a Pleco. He killed 4 Red Hooks that were over 3" long.
My wife has said she'd really like some other fish in there ( i think that is why i got the okay to originally get the 150gal) but my FH is one mean beast. 5 more inches of growth and there won't be much that can handle him.
I think i'm just grasping at straws trying to find something that will work, but I already know the outcome will be bad if i put something else in there with him... Thanks for humoring my questions.

 

[Stratoquarius]

I kept my flowerhorn with tankmates until he was around 6". he was still fine but I was moving house so I sold all of the tankmates and grew him on a little before selling him.

 

[torpedo12dan]

Several things...

As youre finding out, FHs usually want a tank to themselves. If youve tried 1 tankmate, youve basically tried them all with these fish. Ive never had luck with adding tank mates with one once it hit about 4 inches.

3 cons are just 3 things to kill one at a time instead of 1 at once.

Now, I wouldnt recommend this unless youre willing to give it the attention it needs, but it is possible that a large spawning pair of cons would work. If it were me and I really wanted tank mates, thats what Id try.

Id divide the tank, let the cons spawn then remove the divider so the FH got the brunt of the cons willingness to destroy him and see where it goes from there...

Ive had a pair of cons take over 80% of a 125g with a large RD, large female festae and large freddi all huddling in the top in fear of the con pair, as well as having a con pair do the same in a 265 with more large fish. In both instances, I removed the cons.

Pound for pound, a spawning con pair is as tenacious as the largest cichlids alive.

i have had a breeding pair of cons at only about 2" fight off a pair of 8" piranha (granted these piranha now live with parrots and the cons) but cons can def look after themselves when spawning.

 

[Allan01230]

Yeah unfortunately that FH needs a tank to himself. I have even seen them kill large armored plecos. Twice their size.

 

[duanes]

If you would have started with a group, it may (or may not) have worked. As it stands, the fish owns the tank now, it is all it's territory, and will abide nothing else, convict or whatever.

 

[brockfishhawk]

A little off topic... but why would you want to even get something else when you already have such a beautiful FH. Kind of a 1-fish showcase needing no others. My suggestion would be to move him to a tank that suits his needs just fine and use your larger tank for a community of fish that CAN be kept with others. *shrug* just imo sorry if I throw the thread offtrack.