Good points made by all. I've found that their are many exceptions to the rules as far as temperament of cichlids goes. But I honestly don't believe this applies to flower horns, I'm convinced they must be kept by themselves.
Red headed cichlid tankmates??
- Thread starter anzo1993
- Start date
That is strange,I have found very few plants that these fish wont munch on.
The only plant I have ever had success with, with these veija is hornwart.
Have the standard "gross" tasting plans with mine....Java Fern, Crypts, Apons, Anubias....she doesnt touch the plants honestly. I do feed heavier on the veg side so that may help. Lots of spirulina based foods. Not sure I would trust her with stem plants or a S.repens carpet. lol
Other Syns have mowed anything plant wise. Very true each fish is different. I do also believe the sort of environment they are raised in helps.
Other Syns have mowed anything plant wise. Very true each fish is different. I do also believe the sort of environment they are raised in helps.
Wow that's a lot of different opinions lol, in the end I've decided if any of the fish are staying it'll be the the red head, the flowerhorn gets along quite well with the red head it's the oscar that doesn't seem to be working out, and also on the subject of keeping flowerhorns with other cichlids without much aggression it depends on if there raised with other fish from young, if so they could work very well in a lot of tanks, I feel like the only reason people question flowerhorns is because of negative things said by purists in the hobby
I can only speak for myself in that I question flowerhorns not because they're hybrids, but because I've tried to have them in community tanks and lost fish as a result. I am basing this off of my own personal experience. You can't say it just depends on if they're raised with other fish from young or not, there are very few "laws" in fish keeping regarding personality and compatibility. I have a Labiatus with a Sagittae, Queen Rose and several other Vieja in a grow out tank and I have no doubt that he will need to be separated when he gets older. Even though he has grown up with other cichlids of similar temperament and size.
You make some points, but with any large aggressive cihlid tank you'll always have a loss or two, yes it is true that flowerhorns are usually kept alone, but that'll only make the fish more aggressive if anything, at least raising them from young with other cichlids you'll stand more of a chance, with most aggressive cichlids I've kept I find if raised alone then introduced to a tankmate 9 times out of 10 the they'll slaughter whoever is added to there tank, all this to say your odds are a lot better raising them from young with other fish in my experience, especially if the fish you add with the flowerhorn are bigger than him
Personally don't have much of a issue with good quality flowerhorns, nobody has ever sold one as anything but a flowerhorn. As for stocking I personally wouldn't try just 2 large aggressive male ca cichlids in a 120 gal even if they have been raised together as babies.
I would tend to agree with you but I truly believe there are some fish that just shouldn't be kept with any others what so ever. Flowerhorn being one of them.
As most ca cichlids can live to 15 years old I have yet to see a mixed aggressive community tank full of old fish, I am yet to see one with fish over 5 year old in. I have a mate who had one going for about 3 years until it imploded without warning resulting in one of his prised citrinellus being killed and this was in a much larger tank then yours. Unless your tank is over 350 gal stick to pairs, even that can be a risk.
