Breeding Flowerhourns Questions and Answers

3 months ago I bought 8 flowerhorn fish with the idea to grow them out and resell them back to a friend of mine. I own big tanks, not to sure about the size but at least 3m in length. Anyway, much to my surprise, I have a mating couple. There was 4 flowerhorns in the tank along with 2 piranas. Today I am shocked, I have come home to at least 100 small fish swimming around in the tank. I took the piranas and the other 2 flowerhorns out and left the new mum and dad to look after there new fry. The mating flowerhorns couldn't even be more than 6 months old. This is my question.

How old do flowerhorns have to be before they start mating?

How often do they mate?

Even though I read alot about putting dividers in the tank, these flowerhorns look like they get along fine with one another, there fins look great. I don't think I need a divider.

What about the fry, right now they are guarding them and keeping them all together. For how long will this happen?

They are also feeding the fry, do I keep them all in the tank until the aggression seems to be happening?

Some advice on what to do next would be greatly appreciated.


I live in South East Asia, I could have some show case flowerhorns, how do I find out what I have.

I am thinking about going to buy a bigger tank and watch with curiousity how mum, dad and babies get along in 4 to 5 meter tank. Waste of money or have I stumbled across something quiet rare?

 

These links might be helpful:

Breeding/raising fry (will be pretty much the same for any large cichlid)
http://fish.mongabay.com/flowerhorn.htm (little bit of info)
http://www.oscarfish.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=71 (actually about oscars, but it should apply to flowerhorns as well)


What makes a "good" flowerhorn:
http://www.flowerhornaquarium.com/Flowerhorns.html
http://www.flowerfish.com/flower_horn_guide.html

As for the bigger tank, if you've got the money, go for it (4 - 5 meters is about 13 - 16 feet for us metrically challenged). Worst case scenario, you could install dividers and keep several fish in it with their own little areas. But I bet in that long of a tank, you shouldn't have too many aggression problems and you could add a bunch of dither/target fish which will help with aggression.

-Chelle

 

Thanks for the information

Thanks for the info, I spent all day checking out the website about the oscars. I love oscars

I guess I will leave the flowerhorns alone and see what happens.

They really have alot of babies, have to come up with a good idea what to do with them now

 

Photos of Flowerhorn babies or fry and my favourite oscars

For anyone who has some questions about flowerhorn breeding ( not that it is what I do) but if it happens it happens.

I read that algea is suppose to be bad for your tank, I guess if your tank is inside, but for an outside tank it is normal to have some algae growing on some of the rocks and on glass.

Outside tanks need a little bit more looking after. But if you think you have 2 flowerhorn mates I suggest you put the tank closer to some natural sunlight, that might just do the trick

I also read that you should put a divider between the mum and dad but I also found this is not the case with my flowerhorns as long as you put them in a big enough tank I think they should be fine.

Dad seems to be taking just as much care with the fry as mum and I can see mum keeping a very careful eye on dad and his intentions

Anyway I love all freshwater fish and it is a great educational experience for my 3 young children.

My next step is too create a home big enough for all of the new flowerhorns.

Keep you posted

P.S I think alot about fish breeding is not what you read it is about common sense and creating as natural enviroment as you can for your fish and enjoy

Flowerhorn breeding photos http://www.myspace.com/flowerhornbreeding