
It is a hardy fish that is easy to care for, but that doesn’t exclude knowing the species, habits, and behaviors in-depth. They feed mainly on algae and biofilm in the crystal clear, hard, and alkaline tropical waters of Lake Malawi. They are one of the most common cichlids in the aquarium industry this success within the aquarium can be attributed to being an easily reared fish, presenting a wide range of color diversity, and being very resistant and easy-to-feed fish. The word Mbuna means “rockfish” in the native language of the traditional communities in that region.Ĭonsidered territorial fish, they show an aggressiveness in certain situations fights between males of this species are often violent. Mbuna are fish belonging to the haplochromine family that inhabits the rocky shores of Lake Malawi. It occurs along rocky coastlines and reef formations on the coasts of Mozambique and Malawi. Red Zebra Cichlid (Maylandia estherae) is a tropical freshwater cichlid species endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. Some specimens of Flowerhorn have grown to sizes up to 18-20 inches making this a very big and MAGNIFICENTLY beautiful fish.Gourami Watcher, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Red Zebra Cichlid Species Summary
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If your flowerhorn is being blown all over the tank, then the flow is too strong! You can install a powerhead along the bottom of the tank to push the waste towards the filter. Flowerhorns are strong fish and can tolerate moderate to high water flow but it is possible to have too much flow.

It is very popular to grow Flowerhorns out in a smaller tank and graduate them to a larger one as they grow out. They require a tank of a minimum of around 50 gallons with 125 gallons being ideal! A breeding pair may require a tank of 150 gallons or more, depending on their size. They are usually kept at a water temperature of 76–85 ☏ and a pH of around 7.4–8.3. Cross-breeding these fish has made Flowerhorns available worldwide!įlowerhorns have a lifespan of about 10–12 years. And the most famous type is named the Red Dragon Flowerhorn. Various strains exist within these types. The four main types are Zhen Zhu, Golden Monkey, Kamfa, and Golden Base or Faders. Started in Malaysia and Taiwan, the Flowerhorn was created by cross-breeding cichlids from Central America. Their genetic history is actually unknown and varies greatly with each strain. Since the first flowerhorns, often called Luohans, these fish have been hybridized with dozens of other cichlids since. Pond Pumps, Filters, Liners, Heaters, Basketsįlowerhorns are the ultimate “pet” fish due to their extremely interactive nature! Flowerhorn cichlids have been specifically bred to respond to the humans around them and some will even lift their nuchal hump out of the water to get petted.įlowerhorns are a hybrid fish that are based on one of the earliest man-made hybrid fish: the Blood Parrot cichlid.Freshwater Algae Squads – Fast results with freshwater algae squads.


