The Flowerhorn Cichlids may be a common fish but is one of the most beautiful fishes you can see in an aquarium. They are package of the best fish one can have in an aquarium.
Flowerhorn Cichlids are adorned by beautiful and vibrant colors, and great personality. They have a peculiar hump in its head known as a nuchal hump and this adds up to its magnificent appearance.
You wont be able to find this fish in the wild as they are produced artificially through crossbreeding. They are the result of the cross breeding of species such as Parrot cichlid, Trimac cichlid, Red Devil Cichlid, Redhead cichlid, and Midas cichlid.
The exact species by which this species is produced is not known. Although it is widely accepted that it is done through these species. The Flowerhorn Cichlids were first produced in the 1990s in Malaysia.
In this article we will be dealing with the breeding of Flowerhorn Cichlids. They are easy to breed as long as you do all the procedures properly. Give them the optimal water parameter and that’s all it takes to breed them.
Breeding Flowerhorn Cichlids in Your Aquarium
How to select a Flowerhorn Cichlid Breeding Pair?
Picking out a pair of Flowerhorn Cichlids is the first and the most crucial step in the breeding of Flowerhorn Cichlids. The type of male and female you choose will determine the characteristics of the Flowerhorn Cichlid babies.
If the parents have a short body, it will result in short-bodied fish fry. If the parents have a nuchal hump, the fry will grow to have the magnificent nuchal hump. The most widely selected are the Flowerhorn Cichlids with a nuchal hump for breeding.
You should avoid picking the Flowerhorn Cichlids that have genetic deformities for breeding. It will affect the lineage of the Flowerhorn Cichlids. Pick out the ones that have strong colors and fins. If you want the nuchal hump, select the ones having a well-developed hump.
How to differentiate between a male and a female Flowerhorn Cichlid?
There is no difficulty in telling apart a male and a female Flowerhorn Cichlid. You can differentiate them by looking at their body size. The males have a larger and longer bodies than the females.
The females have short and slender bodies. The females also have a smaller nuchal hump than the males. A female Flowerhorn cichlid will have an O or circle-shaped vent, whilst a male would have a V or triangular vent.
This makes it easy to tell the difference between Flowerhorn cichlids that are male and female.
Setting up a Flowerhorn Cichlid Breeding Tank
You will need a minimum of a 40-gallon tank for breeding Flowerhorn Cichlids.
Set the water temperature to 28℉ to 30℉, and the pH levels must be neutral. The aquarium’s water must be free of any chemicals and must be perfectly clean for breeding.
You can add a sponge filter to the breeding tank as these filters don’t pose any threat to the fish fry of being sucked in. Water in tip-top condition will help with the breeding. You should also keep a plate for the females to lay their eggs.
Adding and preparing Flowerhorn Cichlids for breeding
After you have selected a pair of Flowerhorn Cichlids, you will have to keep the pair separately in a tank. You must add a glass pane in between to keep them separately initially.
Male and female Flowerhorn Cichlids are aggressive towards each other. So separate them to avoid unnecessary troubles. You will have to feed the two with the optimal amount of food before introducing them to each other. Keep them separate and keep a keen eye on their behavior for about a week or more.
It usually takes the male and a female a week to pair up, but it is not certain. Try removing the divider once and if they start a hassle, separate them and add the glass pane again. Although if they get along with each other and start swimming in peace then it is fine. Then you can add them to the breeding tank.
Breeding process of Flowerhorn Cichlids
When it comes to it breeding of Flowerhorn Cichlids there is no activity such as a mating dance. Although they might do certain things such as biting to get assurance that the significant other is interested in mating. When the female is ready to lay eggs, an egg tube will emerge from her anal orifice.
The female Flowerhorn cichlid begins the breeding process by scrubbing the surface of the clay plate in preparation for laying her eggs. After that, the male Flowerhorn cichlid spends some time pursuing the female Flowerhorn cichlid. Female Flowerhorns may lay between 70 and 1500 eggs in a single batch.
The eggs will stick to the smooth surface. To fertilize the eggs, the male Flowerhorn will swim over them and release the sperms.
Both parents will be guarding their eggs since they are both protective of their eggs and the baby. While they are defending the fries, the pair of Flowerhorns could go without food for a few days.
The unfertilized Flowerhorn egg turns white, but the fertilized Flowerhorn egg changes to a clear tint. After a few days, the female Flowerhorn fish will consume all the unfertilized eggs.
In around two to three days, the fertilized eggs hatch. Because the fry is so little when they hatch, they travel in groups and are normally dormant for a few days. When newly hatched fish become free swimmers, which occurs after 2-3 days, they begin to swim in the tank in quest of food. This is the optimum moment to remove the parents from the breeding tanks because the fry can look for themselves.
Taking Care of Flowerhorn Cichlid Fry
The most important thing in taking care of fish fry is the diet. You can feed the Flowerhorn Cichlid fry baby brine shrimps when they have just hatched. After they grow and gain size by a bit you can begin giving them tubifex worms and daphnias.
You can start giving them pellets once they have gained a size of 2 inches. Give them foods with protein content to get the most out of their colors and for them to grow properly. Feed them live shrimp occasionally.
You will have to keep the Flowerhorn Cichlid fry in a large tank. They tend to show aggression towards one another. So you have to separate the larger ones as they can be aggressive towards the smaller ones.
How many times can you breed Flowerhorn Cichlids?
You can breed the Flowerhorn Cichlids any time you want. They don’t have a specific time of the year when they breed. So you can mate them whenever you want. You only have to provide the optimal water parameters and follow the breeding method.
When do Flowerhorn Cichlids begin to breed?
The Flowerhorn Cichlids become sexually mature around 10 months. Then they can breed for about 6 years. Make sure you do the breeding methods correctly and provide the correct water parameters.
Flowerhorn Cichlids are easy to breed. It is also easy to take care of their fry. Keep them in optimal water conditions. Set up a breeding tank with clean water free of chemicals. Add a sponge filter. Although you must separate the pair you have chosen for a week or so before breeding them. Do all this, and you will be successful in breeding them.
