# Update on my Flowerhorn



## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

I got my FH over a month ago...i think...

anyways, when i got him he had his pink starting to come in, but i decided that now its time to update everyone on his progress with some pics...

i recently upgraded my lighting, and he seems to love that. he's still terrorizing the piranhas through the divider, and he busted right through the shell of a large trapdoor snail.

please mind the pics, they are mostly a bit blurry, because he wont sit still, and im trying to figure out the shutter speed setting on my camera. i just cant seem to get the settings right. but you can at least see his colours.

hope you enjoy. his colour is starting to really improve.


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## stonecoldsteveostin (Nov 15, 2003)

wow, that little guy sure is showing some beauty. TONS of improvement since the last pics you showed us. alot of red on that guy too. good work


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

i saw some pics on one of the flowerhorn sights, and he looked very similar to a Blue Dragon.

im not sure if you can tell from the pics, but he has a very dark outline and shade to the tips of his fins, and the bright pinky colour up front. while his rear end is a bluey-purple colour. my gf couldnt believe how much he had improved since she last saw him.

the picture with his stripes is when i put a mirror up to the tank. he gets pretty pissed off...to say the least.


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## King Oscar (Apr 5, 2005)

wheres the pics at i cant see any


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

my bad, deleted the pics from the wrong thread...hehehe.


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## King Oscar (Apr 5, 2005)

o nice there he is
wow he looks sweet. nice coloring


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

the lil' bugger bit me the other day. but he was going for his food. he totally comes right out of the water now when i feed him. he sees me open the top, and comes right to the top of the water, and holds his mouth waaay out of the water, and just hovers there, waiting to either jump up and grab it, or for me to drop it into his gob.


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

he looks awesome.... whatcha feeding? and how often?


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Okay so I responded in the other thread and it got deleted, heh...

Can't remember what I said, so I'll just say awesome fish, nice colours and I want one. LOL.:laugh:


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

thank you guys







he appreciates the comments :laugh:

as to what i feed him. every morning he gets the tail end of a fresh prawn, and some tropical fish crumbles (i thought it was the cichlid crumbles, but i got the wrong bottle) i think it's wardley slow sinking crumbles. he likes to grab them off the top at first, but as they sink, he chases them down, and chomps it all before it hits the ground.

the prawn is his favourite tho. he goes nuts for it. i have to tear it up into smaller pieces because he will try and inhale the whole tail if he gets a hold of it. and i worry about him choking if i just leave him to chew on it. a lot like an oscar, who will put anything in it's mouth, and just try and chew until it gets digested. but i dont like that.

im looking for a new crumble or pellet food for him. but im going to maintain feeding him the prawns, i think that has really helped with his colour. he isnt even in ideal PH conditions for a FH, which like it wherever, but develop their best colour and nuchal hump at PH above 7.0. he's at around 6.4 now, im slowly raising the PH to see if his colour comes out more, but we shall see.

he has great red eyes tho. they get redder as he gets madder. but are always red now.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Good feeding regime. That's probably why he's putting on size. Not to mention he's in a good sized tank. I noticed that my green terror bulked up TONS while in the 55 gallon and the oscar, while in the 29 gallon and then the 10 gallon hospital tank didn't put on as much. But he's eating well now so hopefully he'll catch up.

As for other options for food... I believe Nutrafin makes a sinking shrimp pellet. That would be good to try. I'd also maybe try some algae wafers to put some veggies in his diet. Break 'em into pieces and drop them one at a time into the tank. He'll most likely nail 'em before they hit the bottom. I feed them to my oscar and he loves 'em. I would also recommend a good cichlid pellet or stick. I was using some random crap brand - Aquarian - pellet but have no switched to Nutrafin Max Cichlid Spirulina Sticks. I also toss in some Nutrafin Basix Cichlid Good Flakes from time to time. Basically the higher the quality of food, the better the colours on your flower horn will pop.


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## Gordeez (Sep 21, 2003)

His colors look damn good man. I like the pattern too.


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## jeddy hao (Mar 1, 2005)

Puff said:


> thank you guys
> 
> 
> 
> ...


All my friends have Flowerhorns and my bro has one as well. These are recommended great foods to bring out color and keep them healthy. Alife, Poh Cherh Hung Red Parrot food, and Grand Sumo. Btw, all these have ingredients that are great for piranhas. I just got my 3" piranhas to eat these pellets and they are getting healthier and healthier. I give live food 2x a week and the rest these pellets. This is why.

View attachment 65137

has krill, white fish meal, and lots of protein foods. ( Recommended )

Crude protein 43% Min
Crude fat 4% Min
Crude fibre 4% Max
Crudes ash 15% Max
Moisture 8% Max

View attachment 65138

FEATURES

This product is developed to enhance the color quickly. It can enhance the color of most fishes to its most bright and beautiful colors. 
This product is also good to gain the color back when the fishes' color is fading due to change of water. 
This easily digestible formula con improve your fish's digestive system and help your fish stay healthy and disease resistant. 
Our high quality control of this product helps to create a cleaner and stable water environment for your fish. 
This product uses natural color enhancing elements such as Astaxanthin, Spirulina and Krill to help your fish develop its most bright and beautiful colors. 
Special immune substance, Vitamin A,( E, Enzyme and other important element added to ensure faster and balance growth and build up resistance to disease. 
INGREDIENTS

Fish Protein, White Fish Meal, York Meal, Wheat Germ, Dried Yeast, Wheat Flour Soybean Meal, Soybean Protein, Shrimp Poste, Antarctic Shrimps, Protease, Organic Minerals, 16 Vitamins and Natural Color. ( Recommended )

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

Max. Crude Ash -------- 15% Max. Crude Fiber -------- 4% Min. Crude Protein -------- 43% 
Min. Crude Fat ---------- 4% Max. Sodium Chloride ----- 2% Max. Moisture ---------- 8%

View attachment 65139


Ingredients:

White Fish Meal, Krill and Shrimp MEal, Seaweed Meal, Spirulina, Omega 3 & 6 HUFA, Fish Liver Oil, Brewer's Dried YEast, Rich Amino Acids (PHE, His, Iso, Leu, Arg, Trp, Met, Lys), Vitamin A,D,E, Riboflavin, Niacin,B6,B12,Biotin,Stabilised Vitamin C and Minerals (Ca,Cl,K,Na,P.Mg,ZN,MN,Cu,Se), Beta-Carotene, Astaxanthin, Cantazanthin, Phycocynin, Xanthophyl. ( Highly Recommended )

Guranteed Content Analysis

Min Crude Protein 45%
Max Ash 12.8%
Max Moisture 6.5%
Max Crude Fiber 3.5%
Max Crude Fat 3%


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## benJii (Feb 17, 2005)

wow, beatiful. i wish i had the room for one


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## shutter13 (Jun 23, 2004)

damn he really is pretty









whats his temperment/personality like ?

lol me with all my questions


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

his temperment towards me is one of he loves me...because i feed him. he gives me the evil eye sometimes almost demanding his food.

towards other fish he is pretty much intolerable to anything in his territory, but im going to try some other cichlids with him when he gets the whole 55 gallon to himself.

i read something on that sumo food. but havent seen it anywhere around here.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Puff said:


> his temperment towards me is one of he loves me...because i feed him. he gives me the evil eye sometimes almost demanding his food.
> [snapback]1064635[/snapback]​


My green terror has taken to giving me the 'evil eye'. Especially since I've been adding tank mates. The oscar he gets along with now, except for when the oscar tries to steal his spot in the 'cave'. The giant danio pisses him off to no end, I can tell... And he's totally freaked out by the striped raphael catfish, which amusingly enough has found a spot beside the gt's cave. He's always swimming by, stops, and just stares at me from this angled vantage point, clearly saying 'WTF Mate?' I know he wants his tank back, lol.


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## stonecoldsteveostin (Nov 15, 2003)

Puff said:


> his temperment towards me is one of he loves me...because i feed him. he gives me the evil eye sometimes almost demanding his food.
> 
> towards other fish he is pretty much intolerable to anything in his territory, but im going to try some other cichlids with him when he gets the whole 55 gallon to himself.
> 
> ...


same with here, only palce i know that it is in is in SoCal. As you can see, it i also, i belive it is on hold from shipping out from the countries that make it due to customs right now.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

how much is that sumo grand food???

i might try and find some in the states next time i come down to the US.


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## GoJamieGo (Mar 18, 2005)

I remember seeing your flowerhorn in your post a while back and he's definitely looking A LOT better now. Really nice colors on him and he's grown a lot too.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

i think he's basically doubled in thickness.haha.


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## Scrappy (Oct 21, 2004)

Nice FH!

Has he cut his lip on the eggcrate yet? Mine used to do that alot when he's trying to bet to my Brantii. Now I've got a piece of plastic up to block his view, it helped alot.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

nope, he hasnt damaged himself on the divider...yet.

he did get a chunk taken out of his lower lip by one of the piranhas when he beat them up, but that happened the first day i had him, and healed long ago.


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## MR.FREEZ (Jan 26, 2004)




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## hyphen (Apr 4, 2004)

that guy's coming along nicely. can't wait to see him a few inches larger.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

i bought him some new food today to tide him over.

i really want to get some of that Grand Sumo food for him that jeddy hau posted about. but its only availabe in cali and toronto, neither of which are close to me. so im trying to find someone who would send some out for me. hopefull from TO, then maybe i could send a lil' BC thank you gift


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## MRNIMO. (Oct 29, 2004)

Glad to hear he beats up on the Piranha's, unless they in a shoal they are little 
pus---s.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

well it was a group of 5 red bellies. between around 3 and 4 inches. and they are mean Ps, but pussies compared to my FH.

the bugger doesnt dig the food too much. looks like ill be looking for something other than what i bought today. maybe when he's bigger. he tries to take 3 or 4 medium pellets in one bite, and they're floating pellets, so they keep floating out of his mouth, and he ends up ignoring it after a few tries.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Sorry... what type were you feeding him before? And what type now? Certain foods include ingredients that makes them 'addictive' to a certain extent. Other foods not containing these will be less appealing.

Try not feeding him for a couple of days. Then give him the pellets again... Then you'll see exactly how he feels about them, heh.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

no way man...hehe...i couldnt NOT feed him. the evil eye i'd get when feeding the piranhas would burn a hole in my forehead...

i was feeding him Wardley Tropical Fish Slow Sinking Crumbles, which i mistook for the cichlid ones when i bought it. so i bought a Wardley Medium Cichlid Floating Pellets, that easily fit into his mouth, but he seems to have a hard time chewing. it seems all the damned food is either nutramax (or whatever it is) or wardley...i want something potent.

and also, what exactly is spirulina? plant or animal??


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## hrdbyte (Feb 2, 2005)

nice progress you got going...


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## Sven (Jun 15, 2005)

Is that flowerhorn dyed or what? The pink colour on his caudal and dorsal fins look too artificial.


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## King Oscar (Apr 5, 2005)

i dont think puff would have a dyed fish


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Spirulina is plant matter. Also, Nutrafin Max is a really good food in my opinion. I prefer it to Hikari, personally. And if you're feeding the Mutrafin Max Cichlid Spirulina Sticks they'll really help the blue pop on your guy... I got this from a website:

_This microalgae is 60% all-vegetable protein, rich in beta carotene, iron, vitamin B-12 and the rare essential fatty acid, GLA. It offers a striking profile of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrents._ [ http://www.spirulina.com/ ]

Honestly, waiting him out is the best way to go about it. Eventually he'll eat. Or. Just slip through the divider and kill your piranhas, lol.

EDIT: Just to add... One of the foods I use is indeed the Nutrfin Max Cichlid Spirulina Sticks.


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## Puff (Feb 14, 2005)

alrite mettle, you sold me man!!!

ill go get some of that today. i just remember using their flake food, and my fish didnt really like it. but if you say the cichlid food is good, then i trust your judgement.

im thinking of getting spirulina sticks AND cichlid pellets or sticks for him. give him a nice varied diet.

Sven- my fish is most certainly NOT dyed. i would never buy a dyed fish in the first place, and to think of buying a dyed FLOWERHORN?? that would never happen. his pinky-red colour comes from all the prawn he eats, along with the flake food he eats, which both contain astaxanthin which greatly enhances the red pigments in fish.

i really think the prawn is the main factor. my red bellies have abnormally red bellies for their size, and they eat the same stuff as my FH, except the FH gets a couple of extras thrown in.


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## Mettle (Dec 29, 2003)

Varied diets are always the best. Give it a try. Can't hurt, right?


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