History of Flowerhorn Picture

2 to 3 years OLD FlowerHorn

Juvy Flower Horn

This is a juvenile flowerhorn. A cute one. If you want to buy one of this just contact us.

Free Head Flowerhorn

Kamfa (white eye) Flowerhorn

Kinds of freemarking Flowerhorn

Freemarking Flowerhorn

Common Diseases of Flowerhorn

Mouth, Body and Tail fungus


This kind of diseases is very common to the flowerhorn community. The symptoms of this disease are:

This condition is caused by Saproglenia and other related bacteria.
Bad water quality only causes these kinds of bacteria to thrive. Bacterias are dealing with bad environment
Sudden changes in the water condition can also cause this condition in your fish.
If your fish has this condition, you will notice cotton like tufts at the mouth, body, fin and tail.
You may also notice your fish losing weight.


The only solution to cure this diseases are:

Add Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Aquarium Salt to your tank.
Adding Jungle Labs Fungus Eliminator will also help.
Be sure to treat the whole tank, but quarantine the most seriously ill fish.


We can prevent this things to happen by:


Change your water regularly.
Quarantine new fish for three to four weeks.
Avoid cross-tank contamination.

Flowerhorn Information

Flowerhorn cichlids are not a naturally occurring species of fish. Like humans have selectively bred different breeds of dogs, flowerhorns have been created deliberately by man. Prized flowerhorns with just the right colors and patterns can reach a hefty price.

Flowerhorns are a product of hybridizing and selective breeding of numerous types of South American fish from the cichlid family. They were developed in Malaysia during the late 1990s.

Flowerhorn cichlids grow 12 to 16 inches long depending on the type and have a characteristic knob on the front of their head. They are usually brightly colored in various patterns and sometimes have black markings that resemble Chinese characters on their sides.

Flowerhorn cichlids are not picky eaters and readily accept most fish foods. They like pellets as a staple diet supplemented with meaty foods like worms, crabs or shrimp.

Flowerhorn cichlids prefer a neutral pH around 7.0 and a steady temperature of about 82 degrees. Keep them in a large tank, about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide.

There are many critics of flowerhorn hybridization who claim that they are unnatural and may escape into the wild damaging the environment. Flowerhorn lovers defend the fish by pointing out that there are no examples of any ecological problems and that they are not genetically modified in a lab.

Firefish Goby

The Firefish is one of the more popular fish in the marine hobby. It is a magnificent fish with brilliant coloration, a unique body shape, and unparalleled personality. Also known as the Firefish Goby or Fire Dartfish has a yellow head, white anterior, and pinkish to orange-red posterior. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are highlighted in a dark color or black. In addition to its striking coloration, the Firefish Goby is also heralded as a sweet-tempered fish because it plays with the fish surrounds him and with its lots of personality. And, because of its small size, the Firefish Goby makes a great addition to the smaller reef system that makes them cute and admirable. The approcimate size of it is 1 ½ inches to 2 ½ inches.

To best recreate their wild habitat, the Firefish Goby requires a 10-gallon or larger system with moderate lighting conditions and a moderate current passing over the live rock "reef." Keep in mind that a stressed Firefish Goby will try to jump out of your aquarium. As such, house the Firefish Goby in aquarium systems with a lid. Hobbyists who use a halide system with an open top should construct a Plexiglas "edge" around the trim, at least 10" tall.

In the wild, the Firefish Goby is usually found in groups hovering over the reef, harvesting planktonic food that drifts by in the current. The docile, Firefish Goby is timid and in the wild, each will have a "bolt-hole" into which it quickly ducks when threatened. In the home aquarium, the Firefish Goby needs multiple safety zones amongst rocky crags or outcroppings into which it can dart if stressed. This member of the Gobiidae family is generally not aggressive towards other fish except those of its own species. However, a mated pair can live peacefully together.

Along with algae and zooplankton growing in the aquarium, the diet of the Firefish Goby should consist of finely chopped small crustaceans, vitamin-enriched brine fish (live or frozen), mysis shrimp, and prepared foods.

Flowerhorn Gender

How to determine the Gender of your flowerhorn. The following are some points that can be use to specify the gender of your fh.

Dorsal black spot flowerhorns are hybrids,therefore this method will not be 100%accurate.this method is usally use on pure bred cichlid. However the rest of the method we are going to talk about here will not apply to fries under 3 in therefore this one is included.

90%of fry with out dorsal spots,will be males.
60% of fry with dorsal spot will be females.

Body structure male flowerhorn often have more angular and muscular lines ,while females often have a rounder,smoother body line.

Dorsal spine method. Look at the first 6 dorsal spines of your fh, males often have rounded and thick spines, while females have a more flatened and thiner look to the first 6 dorsal spines.

Pelvic fin and pelvic spine method. Female flowerhorn need to use their pelvic fin as a fan to fan the eggs while breeding,therefore when you touch the pelvic fin and pelvic spine of your fh,if it is soft,and the spine is not as hard that will make you bleed,your fish is highly possible to be a female.

Chest line(chin line) method. If you view your fish from the side,behind the gill jucture and before the pelvic fin,right under the petoral fin,this is the chest of your fish,if your fish have a bulkier chest,the it is more possible to be male,females often have a smaller,and smoother chest(unlike human)...lol

Anal venting method. Hold your fish upsidedown,look at the anal vent,males have a V shape and females have a U shape.
now look from the side,males should have their tube pointed toward the back ,while females have straight tubes.

Salt can Cure Fish Stress and Sickness

Fish stress is relieved and the organism can fight off diseases easier which aides in the recovery. The concentration should be 4 teaspoons per Gallon and the duration of the bath about 30 minutes. This bath will also stimulate the protective slime coat, which will further enhance the fish's' ability to cope with the disease. Do not forget that a heavy concentration can make them loose their equilibrium and they simply "roll over". At this point the fish has to be moved to clear water very quickly.


Salt does not evaporate, it can only be removed by water changes and plants will not survive higher concentrations. The reason is similar to what we can observe with fish that cannot survive higher salt concentrations. Freshwater naturally moves from an environment with a low salt concentration, to one with a higher salt concentration (the water). As a consequence the diversity of plants and animals decrease. This is because they cannot keep the water and salt content of their bodies at the right concentrations for them to survive this environment. The lethal point for plants is reached at about 1000 mg/l of salt. One teaspoon of salt equals approx. 5500 mg.

Points to be REMEMBER:

Salt does interfere with the osmotic regulation of fish and plants. It should be left alone; nature regulated that part itself, by creating freshwater, brackish and saltwater fish.
The low beneficial amount of salt, mentioned above will not have any benefits in addition to water conditioners and/or stress coats already used for water treatments.
It is good to know about the benefits of salt and the understanding of the mechanisms involved. It comes in handy, should the nitrites get out of control or as possible treatment for parasites (salt bath). A first aid kid, for sure.
Parasite prevention? Yes - in theory. But it is not justified. The long-term use of salt in the aquarium will have more negative aspects then benefits. Use of salt as a first aid tool should be determined on an individual basis, as there are no real guidelines on how to use it safely and effectively.

And last, disease prevention and cure. This is largely if not mainly based on enhancing the slime coat or regulatory osmotic control, but again stress protecting additives and water conditioners have the same effect.

Stress Flowerhorn

Everything outside the required environmental- or behavioral needs of your fish causes stress. Stress greatly affects the health, reduces the life span, and and closer your fish to vulnerability for diseases. Stress is also the main cause of a deteriorating slime coat that protects the fish. This slime coat is the defense system toward infections. Fish can adapt to slightly different conditions in their environment. Understanding the factors that contribute to stress, will eliminate or reduce unnecessary risks. Stability in the water column and a balanced environment are as important as eliminating some other potential stress causing factors.

This are the main factors of fish stress:

TANK MATES - Compatibility is the key. Aggressive fish chasing others, naturally or as part of a mating ritual or territorial defense. Smaller species without adequate hiding places feel unsafe among bigger fish. Some species require larger groups (schooling); others are best kept individually as some tend to get aggressive towards their own. Fish communication (body language/ behavior) also might not be recognized by other species, again potentially leading to aggressive behavior. Stress also occurs when feeding if the fish have to compete for food. Needless to say they will always compete. The thing to remember is to distribute the food evenly throughout the water surface. Avoid spot feeding.

TANK SIZE - Does overpopulation trigger a thought? The rule of thumb is about 1 inch of fish per 2 Gallons of water. This guideline should only be used in order to get a sense of the limitations of your tank. However, some species can be kept in a 10-Gallon tank, others need more physical space. Territorial fish require a larger tank as they chase intruders out of their claimed territory.

WATER TEMPERATURE - An often overlooked topic. Fluctuations of temperature should be moderate and controlled at all times. The optimum temperature varies from fish to fish, but too cold or to warm will cause stress. Keep in mind that a tank in direct sunlight will heat up during the day. The water temperature may also rise during the light-on period. This can be more of a concern with smaller tanks. Water changes cause stress as well. It is important to replace the water with fresh water, which is about the same temperature as the tank. Further, the cleaning and removal process disturbs fish. Considering this, it ads validity to the discussion about proper water changes = change less water more frequently.

WATER PARAMETERS - Poor water quality is the most significant cause for stress. Fish can survive sub-optimal conditions if not too far out of range. But sudden changes within the water chemistry will cause severe stress. Adjustments in pH, salinity, or water hardness should be made gradually. Ammonia and nitrite are extremely stressful and can be detrimental if high levels persist.


OTHER FACTORS:

Stress is also induced by insufficient oxygen levels (fish gasping for air), old fish food, and an unbalanced diet.

Fish are not good travelers, even on short distances. Good care should be taken during the acclimation process.

I love my Flowerhorn

Aquariums should be considered to be miniature versions of natural habitats. Even though we are not able to establish perfect ecosystems in our aquariums, we can try to provide environments as close as possible to natural habitats to enjoy their beauty. 

- If you buy a flowerhorn for the nuchal hump, take a look at the frontosa (Cyphotilapia frontosa) a Tanganyikan cichlid. When left in small groups in a big enough tank the dominant male develops a hump which no flowerhorn will produce. 
- If colour is what you seek in a fish, then take a look at the redheaded cichlid (Cichlasoma synspilum). It's got all the colours of the rainbow. 
- If you desire black markings, a trimac (Cichlasoma trimaculatum) has a distinct pattern. 
- If you are looking for pearls, consider the Texas cichlid (Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum). 

If there are natural specimens that have all the traits one expects in terms of sheer beauty then why go for the man-made stuff? There are 1500+ known species of cichlids in the wild and hundreds with striking beauty and amazing personalities available to the hobby. This availability is rich enough to fit anyone's need. Let us respect Mother Nature. Doing something awful is not difficult but the consequences would have to be faced. As far as we know only one planet holds the key to create, support and cycle a phenomenon called Life. Let us not cheapen it or take it for granted. 

Some reports claim that the Flower Horn Fish is a "mutated" breed of fish. Rest assured that this is just a claim. Flowerhorn have gone through a lot of selective cross breeding in order to have the best characteristics of the respective strains of the Cichlid family. For instance, most breeders are striving to produce Flower Horns with a bigger nuchal hump on the forehead, better colouration, bolder black markings on the body (which at times resemble Chinese characters), more elegant fins, and wider bodies. No chemicals, or biogenetic engineering have been incorporated to improve on the traits/characteristics of the Flowerhorn. Thus, the claim that this is a mutated fish is unfounded. Its a big NO!

This fish is very hardy, and can endure water conditions that are not suitable for most breeds of aquarium fish. This is also part of the reason why the Flower Horn is well received by many tropical fish hobbyists.


What ever Negative statement I encountered, I will never let go loving the most wonderful fish.

Tips on feeding Flowerhorn

In feeding a pet you must know what will be the best food that can help them stimulate there proper growth and make them as fit as possible also away from the any illness.

I can share a simple tips on how to feed a right food for your flowerhorn fish.
Flowerhorn like similar sized fish, astronotus ocellatus for example, need a live food integration to be healthy and in shape. Their diet can consist of live food, frozen food, and standard dry fish food. The live food should be of good dimension, or the fish could not notice it, earth worms and big meal worms or wax worm are accepted; moreover you can give small fish, poecilia reticulata could be a good choice since the high number of fry they spare monthly. Remember to feed every live food you choose, and in case of live fish be sure they are healthy.

Frozen food is another good solution, especially when you do not have the live one. Young Flowerhornusually eat chironomus, brine shrimps and other frozen fish foods, while older ones could not notice them; at their place you can offer frozen fish for human use, you have a great choice, anyway if possible get freshwater fish and avoid the sea ones. 

Both live and frozen food can pollute the water, so be sure that Flowerhorn eats all the given food in 5 minutes maximum, in case of rests remove them fast; for this reason it is better to have an aquariumset up that allow you to clean fast without needing to move objects.

Dry standard fish food is a good complementary option, especially if it is of good quality. You can find special food produced for cichlids that usually consist of big pellets that Flowerhorn like. 

A Flowerhorn cichlid should be fed two times a day, everyday, anyway be careful with the quantities and avoid to overfeed it, reducing the food amount specially if it is really rich of nutrients.


Happy fishing!

Grade Your Flowerhorn

This is how breeders grade their ZZ flowerhorn (AAA,AA,A,B or C) while they are still at fry size. This process must be use or observe to make or select the best fry and comes out the best among the rest flowerhorn. You know why? First of all when a flowerhorn lay an egg they comes in a thousand, if you got lucky, this eggs will be 90% fry. So having this thousand fry and will be free swimming fry there will be a time that you do not have time to take good care and them they will not develop to there potentials and competitive fish. So usually most breeders will cull and partition their breed at the size of 1" to 1.5". Since they are such a young & small size, not much thing could be seen out of them except of their flowerline.

Firstly let us understand what does ZZ mean. ZZ means zenzu (mandarin) it equals to pearls. So what is a ZZ pearls? As you can see the earliest of ZZ do not have any pearls dots on their body so how did they come about the name pearls? For your information, the pearls on the ZZ means the each dark flowerline found on the ZZ body which was surrounded by some metalic hue & glow which resemble a black pearl shine. You may want to get back to your ZZ flowerhorn now to know what I am saying.

Ok, so it is the flowerline that determine the grade of a ZZ. This will be a great grading system of a flowerhorn fish.

Grade A - flowerline should be more than 75% to 100%. Perfect!
Grade B - flowerline should be more than 50% to 75%. Good!
Grade C - flowerline which are less than 50% or only a few dots. Average!

From Grade A, we could gradually know if the ZZ is going to be a AA or AAA later by determining the growth traits of the fish with the written explanation.

1. Kok (Head) - the bigger the better.
2. Colors(Body Color) - the more solid & colorful the better.
3. Body ( Shape of the Body)- the stout & thicker the better.
4. Finnage & Tail - Balance & proportion.
5. Flowerline (plums) - the darker & more shiny pearls surround it the better.

Hope this will help you grading your Zenzu, selection and enjoyment of this wonderful fish!! It's a beautiful thing to know the quality of your Flowerhorn.

Basic Flowerhorn Set-Up

Flower Horn Fish are very territorial and very aggressive. They usually will not tolerate other fish, and will often eat smaller fish that fit into their mouths. Some aquarists have said that they can play with their Flower Horn Fish, but instead of playing the Flower Horn is probably trying to get rid of what it sees an intruder, your hand.This fish is very hardy, and can endure water conditions that are not suitable for some types of aquarium fish. Their hardiness is one of the big reasons that the Flower Horn is enjoyed by many tropical fish hobbyists.

Due the big size they can reach, Flowerhorn need big aquarium with a lot of free space for swimming; a 200 litres tank is the minimum you can offer to an adult fish to let it live healthily. It is a really strong fish and can live in different water conditions without having problems, anyway it is important to provide a temperature between 28°C and 32°C; pH value is also important, because acid water can tone down fish colours and make it sick, the ideal condition is a light alkaline water, with a pH between 7 and 7.8. Moreover it is necessary to avoid sudden condition changes of temperature and chemical values, because they can make Flowerhorn being more sensible to sickness like bacteria attacks.

Water filtration is really important because this big fish produces lots of refuses that end increasing nitrite and nitrate levels in the water. You can choose both internal and external filtration, even if the second one is preferred to leave more free space to the fish. The biological part must work properly, so be sure to have a well activated aquarium before to house a Flowerhorn cichlid.

Take also a look to the water current, an excessively strong one can damage the fish, anyway it is important that a slow movement is present, because it oxygenates the water, and avoids that the water heats only near heater.

Tank decorations are important to make the fish feel quieter. Use a layer of fine gravel and be sure that rocks and woods are stable and do not risk to fall easily on the fish; be sure, as well, that all the decorations do not make the tank cleaning too much difficult. You may also use a substrate to equalize the ph of the water, this can help shane the pearl of your fish and look healthy. Live plants are important for filtration and oxygenation, anyway choose strong plants like big anubias, because any Flowerhorn cichlid use to dig a lot; you can also use plastic plants, even if they are not useful and you can risk that the fish accidentally eat them. But some of the hobbyist don't pud plans because they want to play there fish. Space will be a great elp to make your fish grow big and more decorations can affect them. Make sure that your decoration must not be eaten by your fish.

Being big and aggressive is better not to house it with other fish species, specially if they are smaller. While if you plan to house more than one Flowerhorn, provide a big tank and divide it with accessories to let fish divide the territory; to avoid fights it is recommended not to keep more than two or three fish together in the same tank.

The success of your flowerhorn will be in the cleanliness of your aquarium.

Flower Horn

Flower Horn Fish or Luo Han which is popularly known, has taken the aquatic world (particularly in the South East Asian region) by storm within the last two years. Its popularity is gaining momentum day by day, and it is set to be an internationally known fish as can be compared with the likes of the Discus Fish and Arowana.

Flower Horn Fish is basically from the Cichlid family, which is classified under the genus of Cichlasoma, which is commonly found in South America. This beautiful hybrid is thought to be the end product of cross breeding between the Cichlasoma Trimaculatus, Cichlasoma Festae, Jingang Blood Parrot. To date, many of the better quality Flower Horn have been produced due to the intensified eagerness of breeders to produce the best show quality fish for the market.



As stated in some reports, the Flower Horn Fish is also known as a "mutated" breed of fish. Rest assured that this is just a claim. Flower Horn Fish have gone through intense selective cross breeding in order to have the best characteristics of the respective strains of the Cichlid Fish family. For instance, most breeders are striving to produce Flower Horn with a bigger nuchal hump on the forehead, better coloration, bolder black marking on the body (which at times resembles Chinese characters), more elegant fins, and wider body. No chemicals, or bio-genetic engineering have been incorporated to improve on the traits / characteristics of the Flower Horn. Thus, the claim that this is a mutated fish is unfounded.

In addition, this fish is very hardy, and can endure water conditions that are not suitable for most breeds of aquarium fish. This is also part of the reason why the Flower Horn is well received by many tropical fish hobbyists. But the ideal pH level in the water required, should be around pH 7 to pH 7.8 with water temperature ranging between 27 to 32C. For temperate / colder climate regions, they just need a water heater.
The Flower Horn is from the South American Cichlid family, and this fish is very territorial. They are also very aggressive in nature. Co-existing with other fish is not advisable, especially smaller fish. Some parties have claimed that we can "play" with the Flower Horn. In actual fact, Flower Horn is actually trying to get rid of the "intruder" (be it a stick or a person's hand). Therefore, it is advisable that we keep our hands to ourselves as the fish has quite a nasty bite depending on the size of the fish.

Kamfa

Identification

This breed originated from Louhan. It's main characteristics are white or yellow eye (red eyes possible but not common), fan tail, water head, sunken eyes, smaller lips than Zhen Zhu. Generally has a larger and more square body shape than that of a Zhen Zhu. Head flowers can be found on the Kamfa, but not as prevelantly as Zhen Zhu. The most common and basic type of Kamfa is a Zhen Zhu X Blood Parrot. These fish typically carry more Zhen Zhu features with a better tail and yellow or white eyes. More complex Kamfa's come from the vieja side of the flowerhorn tree above.

Breeding

Kamfa's typically are viewed as being much more difficult to breed. Their time to breeding maturity is much longer than that of a Zhen Zhu. In addition to a longer maturation period Kamfa's also have fertility issues. A general rule of thumb is that fish with red eyes tend to be more fertile on the whole, than those with white or yellow eyes. Since most Kamfa's have yellow or white eyes they tend to be less fertile. Because of these fertility issues refined kamfas are hard to find. Most Kamfa strains are the result of an outcrossing resulting in a few specimens of superior quality and hybrid vigor. Since Kamfas are more difficult to breed on the whole they are also more expensive than most other breeds.

Care

Kamfa care and upkeep is a little more intense than most other breeds as well. They have a greater sensitivity to fluctuations in water parameters. This is especially true for older Kamfa strains, They actually prefer aged water (water that has been conditioned, heated and aerated for a period of at least 24hrs prior to adding to the tank). Newer Kamfa strains are not as finicky about the water used but do require diligent tank and filter maintenance to look their best.

Behaviour

Kamfas also differ in the way they act and interact with their environment and owner. Generally Kamfas are thought to be more aggressive than other breeds (although aggressiveness also comes down to the individual fish). They also use a more rear propulsion method of swimming style which give them a different look and feel in the owners tank. Many people enjoy the way their behaviour manifests itself in the fishes interaction with the owner. Kamfas are great "finger chasers" and delight in defending their tank and territory even from a well-meaning owner. Their territorial nature is important in the way a Kamfa looks and matures. A Kamfa that is not happy with their tank placement, waterparameters, tank mates, etc will not show off their true potential. It's important to try different methods for a Kamfa that is not up to par. Some common practices include:

Add a mirror to the tank - Some hobbyists use a mirror to induce the fish to spar with itself. One must be careful not to place the mirror in an area where the fish can injure itself while sparing. Placing the mirror outside the tank could cause serious damage to a fish, including spinal fractures from the impact against the aquarium glass

Adding a Tank mate or blood parrot - Using a divider some hobbyists will place a smaller fish or "Target fish" on the other side of the divider or in a protective mesh net. This strategy works well for those fish who've figured out the mirror trick. The more dominant and comfortable the Kamfa feels the better his appearance. There are some drawbacks to this method however. If the tankmate is permanent the tank will require more upkeep and cleaning. If the target fish ends up to be more dominant than the Kamfa, the Kamfa will be worse off than when started. Some Kamfas do not do well with tank mates at all. Even a simple pleco can make some fish feel vulnerable in their own tank. This method can work exteremly well for some individual fish and backfire for others


Corals and crushed corals

Many Kamfa owners add crushed corals or whole coral pieces to their tank. The coral acts as a PH buffer to decrease the fluctuation in water parameters that occurs doing a water change. Given a Kamfa's sensitivity to water parameters this can aid greatly in their development. In addition coral pieces provide great surface area for in-tank biological filtration.

Background

The background on the tank can greatly influence the look and appearance of an individual fish. Some Kamfa owners use a colorful saltwater tank background to encourage the fishes color to become more vibrant. Other types of Kamfas, like King Kamfas, do better with a black background. This can help set off the double flower row that KKs are known for and make them appear more solid and less faded.

No matter which combination or combinations of the above it's important to understand that not every method will work for every fish. So if your Kamfa is not looking as good as you think he could, keep experimenting with these environmental factors until you find the combination that works best for your individual fish.

Tips in breeding FH

Flowerhorn cichlid fish is a type of hybrids that was created in Malaysia during the second half of the 1990s. The fish quickly became very popular due to their beauty and the fact that they got a reputation as bringers of good fortune. This resulted in Flowerhorn cichlids being sold at very high prices and Flowerhorn breeding becoming big business. Flowerhorn breeding became something that could make you rich and the fish was even traded in the same manner as stocks for a period on time before the bubble burst and a lot of people lost a lot of money they invested in no much less worth Flowerhorn cichlid fish. 

Flowerhorn cichlids are easy to breed and Flowerhorn breeding can be conducted in much the same way as many South American cichlids which are believed to be the origin of this species. This text will help you successfully breed your Flowerhorn cichlids but will not say anything about how to line bread and crossbreed Flowerhorn cichlids to get high quality fish as an result of your Flowerhorn breeding. Mainly because of the fact that this is a carefully guarded secret that is only know among commercial Flowerhorn breeders. 

Flowerhorn cichlids are best kept in large aquariums and should only be kept with other aggressive species. They can be very aggressive towards the other sex and the use of a separator is sometimes a necessity when breeding Flowerhorn cichlids. The holding tanks for Flowerhorn cichlids should be decorated with rock formations and it is beneficial if the decoration is designed in such a manner that natural territorial borders are created, especially if more then one Flowerhorn cichlids are meant to be housed in the aquarium tank. The water values are not a very important aspect in Flowerhorn breeding but a neutral to slightly basic pH level and a water temperature of around 28°C / 82°F is to be preferred. 

Keeping your fish well feed is an important part of the Flowerhorn breeding preparations. This is however relatively easy since these fish accept most food sources and is easy to get into spawning condition on a varied diet with a pellets base. Flowerhorn cichlids eat a lot and this puts a big strain on the water. Large regular water changes are therefore a necessity and changing 20% of the water two times a week is recommended. 

Flowerhorn cichlids lay their eggs on a flat surface and guards their eggs and fry. They are usually very good parents. You should however always keep a watchful eye on the pair you’re using for breeding your Flowerhorn cichlids since the male can become very aggressive towards the female, especially if something goes wrong during the spawning. A method to avoid problem with aggressions while breeding Flowerhorn cichlids is to use a transparent separator that allows water to pass between the two segments. You should if you choose this method only provide the fish with one possible breeding substrate which should be place on the females side directly beside the separator so the male is able to fertilize the eggs from his segment of the aquarium. Always have the current in the aquarium go from the males to the female’s side of the aquarium. The urge to breed will under these grow so large that your Flowerhorn cichlids will spawn even though they are separated. 
The quality of the fry will differ greatly when breeding Flowerhorn cichlids. Most fry will usually be of low quality but some of them may grow up to be high quality Flowerhorn cichlids. 

Good Luck for the project.

How to differentiate kamfa and zz

Ways to know kamfa from zz flowerhorn. There are modern kamfa now that has been cross breed to zz but we can recognize easily if this flower horn is a kamfa or a zz. Caring kamfa is so hard because rather than zz. Kamfa Flower horns are late bloomer and super stressful. You have to give and love them more also exert more care to make your kamfa outstanding and beautiful. Inborn characteristics of kamfa's are:


1.FOREHEAD/KOK:
The forehead/kok of the Kamfa rises higher than the ZZ.

2.FLOWER:
On the side of the forehead/kok, the ZZ has more conspicuous/easily seen black mark/flowers than the Kamfa.

3.MOUTH/LIPS:
The lips of the Kamfa is smooth and circular whereas the lower lips of the ZZ is sticking/protruding out and the upper lips is shorter.

4.EYES:
The eyes of the ZZ are usually outstanding/bulge out. The eyes of the Kamfa are hollow/sunken.Also the color of the kamfa's eye are white, the zz possess redness.

5.FINNAGE:
The dorsal fin and anal fin of the Kamfa would wrap around the caudal fin and they would look like one whole fin. The dorsal fin and anal fin of a ZZ would usually go upward and downward. The caudal fin of the ZZ is usually smaller also.

6.TAIL:
The bigger & older ZZ, it would have a droopy caudal tail. This condition would not occur to the Kamfa strain.