Flowerhorn cichlid care
Hybrid (Amphilophus and related cichlids) · Hybrid of Central American cichlids, bred in Malaysia from the mid-1990s
Flowerhorns are man-made hybrids with a large head hump and bright colors, bred to be kept alone: they attack almost any tankmate.
- Tank size
- 75 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 78 to 84 °F (26 to 29 °C)
- Group size
- Alone (one per tank)
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Adult size
- 14 in
- pH
- 7 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 8 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 12 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 75 gallon
48½ × 18½ × 21⅛ in outsideHow to keep flowerhorn cichlids
Flowerhorns are man-made hybrids with a large head hump and bright colors, bred to be kept alone: they attack almost any tankmate. One adult needs a 75 gallon or larger tank at 78 to 84 °F with strong filtration, and many owners keep one as a single, very interactive pet fish.
Diet: Carnivore: cichlid pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Flowerhorn cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own: they nip, bully or eat most tankmates.
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own.
Cardinal tetra: Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own.
Black neon tetra: Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own.
Green neon tetra: Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own.
Ember tetra: Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own.
Glowlight tetra: Flowerhorn cichlids belong in a tank of their own.
What a flowerhorn cichlid tank needs
A tank of 75 US gallons or more (such as the 75 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 300
Rated by the maker for 55–75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon flowerhorn cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Marineland Penguin PRO 375
Rated by the maker for up to 75 US gal, which covers a 75 gallon flowerhorn cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 200
Flowerhorn cichlids need 78 to 84 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding flowerhorn cichlids.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 78 to 84 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 75 gallon tank · Heaters for a 75 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common flowerhorn cichlid problems
- With other fish they fight or kill them; one flowerhorn per tank is the norm.
- Some are sold with tattoos or color-boosting hormones; avoid fish with painted-looking marks.
- Never release one: they are aggressive and eat native fish.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name and origin checked against Wikipedia: Hybrid (Amphilophus and related cichlids). Adult size, temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Flowerhorn cichlid Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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