Flowerhorns Anyone?

[ewelch]

As I am sure a lot of you all here, I started my journey into this hobby with freshwater tanks at a young age .

After taking up the "elite" hobby of marine aquariums about ten years ago something about the ease and relative simplicity of freshwater has always lurked in the back of my mind .

I decided to add a Flowerhorn , a man made hybrid cichlid , to my current "collection"

Of course with my reefing back ground I could not go with a normal 55 gallon tank and air stone .

So i embarked on a Flowerhorn specific tank .



I went with a Deep Blue 35 gallon rimless reef ready tank . Custom built steel stand . Skimz 14 sump , Reef Octopus DC return pump , Alita air pump , Neotherm heater and AI Prime LED .

The first chamber of the sump (skimmer chamber) i employed a K1 fluidized bed media bed filter .

Once every thing was cycled it was time to bring home the center piece . A Red Dragon Flowerhorn.




We still have not picked a name . We are open to suggestions ? But he is very interactive and eats .....and poops like a horse .




So that got me thinking . Does anyone else here have freshwater tanks ? I am thinking of doing a small planted/shrimp tank next .

I am not involved on any other online aquarium forums , so i figured i would share with my Reef2Reef family .

 

[Best Fish-Jake]

If you’re familiar with Breaking Bad, I’d name it Heisenberg[emoji41].

 

[djrice69]

I love flowerhorns I was once a flowerhorn guru. But man your set up is nice for a flowerhorn

 

[ewelch]

If you’re familiar with Breaking Bad, I’d name it Heisenberg[emoji41].

Excellent ! I think that just made the top of the list

 

[ewelch]

I love flowerhorns I was once a flowerhorn guru. But man your set up is nice for a flowerhorn

Thank you , I tend to go over board with these kinds of things .

I am no guru but I am enjoying learning as I go .

 

[Hunter1036]

Beautiful! Makes me want to start back another freshwater tank. But then I remember all of my money goes to corals lol

 

[Furbabeez]

Digging tank bottom and Flowerhorn fish likes the tank plants. Put snags, rocks and other tank decorations directly on a tank bottom, not on a substrate.

 

[Crimson]

I thought flowerhorns needed a 75-125 gallon? They grow up a foot long.

 

[ewelch]

Yes you are correct . However I have noticed he is much more personable in the 35 gallon cube . For the time being he has plenty of room and is happy and healthy .

I have a 180 in the garage just waiting for him to grow into it .

Then this will make a great setup for another reef tank ;)

 

[ewelch]

Bump , I know this really is not the place for freshwater but any one else out there keeping fresh and salt ?

Couple of updated pictures

 

[Scotty Buttons]

Man I've never seen a nuchal hump that big! That's a pretty fish. I've been thinking about setting up a new cichlid tank. I do miss freshwater sometimes.

 

[ewelch]

Man I've never seen a nuchal hump that big! That's a pretty fish. I've been thinking about setting up a new cichlid tank. I do miss freshwater sometimes.

Yeah , lol. It gets bigger everyday !

I love my reef tank but there is something about the relative simplicity and pure enjoyment of fresh .

 

[Zack K]

Had a flowerhorn probably 8 or so years ago. Came home from school one day and the heater decided it wasn’t a fan of the flowerhorn I guess. Walked into a fishy smell and a Cichlid Fish fry. Not a fan of 93 Degree Temps

 

[ewelch]

Had a flowerhorn probably 8 or so years ago. Came home from school one day and the heater decided it wasn’t a fan of the flowerhorn I guess. Walked into a fishy smell and a Cichlid Fish fry. Not a fan of 93 Degree Temps

That really stinks . Heaters really are the weak point in this hobby , both for fresh and saltwater .

I have been using the Neotherm heaters , so far they have been very reliable and keep my tanks very stable .