A hybrid cichlid was developed in the second half of the 90's by a group of breeders. Various species of the South American cichlid were interbreed in Malaysia. The exact species of the specimens that were used are still known only to those who developed the breed. Basing on the appearance of the fish, the most probably parents would be Trimacs (Amhilophous Trimaculatus), Midas cichlid (Amphilophus citrinellum), Red Devil Cichlid ( Amphilophus labiatum) or Red Headed Cichlid (Vieja synspila). The hybrid cichlid is what we commonly now know as the flowerhorn fish.

Flowerhorn is unique in a sense that it has very distinct features. They have a hump on their head. Another is the markings that they have on their sides. Unlike other hybrids that were a product of human manipulation, these hybrid cichlids are capable of reproducing. It is relatively easy to breed these fish.

Feng Shui contributed to the popularity of the fish. A flowerhorn cichlid was deemed to be the bearer of good fortune. This is not unusual since there are other fish who has the reputation of being lucky. The Arowana for instance was thought to be lucky. Like that, the flowerhorn was also thought to be lucky.

The Chinese god of longevity is associated with the hump of the fish. The high forehead of the god was thought to resemble the hump on the fish. As the fish grows, so does its hump. A larger hump on the fish means more luck will it bring. The marking on the side of the fish are also considered its lucky feature. The patterns that the marking creates are sometimes distinguishable as numbers or characters.

The popularity of the fish reached its peak in the early millennium. The sale of the fish on its early years was even considered extravagant. Hundreds of dollars were spent in buying the best specimen of the fish. The fish was then seen as an untapped gold mine by some. This caused an upsurge in the breeding of the fish as the demand increased.

 

A hybrid cichlid was successfully created in Malaysia in the 1990's. The actual species that were used in creating the wonderful hybrid is still unknown except to those who created the fish. The hybrid cichlid is now known as the flowerhorn fish.

Flowerhorn are easily distinguished from other cichlids. They have a prominent hump on their head. They also have markings on their side that are most commonly black. The different types of flowerhorn are usually red or in various shades of red. However, the hump and markings on the fish are always present.

The flowerhorn fish became popular in their early days. This was because the fish as associated by many to be bringers of luck. This belief was rooted on the appearance of the fish. The hump on the head of the fish is reminiscent of the long fore headed God of Longevity of the Chinese. The black marking on the fish are like scripts of characters or numbers.

The hype about the fish being lucky were escalated to a higher level when owners start claiming that they have been experiencing good fortune when they started caring for the fish. Business owners claimed that their businesses flourished once they had the lucky fish in their store. There was also an instance where a lucky lady won the lottery using the numbers that she saw on her fish.

The seemingly lucky fish did not go with all positive hype. Not everyone approved of the flowerhorn. The fish was considered man made since it was a product of human manipulation and would otherwise not occurred in nature if man didn't meddle with it. The fish was tagged as an abomination of nature.

The flowerhorn fish, unlike other products of hybridization, are fertile and can reproduce. This contributed to why people like and dislike the fish. Since they are not part of any natural niche, the introduction of the hybrid cichlid in any ecosystem will surely prove catastrophic. Since they are not part of any natural ecosystem, they pose a threat to the stability of others. An instance in the past was the introduction of the golden apple snails in the Philippines that was supposed to help alleviate the problems with food shortage but in turn became pests since they do not have natural predators.

though riddled by bad publicity, the hybrid is still a favorite of fish enthusiasts. Their association with luck is not the only reason why they have been selling in the market. Their awkward appearance is enough to stimulate the curiosity of people.

Have you ever heard of the flowerhorn? It is not a thorny flower found in the deepest recesses of the forest. It is a hybrid of different South American cichlids that was developed in the late 90's in Malaysia. The flowerhorn has a characteristic hump on the top of its head. There are also markings on the side of the fish. This unusual features of the flowerhorn adds to its charms. The flowerhorn cichlid is one of the favorite of fish enthusiasts. This is because of the relative ease in keeping them, as well as the associated luck it brings to those who own them.

There are different kinds of flowerhorn fish. You have the common red dragon, the kamfa the Thai flowerhorn and many more to chose from. Regardless being categorized in various types, they all have the same features.

The flowerhorn sale has seen its best in the late 1990's and early 2000 when people bought their own flowerhorn so that they can experience the bountiful luck the fish would bring. The hump on the fish's head has been associated to the Chinese God of Longevity, Shou Xing. It also resembles the gourd the god carries with him which contains the water of life. The markings on the sides of the flowerhorn fish, on the other hand, resemble the Chinese characters and numbers. Though rare, they sometimes resemble Chinese characters for luck.

There were instances in the past where some stroke of luck happened to owners of the said fish. There is a time where a woman who owns a flowerhorn won in the lottery. She claimed that the numbers she used in betting in the lottery were the numbers that she saw in her flowerhorn. There are also business owners who experienced increase in sales since they placed a flowerhorn in their shop. With events like these happening around, the market for flowerhorns was stimulated.

Indeed the association between flowerhorn and of the great fortune some owners have amassed while caring for the fish is still an issue of dispute, there is no denying that the flowerhorn fish is becoming the favorite of many aquarists. There is no harm in believing that flowerhorns are lucky. Be it that you believe in luck or you just want to have a fine specimen in your aquarium. After all, there is no harm in trying. If you don't win the lottery, at least you have a wonderful fish to have as a pet.

Have you ever heard of the flowerhorn? It is not a thorny flower found in the deepest recesses of the forest. It is a hybrid of different South American cichlids that was developed in the late 90's in Malaysia. The flowerhorn has a characteristic hump on the top of its head. It also has marking on its sides. The weird appearance of the fish adds to its charms. The flowerhorn cichlid has become one of the favorites of aquarists to care for. This is because they are easy to take care of and also because they are thought to bring good luck.

There are various types of flowerhorn fish. You have the common red dragon, the kamfa the Thai flowerhorn and many more to chose from. These different types of flowerhorns share the same features.

The flowerhorn sale was at its highest in the early 2000. The hump on the flowerhorn is said to resemble the high forehead of Shou Xing, the God of Longevity. It also resembles the gourd the god carries with him which contains the water of life. The markings on the sides of the flowerhorn fish, on the other hand, resemble the Chinese characters and numbers. Though rare, they sometimes resemble Chinese characters for luck.

There were some occasions in the past where flowerhorn owners attributed their good fortune on the fish. A woman won the lottery. She claimed that the numbers she used were the numbers on the flowerhorn she owns. There are those who claimed that their business flourished after they displayed an aquarium with a flowehorn in their shop. With events like these happening around, the market for flowerhorns was stimulated.

There are those who doubt that the flowerhorn fish brings luck. There is no harm in believing that flowerhorns are lucky. You can care for one whether you believe in it or not. There is no harm in trying. If you don't win the lottery, at least you have a wonderful fish to have as a pet.

One of the goals of budding aquarists and professionals alike is to be able to successfully breed a good species of fish. Breeding is done for various reasons. There are those who wants to sell them. There are some who breeds because they want to perfect an attribute of the fish or create a good line. And there are also those who just want to try their hands at breeding. Breeding flowerhorn cichlids has become rampant because of the ease in breeding and the potential profit associated with it. This hybrid fish is capable of reproducing, unlike other hybrids. Baby flowerhorn fish will be swimming in your tank soon enough if you take note of the following considerations.

1.First and foremost, select the potential parents. Most Flowerhorn cichlids have, to some degree, a red pigmentation. When selecting a red flowerhorn, or other shade of flowerhorn for that matter, make sure that the color is bright and well defined. This is an indication that the flowerhorn is healthy.

2.Next, select a big enough tank for two flowerhorn fish to swim in. Also, there should be enough boundaries in the tank that would determine the territories of the fish. The male and female flowerhorn may be kept in the same aquarium. When time for breeding, make sure that the female is not stressed out so that it would not eat the eggs or the fry.

3.The female flowerhorn will lay the eggs on a flat surface or on the glass and guard it. After three to four days upon being laid, the eggs would hatch into fry. After a few days, the eggs will hatch. The Flowerhorns will watch over their offspring and move them from time to time.

4.Feeding the fries is not complicated. Specific fry food are available in pet shops. Just hatched brine shrimps can also be fed to the baby shrimp.

Breeding will be successful if the advice above is taken into practice. How the baby would appear is not always determined by the parents. Having a parent champions does not assure that the off spring will have the same attributes. The color patterns on the parents are not always inherited by their offspring. This is the driving force of breeders. Being able to create a fine specimen would surely make the breeder lucky.

I remember back in college the red flowerhorn cichlid that they keep in the shop near the school. I have observed that flowerhorn every time I would pass near the shop. It was swimming in the 30 gallon tank it was kept in. It is the special pet of the owner of the shop. He once shared with me that the flowerhorn cichlid is his ticket to success.

Breeding of various species of the South American cichlids in the 1990's resulted to the flowerhorn cichlid. The secrete combination of the what species were used is unknown except for those who developed them. Flowerhorn cichlids have distinct features that are interesting to people. It has a huge hump on the head and characteristic markings on its sides. Because of the appearance of the fish, it has became the favorite of fish keepers. People believe that the fish is the bearer of luck. Sometimes, the markings on the sides of the flowerhorn cichlid resemble that of numbers or Chinese characters. These markings are not noticeable in baby flowerhorn fish. One requires great luck indeed in finding a fish that has a well defined markings.

Flowerhorn cichlids are very easy to keep. Slight changes in the water conditions does not affect the flowerhorn much. They do, however, require a decent size aquarium. A 200 liter tank is sufficient enough for one. Up to three flowerhorn may be kept in a single tank. There should be enough space for the fish to swim in and enough distinction of their territories. Female and male flowerhorns may be kept in a single tank, especially if breeding is the intention. Parent flowerhorn will guard the eggs until they hatch into baby flowerhorn cichlids.

Live foods are essential in the flowerhorn diet. Meal worms, wax worms or small fish are some of the live foods given to the flowerhorn fish. It can be fed with the standard dry fish food and frozen food as well. When feeding the flowerhorn, feed the flowerhorn fish the amount that it can consume. The excess should be removed quickly for it can pollute the water overtime.

The flowerhorn cichlids are the freaks of the water world. Because of this, they have caught the interest of many. They have even caught the attention of investors. I might buy myself a flowerhorn cichlid in the future and test my luck.

Have you ever walked in a shop and wondered why an awkwardly looking fish is staring at you? You might question the aesthetic appreciation of the owner for keeping what seems to be an ugly fish. Regardless of the appearance, once you ask the owner, they will tell you that it brings good fortune. What you are seeing is what is called the Flowerhorn cichlid. The flowerhorn cichlid has been famous among business owners. Due to their association with bringing great fortune, the Flowerhorn sale has been proliferating mostly in the Asian countries.

The rampant crossbreeding of South American cichlids resulted to the flowerhorn cichlid. The new species of cichlid was developed in the mid 90's in Malaysia. Until now, the specific species that were used in creating the said lucky fish is still known only to those who developed the fish. Male and Female Flowerhorn looks almost the same. One must be very critical to determine the difference. The anal pore of the fish once it has reached a certain size is used to differentiate between the two. A U shaped anal pore signifies a female flowerhorn, while a V shaped anal pore is for the male flowerhorn.

The flowerhorn sale is not greatly affected by the sex of the fish. The markings and the hue hump on the head appears both in the male and female flowerhorn. The markings on the side of the flowerhorn cichlids are sometimes seen as something that resembles Chinese characters. A fish with a pronounced marking will be considered very special. The hump on the head of the fish is believed to resemble the high- forehead of SHou Xing the Chinese God of Longevity.

It is rather easy to keep a flowerhorn cichlid. A spacious aquarium is required. Up to three flowerhorns are allowed to be kept in a single aquarium. If more than one fish is to be kept, however, there should be enough accessories or items that would make the territories of the fish separate and distinct. Slight changes in the water would not bother the fish. A neutral or alkaline water is best in keeping the fish. Water with a lower pH would fade the color of the fish.

The flowerhorn cichlid is kept because people believe it is lucky or just merely because of its interesting appearance. No mater what the reasons are, flowerhorn cichlids are one of the favorites of an aquarist.

A new species of cichlid was introduced in the latter part of the 90's in MalaysiaIt was done by cross-breeding several South American cichlids which resulted to what we now know as the flowerhorn fish. The flowerhorn fish have a distinctive hump on their head and characteristic black markings on their sides.The black markings in the side of the flowerhorn fish sometimes resembles Chinese characters or numbers are thought to bring luck. The hump on the head of the flowerhorn fish is also thought to bring fortune since it somehow resembles the Chinese god of longevity. The distinctive appearance of the flowerhorn fish manifests in both the male and female flowerhorns.Unlike other fish hybrids, the male and female flowerhorns are fertile and can be bred easily.Being capable of breeding and being associated with being bearers of fortune, the flowerhorn sale boomed at the initial years after being introduced to the market.

Keeping flowerhorns is relatively easy. A 200-Liter capacity will be enough to house one flowerhorn fish.Flowerhorn fish are not sensitive to small degrees of variation in the water condition. However, it is advised to have a water pH slightly basic or close to neutral since acidic conditions tends to fade the color of the flowerhorn. Flowerhorns can be kept up to a group of three in aquariums, provided that ample space is there and that there are accessories that will act as the partitions of the territories. Likewise, male and female flowerhorns may be kept in the same aquarium, especially when the intention is to breed. When trying to breed, a flat surface should be provided where the female flowerhorn will lay her eggs. Male flowerhorns tend to guard the territory, chasing other fish away, while the female flowerhorns guard the eggs.

Male and female flowerhorns tend to look almost the same when they are small. However, when they reach about 10-12 cm they can be distinguished when the anal pore is checked A female flowerhorn is characterized by a U-shaped anal pore while a V-shaped anal pore is distinctive of the male flowerhorn. Another way of differentiating between the sexes of the flowerhorn fish is that the female flowerhorn has a relatively smaller hump compared to their male counterpart. Despite the slight difference in appearance, the flowerhorn sale for both male and female flowerhorns are at par.


The value of the flowerhorn in the commercial market has declined over the years. Only those flowerhorns with very distinct marks such as those that resembles the Chinese character for luck or those with a well proportioned hump are valued at the highest price. The apparent decline in the market value of the flowerhorn did not stop breeders from continuously breeding flowerhorns to enhance their features. Breeding of the flowerhorn fish is still being done to further develop and create flowerhorns with more distinctive markings and colors.

There are groups of people, however, who detest the flowerhorn fish. Being developed by man, many groups, religious and environmentalists alike, frown at the creation of the flowerhorn fish. There are those that said that since the flowerhorn fish was a result of extensive inbreeding among different species of cichlids, it was an abomination to nature. There are groups as well that consider the flowerhorns a threat to the ecosystem.

The flowerhorn fish indeed captured attention of many. At the end of the day, the flowerhorn fish will still continue to be one of an aquarists favorite, may it be because of the good Feng Shui associated with it or by its aesthetic value.

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