In this article, we will understand the relationship between Angelfish and Flowerhorn. We will also know more about their requirements and explain if they can be set up together in a community tank.
Angelfish and Flowerhorn
Angelfish and Flowerhorn are very incredible species to be kept in tanks. Although they are not a good match as tankmates as the Flowerhorn temperament is an issue in this relationship. Flowerhorn are very aggressive large fish that are not a good call for a community tank. Angelfish, although, can be good tankmates to middle-sized peaceful fish and can live healthily in a community tank.
Angelfish
Angelfish are awesome fish to add to your aquarium. These Cichlids have beautiful colours and a nice body shape. They can get quite big, around 6 inches long and 10 inches tall. Thus, it is important to provide them with plenty of space and not too small tankmates. They can live up to 10 years in good tank conditions, and this can be extended to 12 years if in perfectly ideal conditions.
Behaviour
In general, Angelfish are peaceful fish. Although, as Cichlids, they can get quite aggressive towards similarly shaped fish or even chase and bully smaller ones considering they are prey.
Though Angelfish are not schooling fish, they enjoy being with some conspecific company to feel safe. In the wild, they can be found in small schools swimming around.
They can become antagonistic concerning other fish, mainly smaller ones. They can understand the smaller fish as prey and devour them. Nice tankmates would be some Corydoras, Gouramis, and peaceful Barbs for example. Also, other medium-sized catfish can make great tankmates for an Angelfish.
Requirements
Angelfish are quite low-effort to maintain fish. They require not too specific temperatures and other water parameters. Temperatures range from 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit and pH from 6.5 to 8.0.
Their natural habitat has lots of plants and fine substrate, thus providing plenty of live plants in the tank would make it a perfect habitat for your Angelfish.
For their diet, they are also not too specific. They are omnivores, thus, they can be fed with flakes and pellets, but also with frozen and live small worms and shrimp.
Flowerhorn
The Flowerhorn fish is a hybridized fish bred mostly from Cichlids. They are also known as Luohan or Lucky fish. They were firstly created in the late 1990s and have become very popular with time.
These fish are popular due to their ability to be taught. They can be trained and can also recognize their tutors. Additionally, they allow being touched and played with.
There are several types of Flowerhorn, with a huge colour diversity. They are quite big fish that can grow up to 16 inches. Regarding their lifespan, they can live up to 5 years if short-bodied and up to 12 years if long-bodied.
Behaviour
The Flowerhorn are typical Cichlids. They are very aggressive and territorial. For this reason, it is recommended not to have any tankmates from other species and plenty of space for the territory establishment.
Although they are aggressive to other fish species, they are very playful with their tutors.They enjoy being petted and can even be trained.
In a tank, they do not have a well-established behavioural pattern. They usually swim around the entire tank and like to explore everything, near the surface and the substrate. This is also one of the reasons why enough space is important.
Requirements
The Flowerhorn are not difficult fish to keep. They do not require lots of attention. However, it is always recommended to keep Flowerhorn in a single-species tank due to their temperament.
Regarding tank size, as they can get quite large (around 16 inches), it is required at least a 66-gallon tank. However, to keep your Flowerhorn happy and in its full beauty, a 90-gallon minimum would be recommended. In addition, if you plan to keep a breeding pair, that would require at least a 150-gallon per pair.
The water parameters would require changes every two weeks, temperatures ranging between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and pH between 6. and 8.0.
Flowerhorn enjoy sandy substrate and also explore the environment, Thus, keeping plenty of décor items will draw the Flowerhorn attention. Additionally, keeping live plants can assist you in removing ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite from the water, as they absorb these substances.
Concerning the Flowerhorn diet, they eat almost anything. It is important to keep a protein-rich diet, with a variety of food. They enjoy some insects, like crickets and grasshoppers, but also shrimp and some worms.
Can I keep Flowerhorn with Angelfish?
No, Angelfish should never be kept in a tank with Flowerhorn. This is because the Flowerhorn are large aggressive and territorial fish. This means the Angelfish would be chased and bullied as long as it lives, causing a lot of stress. Also, the Flowerhorn would probably devour the Angelfish very fast.
Angelfish stress
The main reason why Angelfish should not be kept with Flowerhorn is due to stress levels. Flowerhorn temperament would result in chasing and bullying towards the Angelfish. Thus, the Angelfish would hide most of the time, or even keep non-stop swimming away from the Flowerhorn. Another point is that the Angelfish would be facing a threat, a predator most of the time, which would also lead to stress and could result in the Angelfish being killed.
Among the stress symptoms in Angelfish are:
– Strange/Abnormal swimming patterns: Commonly, stressed fish develop weird swimming patterns. They can swim vertically, without precise direction, or crashing into the tank structures and décor;
– Diseases: Stressed fish become vulnerable to fish diseases, such as ich, the white spots disease;
– Appetite: In stressful situations, it is common that the fish will lose their appetite.
Flowerhorn top tankmates
Flowerhorn are not good fish to keep in a community tank. It is better if kept as a single species in the tank. This is due to their aggressive temper and territorial behaviour. Their size is also another issue, as they can understand the smaller fish as food.
However, even knowing about the recommendations, you have decided to have some tankmates for your Flowerhorn, consider having plenty of space to reduce aggressiveness. The mates should be at least medium-bodied species, such as:
– Jaguar Cichlids;
– Sailfin or Leopard Plecos;
– Silver Arowanas;
– Giant Gouramis;
– Oscar Fish.
Conclusion
In this article, we understood the relationship between Angelfish and Flowerhorn. We also discussed their requirements and explained why they should not be set up together in a community tank.
If you have any thoughts or doubts, feel free to drop us in a comment below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Angelfish and Flowerhorn
Is Flowerhorn a lucky fish?
The Flowerhorn fish are also known as the Feng Shui “Good Luck” Fish. It is believed that the larger their hump, the greater the luck.
Can Flowerhorn fish live with other fish?
Due to the Flowerhorn temper, it is not recommended to keep them in a community tank. Flowerhorn attacks towards other fish species are very common. They can attack to protect their territory or to devour smaller fish. However, if you insist on having tankmates for Flowerhorn, it is important to keep them with enough space to establish their territory.
Are Flowerhorn hard to keep?
No, they do not require lots of effort and their tank requirements are very general. Having a filter and a heater is also important. But keep in mind these fish need a lot of space, such as a minimum of 66-gallon tank for an individual, or a 150-gallon tank for a pair.
What two fish make a Flowerhorn?
The Flowerhorn is a hybrid species, it is believed that the original species are the Red Devil cichlids (Amphilophus labiatus), Trimac cichlids (Amphilophus trimaculatus), and the Blood Parrot cichlid. All these fish were introduced in Malaysia and then they were bred, creating the Flowerhorn fish.
What do Flowerhorn eat?
Flowerhorn can eat almost anything you offer them. They can be fed with live and dried food, such as insects and shrimp. It is important to keep a protein-rich diet for a Flowerhorn fish. However, they also enjoy some vegetables, such as boiled peas (no shell), cucumber and zucchini.
How big do Flowerhorn grow?
Flowerhorn fish are large-bodied cichlids, they can grow up to 16 inches depending on the type. Smaller Flowerhorns, such as Balloon or Bonsai, grow up to 6 inches, while bigger ones reach up to 16 inches. Male flowerhorn fish are larger than females.
References
Ruzicka, I. 2019. Flowerhorn Cichlid. https://www.fishlore.com/profile-flowerhorncichlid.htm
Schulz, S. 2021. Flowerhorn Care And Keeping. https://meethepet.com/basics-of-flower-horn-fish-keeping/#Compatibility
Jason. 2018. Flowerhorn Fish Keeping: The Ultimate Care, Diet, & Breeding Guide. https://www.buildyouraquarium.com/flowerhorn-fish/
15 Best Flowerhorn Tank Mates. https://smartaquariumguide.com/best-flowerhorn-tank-mates/
Stress in Fish: Symptoms and Solutions. https://www.hartz.com/stress-in-fish-symptoms-and-solutions/
