Which Flowerhorn variety is the most beautiful? Variety recommendations and analysis

The Flowerhorn is a deeply loved ornamental fish. Besides its mighty, majestic kingly presence, its dazzling and striking colors, and its highly personable, adorable appearance, the thing that most intoxicates enthusiasts is the emotional bond it forms with its keeper. Although Flowerhorns are very fierce toward other fish, they are extremely intelligent with people, as tame and lovable as cats and dogs. Let's take a look below at which Flowerhorn variety is beautiful!

Which Flowerhorn variety is beautiful?

There is no uniform answer to which Flowerhorn variety is beautiful, because there are very many Flowerhorn strains, and every strain contains fish of superior quality. Moreover, the appreciation and evaluation of Flowerhorns should absolutely not be viewed from a single angle alone, but should be decided by comprehensive consideration of the symmetry of each part of the fish's body and the overall proportions, across multiple dimensions.

[Body shape] Short body with a high back, thick and solid torso. [Temperament] Elegant swimming posture, plays with people.

[Color] Strong contrast, dazzlingly radiant. [Pearl spots] Evenly and densely distributed, dazzling and glistening.

[Patterns] Wrapped in silver lines, thick and clear. [Head] Tall and upright, full and plumply round.

[Eyes] Full of spirit, gaze like a torch. [Fins] Complete and broad, spread like sails.

How should Flowerhorns be kept properly?

1. Fish tank: The Flowerhorn is a medium-to-large cichlid, with adults reaching over 20 cm. When keeping them, it is best to choose an aquarium of three feet or more so as not to restrict the fish's growth. Using black or blue as the aquarium background helps the Flowerhorn display its most beautiful body color.

2. Substrate sand: Flowerhorns prefer neutral or slightly weakly acidic water quality. For the substrate sand, it is best to use river sand with a grain size of about 0.5 to 1 cm to keep the water quality on the neutral side. The substrate sand can be spread to a thickness of about 5 cm. When arranging the tank, avoid using driftwood or coarse rocks.

3. Water quality: When keeping Flowerhorns, choose a filter with good performance, as this not only keeps the water clean and increases dissolved oxygen in the water, but also helps the growth of beneficial bacteria that maintain stable water quality. The water temperature is best at around 26-27°C, and the pH value is between 6.5 and 7.2.

4. Feed: Flowerhorns can be fed small shrimp, bloodworms, and feed containing no artificial colors, but fresh natural food is the best feed. It is recommended to feed half commercial feed and half fresh natural food every day, which is very good for the fish's growth.

5. Lighting: If appropriate lighting is not provided when keeping Flowerhorns at home, the color on their body surface will gradually fade as a result. It is recommended to control daily lighting to about 10 hours, which will have a bonus effect on the Flowerhorn's health and color expression.

6. Disease prevention: Flowerhorns have relatively strong disease resistance, but sometimes they can easily contract white spot disease due to drastic changes in water temperature. Therefore, in areas where the temperature cannot remain stable above 25°C, it is best to install a thermostat in the tank when keeping them and set the temperature to around 28°C.

What varieties of Flowerhorn are there?

1. Golden Flower Flowerhorn: The Golden Flower Flowerhorn strain appeared relatively early, but its genetic stability is quite poor, and the same type in different periods will show great differences. Representative varieties are Emperor Golden Flower, Thai Silk Flowerhorn, Rainbow Flowerhorn, Red Horse Flowerhorn, Phantom Color Golden Flower, and so on.

2. Pearl Flowerhorn: The Pearl Flowerhorn strain is the most common on the market, and its genes are relatively the most stable among the other Flowerhorn strains and it is also easy to breed and improve. Representative varieties are Pearl Monkey, Emperor Monkey, Albino Pearl, Hongyun Flowerhorn, Full Silver Flowerhorn, Golden Flowerhorn, and so on.

3. Monkey Flowerhorn: The Monkey Flowerhorn strain was developed through improvement and breeding based on the original Flowerhorn. Representative varieties are Original Monkey, Classic Golden Monkey, Post-Classic Golden Monkey, New Monkey, Malai Pearl, Singapore Monkey, Monkey King Flowerhorn, and so on.

4. Texas Flowerhorn: The Texas strain is a leopard-type Golden Flower Flowerhorn developed by crossing and improving Texas cichlids with Flowerhorns. Representative varieties are Texas Golden Flower, Thai Red Texas, Golden Texas, Purple Texas, White Texas, Silver Texas, and so on.

5. Flower Horn Flowerhorn: The Flower Horn Flowerhorn strain can be said to be the founder and pioneer of the entire Flowerhorn history. Representative varieties are Laughing Buddha, Vajra Flowerhorn, Flower God of Wealth, Millennium Flowerhorn, Flower Monk Flowerhorn, Red Flower God of Longevity, Flower Horn, and so on.

6. Other Flowerhorns: Other Flowerhorns refer to Flowerhorn strains that are uncommon on the market, rare, or some that have already become extinct, such as the Yuanbao Flowerhorn strain, Gem Flowerhorn strain, Classic Flowerhorn strain, Taiwan Flowerhorn strain, Crystal Flowerhorn strain, and so on.

①Yuanbao Flowerhorn: The Yuanbao Flowerhorn strain is a general term for Flowerhorns with a short, round body shape, and exists within any Flowerhorn strain. For example, short-bodied Pearl Flowerhorns and Golden Flower Flowerhorns can all be classified into the Yuanbao Flowerhorn strain, such as Yuanbao Pearl, Yuanbao Golden Flower, and so on.

②Gem Flowerhorn: The Gem Flowerhorn strain is the offspring produced by crossing the Red Devil with the Texas Leopard. It was improved and bred many years ago by Flowerhorn enthusiasts in Taiwan, China. The ordinary part of the offspring was named Red Gem, and the relatively superior ones were named Blood Gem.

③Classic Flowerhorn: The Classic Flowerhorn strain broadly refers to those Flowerhorns whose overall body color tends toward cyan, pale colors, electric light colors, and gray. They have not undergone much improvement, and the colors on their bodies are relatively single and plain, with weak color impact, yet they possess a kind of pure beauty.

④Taiwan Flowerhorn: The Taiwan Flowerhorn strain is a Flowerhorn variety produced by crossing the Flower Leopard strain with the Flower Horn. Its body displays many of the Texas Leopard's advantages, with evenly distributed pearl spots. The golden or silver pearl spots make it look even more majestic like a king, and its head shape is round and plump.

⑤Crystal Flowerhorn: The Crystal Flowerhorn strain refers to those fish derived from the improvement of the Pearl strain that have no black markings or scales (variegated patterns). They have brilliant coloration and bodies covered with pearl spots. Representatives include Taiwan's Red and White God of Wealth, White Jade, and so on.