When you buy a Flowerhorn fish for the first time and introduce it to your aquarium, numerous questions related to its food and tank environment naturally arise in your mind.
Typically, it’s normal and common for all Flowerhorn beginners. Whether you are feeding your Flowerhorn too little or too many pellets, the consequences of these feeding habits can significantly impact your Flowerhorn’s health by causing diseases.
Don’t worry; here is a guide to help you feed your Flowerhorn the appropriate amount of pellets.
Size and Age-dependent Feeding routine:
Flowerhorns are naturally aggressive fish and have a vast appetite, consuming whatever comes in front of their mouths. Since these fish grow rapidly, it is essential to feed them the correct amount of food daily; otherwise, it can lead to severe health conditions such as a bloated stomach, swim bladder disease, hernia, and more.
Even though there are various types of Flowerhorn varieties, they all grow similarly, and their feeding patterns are also similar (except for the difference in food types).
Typically, Flowerhorn experts feed their fish an optimal amount during the fish grooming stage (1 month to 8 months). After this stage, they gradually reduce the amount of feed as the Flowerhorn reaches its maximum potential.
Feeding extra food beyond this point may lead to potential damage to the fish. Use this guide to monitor the flowerhorn growth rate and estimate where your fish stands on the growth chart
Pellets to Size of flowerhorn ratio:
Here is the table you are searching for. We have excluded the age of the Flowerhorn and organized the table by the size of the Flowerhorn and the count of pellets. This is because many hobbyists find it challenging to accurately estimate the age of a Flowerhorn.
While feeding intervals could be a separate topic, they generally fall into two categories: two times a day or three times a day. If you opt for three times a day, please ensure proper filtration and regular use of a heater.
| Size of flowerhorn | Pellets count (per interval) |
| 2 inches | 1 pellet (crushed into small pieces) |
| 3 inches | 3 pellets |
| 4 inches | 4 to 6 pellets |
| 5 inches | 5 to 7 pellets |
| 6 inches | 8 to 10 pellets |
| more than 7 inches | 10 to 13 pellets |
Note: If the size of your Flowerhorn is not a whole number, simply round it off to the nearest whole number. (e.g., 3.65 inches should be rounded to 4 inches)
We highly recommend feeding special treats to your Flowerhorn, such as bloodworms and other live feeds. However, it’s essential to ensure that these feeds are free of parasites and properly cleaned before being given to your flowerhorn
Things to monitor while feeding your flowerhorn:
There are many aspects to observe during the feeding time of your Flowerhorn. This observation can provide valuable insights to adjust the pellet count for optimal feeding. Below are some of the things to monitor
Attention to food:
Do not feed the flowerhorn without ensuring that it is paying attention to the food. In other words, do not feed your flowerhorn while you are not actively observing its behavior in the tank.
It is crucial to monitor the flowerhorn’s focus on the food. If your flowerhorn displays aggressive behavior while eating and pays good attention to the food, it indicates that your fish is content and healthy.
However, if there is a lack of attention, slow eating, or refusal to eat, you should investigate the reasons for this behavior.
Please note that slow eating may be normal when the flowerhorn is trying to spit out and re-eat the last few pellets.
Spitting:
Spitting out pellets is a common behavior in all types of aquatic fish, and flowerhorns are no exception. However, it’s important to watch for abnormal spitting of food.
If your flowerhorn suddenly starts spitting out the pellets in an unusual manner and refuses to eat as usual, it’s a clear sign of a health issue.
Ensure that you have proper filtration and heating systems to maintain a healthy tank environment for your flowerhorn, and consider doing a 30-40% water change, as this may help.
Note that young flowerhorns may spit out their food several times, which is normal as they may not be able to swallow the whole pellet.
If your flowerhorn is not eating, it’s recommended to remove the uneaten food using aquarium nets to avoid disturbing the tank environment.
Response:
The response to the food is a key factor in determining whether your flowerhorn likes the food or not.
If your flowerhorn quickly eats all the pellets, it indicates that its diet is suitable. However, if there are signs of dislike or a delayed response, you should consider adjusting the food and trying a different diet.
Do not overfeed:
To promote the growth of your Flowerhorn, overfeeding by providing excessive amounts at shorter intervals should be avoided. This careless mistake can lead to severe health-related problems, even up to the point of death
Wrapping up:
I hope that this blog post on the appropriate amount of pellets to feed your flowerhorn will be beneficial for many flowerhorn enthusiasts, as the internet does not provide the right answer on this topic.
If you have any questions or need further explanation regarding the feeding guide for your flowerhorn, feel free to leave a comment, and we will be happy to assist you.
Until next time, take care of your flowerhorn and yourself. Goodbye!
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. How many pellets should I feed my flowerhorn in a day?
It is completely depending upon the size of your flowerhorn.
Size of flowerhorn – Pellets count (per interval)
2 inches – 1 pellet (crushed into small pieces)
3 inches – 3 pellets
4 inches – 4 to 6 pellets
5 inches – 5 to 7 pellets
6 inches – 8 to 10 pellets
more than 7 inches – 10 to 12 pellets
2. How much should I feed my 4-inch Flowerhorn?
You should feed your 4-inch Flowerhorn approximately 4 to 6 pellets each time. Ideally, feed once every 12 hours. However, if you’re aiming for substantial growth, consider feeding three times a day. Ensure you have a proper filtration and heating system to maintain the tank environment.
3. How many pellets feed a 3-inch flowerhorn?
You should feed your 3-inch Flowerhorn approximately 3 pellets each time. Ideally, feed once every 12 hours.
4. How many pellets feed a 2-inch flowerhorn?
You should feed your 2-inch Flowerhorn about 3 pellets per feeding. Ideally, feed once every 12 hours. At this size, it’s beneficial to introduce live foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and tubifex worms, which can enhance the growth of your Flowerhorn