Advice needed

For the most part a black background from what I have heard is a bad idea. It will fade their colors. Adding blue and red gravel might help though.

I would love for someone to explain to me how a black background, will cause any type of cichlid type species of fish to fade?

Just in case you haven't already read this discussion ....
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=357059

Also if people can post pics of the flowerhorns with a black background might give me some ideas.

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Here's a couple that I currently own, and keep in a black background, with med/dark gravel. I've also kept Thai Silk in the same set ups (and color wise looked fantastic) as well as numerous other species of various cichlids.

ZZ x Kamfa







Juvie KK .....







Not my fish, one of the mods here took this shot. (fish later died)




And a pic I found of one of my CA's that was kept in a 125 with darker substrate, dark driftwood, and a black background.








FH fish are no different than CA cichlids, most will react to changes of color in their environment, but that can be a positive thing. Check out the CA sub folder & you will see lots of photos of CA's being kept in tanks with blackgrounds. The RD/Midas cross shown above, almost glowed in the dark in that tank.

Make sure you read this as well.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=358226

Finally someone gets it. Most people that complain about dark backgrounds and/or substrate are typically keeping juvenile or semi adult fish in those tanks.

Using white tank treatment, and/or dark tank treatments is common practice in the Asian aro trade. It is merely a "grooming" tool used to help show a young fishes potential. Gold crossbacks are typically raised in total white tanks to bring out a high shine at an early age, red aros are typically kept in tanks with dark background, sides & bottom to help develop a deep red color at an early age. All of this can also be greatly affected by the type and/or amount of lighting used over the tank.

For some reason some FH fanatics think they re-invented the wheel with regards to background & substrate colors & how they can affect a fishes color. The reality is most breeders & experienced fish keepers have known about all of this for decades.

Most dominant adult cichlid/FH are going to display dominant coloration no matter how you tweak their environment, the rest just all boils down to personal preference.

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If anything, its what you have on the bottom. When I have white or bare the colors wash out a little, black makes them darken.

Both background & substrate can affect a fishes color, in as much as the tone of that color. If you raise sibling fish under identical conditions, but change the background color between the groups using light color in some tanks, and dark in others, with some fish the difference is like night & day.
I have seen this many many times, with numerous species of fish.

Generally speaking darker colors such as black tend to deepen the colors & overall tones of the fish, lighter colors tend to brighten the colors & overall tone. The example above with Asian aros is a prime example of how that works when grooming young Gold crossbacks. The farms want to emphasize the high shine in their gold fish, so they use the white tank treatment. But quite often the end users (hobbyists) prefer the darker gold tones, which means the seller has to use black backgrounds to get the fish to show a deeper more bronze look. Again, it all boils down to personal preference.


So in grooming young fish, it becomes more of a personal choice than anything else. Same with adult fish. The entire concept of not being able to keep nice looking, colorful, and healthy FH in black background tanks is absurd. Some people may prefer to keep certain types of FH in lighter, brighter tanks, but that is nothing more than a personal choice based on their personal likes or dislikes. No doubt a lot of people that state that one can't or shouldn't keep FH in a black tank have never even tried it, and are basing their comments more on what they have heard, or read on the internet, and not by actually comparing the same fish under different conditions.

From a personal perspective, if I had to keep FH in a tank with one of those glow in the dark flowerly looking backgrounds, I'd stop keeping FH. But that's just me.

Yeh. I was just stating what I had read. I personally love how black fish with pearls like texas and JD look with black environment. It is actually a shame because I got white sand solely for flowerhorns when in fact I prefer a darker substrate.

Most people will make irrational decisions when the fish is too young as well. Younger fish that havent matured have the ability to stay pretty dull in a dull environment. The color changing pigments are alot more drastic in a young fish. But either way a masterpiece kamfa is going to look like a showstopper in any environment with good lighting.

Arowana are not groomed, The breeders are manipulating the buyers into buying something they are not. Same basis as injecting FH and discus with color hormones befor they go on the market. If I put a silver aro through a white treatment, then sell it as a high shine, in a couple weeks that shine will disappear. High shine aros can go for just as much as an Asain Aro and all you need to a good light and a styrofoam box.

Environment has alot to do with color. Lights, backround, tank decor, food all amplify the quality genetics in flowerhorns. Whether you want the pearls to be vibrant or the base color, Its all about contrasting tones. Without the proper light spectrum your eyes cant pick up on alot of the details of the fish. Its really a personal choice of what you like to be honest. I could go on for awhile about my own personal tastes, but to each their own.
Point being: If your FH has a grey backround, white sand, and a warm spectrum light. A few easy tweaks and he could look much nicer.