Best background color for Flowerhorns

[v3n0m]

The 90g tank my FH is currently in has the back painted black, Im currently in the process of removing the paint and I was just wandering what color I should go with next. Im thinking of a light blue-ish color but open to suggestions. I am also thinking about taking out pretty much everything in there, gravel and all, and replacing with sand. I think there is just too much crap in there lol. The reason I'm thinking of doing this is most of the fh tanks I have seen are really bare and the fish seem to thrive that way from what I've seen. Anyways what do you guys think? He hardly ever uses the little hiding spots so why keep it? The only thing I was considering keeping was the big stones, just re-arranging them different in the center of the tank, with the sand and blue background, I think it would look pretty neat.

Heres a picture of how it is now, sorry about the quality, best I could do with my phone.

If possible, could some of you guys shoot me a pic of your FH setups can I can kinda get some different ideas?

 

[Water]

Most fh keepers go with a blue background. My set up is simple, Bare bottom, Big pot, Blue background.

 

[Gummy Walrus]

Black

 

[Hot Slime]

Blue background for most FH. Black is good for faders, sand is fine though I would go barebottom. Clay pot is a good idea, you can also go with those plant background paper.

 

[FishingOut]

Periwinkle.

 

[RD.]

Do a search for 'background' in this sub folder, and you should have enough reading to last you into the wee hours.

Personally I would have left the black background, some of the gravel, and removed everything else.

 

[Kaliedoscope]

Blue background for most FH. Black is good for faders, sand is fine though I would go barebottom. Clay pot is a good idea, you can also go with those plant background paper.

For my flowerhorn at least, I like how he looks better over sand than a bare bottom

 

[MrGillz]

Mine have plant backgrounds and gravel because thats what I had for the fish I had before? I did take out most of the decor though, a couple plants and a pot or a hollow log if anything and they look good and are happy! Thats what matters most right? LOL

 

[hamfist]

I like a gravel substrate for FH's, and they do too !
Let's all be honest here, the fish enjoy sifting through it, digging in it etc. V3nOm, I can see from your picture that whatever fish is/was in that tank also likes digging, judging from the pile at the front. Why remove something that improves their quality of life.
Personally, I also like a black background for FH's too, faders and otherwise .... so long as you have decent lighting.
I think your tank is just a little full (that is if there is a big fish in there now (I can't see one at all!)). For a bigger fish I'd remove just a bit of the decor, and arrange the rest more in the middle, or in a sort of strip from left to right, again in the middle of the tank. That still gives maximum swimming room around the outside, around the front back and both sides of the decor. Also something with a bit of height ... either a plant or a bit of wood ? .... near the centre of the tank is nice to my eyes.
Also, you could try some of the plastic plants that stick on to the back of the tank, made for vivariums ... they look great in aquaria too. I have used them for ages, as have many others with no problems,, so no need to worry about chemicals leaching from the plastic.
I can't stand all these empty, bare-bottomed tanks. The reason you see bare-bottomed tanks is for ease of maintenance, not because the fish actually prefer it that way.
Just for interest here are my current setups. One 150G set up for a big fish. Hopefully you can see what I mean about setting the decor up in a strip from left to right in the centre of the tank, leaving swimming room all around.
Then theres an 80G split in half for two grow outs. I would like a black background in the 150G too, and I tried it, but the fish goes nuts at his own reflection in the back of the tank. It was very stressful for him, so the tank remains background-less. It's not too bad though as there is a plain white wall behind the tank, so as long as I keep wires and tubes relatively unobtrusive it's basically got a white background.
The lights are not on in any of the pics.

 

[Hot Slime]

Nice setup, you have any problems with your horns up rooting the plastic plants? I would like to try plants but that seems to be the only thing repeling me from trying. I was thinking wood with java fern attatched to it.