Update on my KK

[hamfist]

My advice, give your brain a rest, when it comes to FH it's not worth nit picking over strains or names. Just keep the fish that you personally like the most.

Thanks RD for all yout thoughts. That's generally the way I approach my own fish. I just like to try and understand the whole i.d. thing as an intellectual excercise.

One point I would like to try and clarify is ...... I thought FH's were basically identified by what they looked like (i.e. their phenotype), not necessarily their parantage or genes (genotype). So two KK parents may well have some ZZ fry in a batch for example. Am I right in this ?

 

[busterbrown]

Awesome FH. Is that a black background with your FH? i was just wondering because i was told not to use a black one

 

[RD.]

Hamfist - if you asked 50 different breeders in SE Asia you will probably get numerous different answers to that question, based on their own personal biases, and/or or likes & dislikes. The link below may help answer your question, or simply confuse you even more. lol

http://www.flowerhorncraze.com/index.php?showtopic=55105


Buster - yes, I use black backgrounds in all of my tanks. Another good example of why you can't believe everything that you read on the internet by so called experts.

 

[FishingOut]

Genetics, Foods, Water quality, Dominance, lighting are probably higher on the list as far as coloration goes, But environment does have an impact on coloration. Just like any other cichlid they will match their surroundings. If you say otherwise, your absolutely wrong.

Lighting and gravel work like this. Pure black is going to wash out alot of colors, While intensifing others. Black works best for any type of faded fish. Also Kamfas and KK seem to look better on black than any other color. Helps bring out the flowerlines and unify the whole fish. I think its about finding a balance that you personally like because a white gravel OR black gravel is going to make the fish appear completely different with the colors of the gravel reflecting back onto the fish.
I know a selling trick with red FH is to put them over red/black mixed gravel with blue background. This will greatly increase the reds in the fish giving good contrast with the backround. Thats mostly what you want, Good contrast. Thats probably where the black backround rumor started, When fish were bred for their reds and not patterns like today.

 

[hamfist]

Hamfist - if you asked 50 different breeders in SE Asia you will probably get numerous different answers to that question, based on their own personal biases, and/or or likes & dislikes.

The more I read, the more I am realising how true that is.

 

[busterbrown]

thanks a lot man, i want to test my luck and put one in my 180. Do you think its a bad idea to add it it there are 12 discus,a 18''+fire eel, a tig a silver and indo dat. the tig may go to another home

 

[RD.]

Just like any other cichlid they will match their surroundings. If you say otherwise, your absolutely wrong.

I sure hope that wasn't directed at me, Marshal?


Buster ........ http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=366594


I've kept well over 100 different species of fish, scores & scores of them cichlids (just like FH) over a black background. Sometimes using natural sand as substrate, sometimes over light colored gravel, and in some cases using darker grey gravel.

I have NEVER once, in these HUNDREDS of species of fish, experienced anything like what you will read about from those that have never tried it.
Not once, ever, especially with red fish. As a matter of fact, on cichlid-forum.com, which has the largest membership of cichlid keepers on the WWW, with close to 60,000 members world-wide, the vast majority of members use black as a background color. including those who keep red cichlids, such as Red Empress, Red Head Tapajos, Red Devils, etc.

Thousands of CA, SA, African, and even FH owners on that site, and the #1 color for background has always been black. Even way back in the day when I was a mod on that site black has always been the preferred background color.

Try going over to the CA/SA media lounge here on MFK & attempt to tell everyone that you can't or shouldn't use a black background as it will wash out a lot of their fishes colors. You will get laughed off of the forum.

Try telling someone that owns one of Happy's Red Mammons that they shouldn't keep their fish in a tank with a black background, or over dark substrate, and they will LOL.

On the Taiwan breeders website they even state:

P.S.¡G For better fish colour expression of, it's suggested to select the black colour as background layer.

Yes, the color of substrate, background, and lighting used, can have an effect on certain fish, and their colors, but that does not equate to a black background having a negative effect on the color of a mature male FH, including the color red.

 

[RD.]

thanks a lot man, i want to test my luck and put one in my 180. Do you think its a bad idea to add it it there are 12 discus,a 18''+fire eel, a tig a silver and indo dat. the tig may go to another home

Bad idea, very bad idea.

 

[Chrisplosion]

How does one obtain a Happy Farms mammon nowadays? I would assume they are very pricey.

 

[RD.]

The more I read, the more I am realising how true that is.

LOL, I won't say that I told you so.

You also have to keep in mind that much of what one reads (even here on MFK) is nothing more than second hand information, gleaned from various comments posted on the WWW, or by conversations with one of more breeders that have their own personal take on the subject. Sometimes these comments are being posted by people who have been keeping FH for only a year or two, but somehow have become experts on every strain out there. My advice, take it all with a grain of salt as only the breeder of each group of fish will know exactly what's what. (maybe?)