Sharing how to keep a beautiful super red monkey flowerhorn

1. Overview of the red monkey flowerhorn fish

Red Monkey Flowerhorn Fish (Other names: Red Shock, Super Red, Super Red Synspilus, Red Monkey) is a artificial hybrid originating from a Thai breeder. The red monkey fish is long, very active. Although they are called “red” Monkey Fish, their color is usually pink and redder in stimualted condition. Females have a more stable color than males. Red monkey fish need to eat foods mixed with red dyes such as carophyl in order to maintain their red color for a long time

A red monkey flowerhorn has an average lifespan of 3-4 years if they are cared well. Comparing to other flowerhorn fish lines, You need to take a lot of time and dedication to raise the “red” color.

In short, in order to have a beautiful red monkey, the following factors must be met at least:

2. Water

Suitable tank size: 80-100cm2. Water volume: 250L

Because the Red Monkey is quite active, the large tank allows fish moving freely and growing quickly. The greater height than the length also helps to stimulate the fish to develop nuchal hump thoroughly.

Water Parameters:

Temperature: 25 ^oC – 30 ^oC

Water hardness: 10-20 (dH):

Water pH: 6.5- 7.8

Light: The aquarium should be facing the direction to receive a lot of natural light

According to many players’ experience, red monkey fish lives stably in a changing environment, so the time for replacing the water is longer than other fish (usually after 1-2 months, replace 50% of the water).

An standard tank to keep red monkey flowerhorn

Salt: Salt is a very “important” factors and is considered a “panacea” to help the red monkey fish shed its color beautifully. On average, add 200g of salt per 100L of water to speed up the process of “shedding” of red monkeys. However, red monkey fish also needs time to adapt to the amount of salt in the water, so it is necessary to increase the amount of salt slowly, avoiding to add too much in first time, causing the fish to shock and die.

Coral: Besides salt, coral is also an extremely important factor in the process of promoting fish “shedding”. Coral creates a slightly alkaline environment (pH 7.5-8.0), which is a very suitable environment for fish to “shed” out their colorful colors. Coral can be used in many different ways, Super Red Monkey suggests you a few ways as follows:

– Spread the floor with coral: This can both decorate the lake and create an environment, but you should only spread it when the water environment is stable because leftover food or fish feces can fall and get stuck in the coral. environment for some harmful bacteria to grow and affect fish. Therefore, if you do not have much experience, you need to consider when spreading the coral floor and need to add microorganisms after each water change (after 7-10 days after changing).

– Filter coral: Another way to use coral while still helping to stabilize the fish environment is to use coral in the overflow filter instead of using other materials such as porcelain or lava.

– Coral plastic Bottles: You can put corals in plastic bottles and punch holes around them. This way prevents food or fish poop from caughting in the coral

*Corals in the floor of red monkey fish tank*

3. Flowerhorn Diet

Besides the breed and habitat, diet is also one of the key factors that make the distinctive color and nuchal hump of the red monkey fish. The fresh, high-protein, low-fat foods makes fish healthy, less susceptible to disease and coloring faster. In addition, you should pay attention to monitoring the needs and condition of the fish when growing because the demand of food varies from each stage. Overfeeding can lead to excess ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate or dirty the water quickly so it is important to feed several smaller meals per day.

Super Red Monkey suggests you some foods for fish that are red monkeys:

Frozen foods: Frozen fillets (pangasius, basa fish), frozen shrimp, frozen beef, beef heart are also popular

Fresh fish meat: Shrimp meat, fresh fish shrimp, worms, glitter, … Besides, you can process food from crickets, locusts, grasshoppers for your pet fish to reduce some risk of diseases from seafood

Food pellets: Fish meat is still the best food for red monkey fish. Feed pellets should only be used when the fish are small or in a period where other foods are not available at that time. An important note: pellets need to be considered and selected carefully otherwise it will easily cause the fish to decolor.

4. Color up and develop nuchal hump of the flowerhorn fish

As you reading above, taking care of a red monkey fish requires a lot of time and effort, however it’s not at all. The “peeling” step is the most important step making the a real beautiful “red monkey”,

Factors determining the molting of fish:

Appropriate water environment
Protein-richs diet
Suitable Lighting

Above are the basic steps to raise a beautiful red monkey flowerhorn fish. In the next post, Super Red Monkey will introduce more details and in-depth so that you can confidently apply it to your pet “red monkey flowerhorn”.