If you look at flowerhorn fish at just the right angle, it looks like they’re wearing elegant hats for a black-tie affair from a different era. The look rather suits them.

You might also see a chef’s hat, so perhaps it’s its way of disguising itself as everyone’s favorite cook to keep from being eaten alive.

Others think more of a flower with a beautiful round blossom on top. Yet others see a horn like you’d see on a child’s bicycle.

Any way you look at it, these cichlids are clearly some of the most unusual looking pet fish around.

All About the Flowerhorn Fish

We would call its uniqueness beautiful, but we don’t want to give it a big head.

Ah, sorry … we couldn’t resist one more bad joke. We’ll stop now and just tell you what you want to know about these bubbly fish.

• They’re not completely natural. They’re manmade hybrid fish.
• The cherry-like lump on their heads is called a nuchal hump.
• You can get one for a reasonable price of $10 or so, but some can be hundreds or thousands of dollars.
• Flowerhorn fish can be very aggressive, so they need their own tank. In fact, even plants can’t live with them. If you do add plants to the tank, make sure they’re minimal. Artificial plants may be a better option in this case, and man-made filters will help keep the tank clean.
• They grow to about 8 inches long.
• Keep the temperature in the tank at about 82 degrees. A neutral pH level of 7 is recommended.
• Common varieties are Golden Base, King Kong Parrots, Kamfa, IndoMalau, Zhen Zhu, and Thai Silk flowerhorn fish.
• While they hold the crown with hobbyists, other fish think they’re the pits. When released into the wild, some flowerhorns are considered invasive species to the native environments.
• Flowerhorn fish have only existed for about three decades.
• With proper TLC, they can live for about 11 years.
• Although they’re aggressive, they tend to have lively personalities. They may even bond with you once they get to know you.
• The nuchal hump regularly expands and shrinks.
• Also called a kok, the lump looks like a big brain, but it actually consists of fat and a gelatinous structure. Therefore, it can be damaged or torn easily, which may explain why they prefer to be alone.