Resemble the Chinese god of longevity, and it is believed that the owners luck will grow if the fish's hump grows. The adult males are thus the most commercially valuable. Flowerhorns have distinctive markings on their sides, which can be interpreted as recognizable symbols. It is also noteworthy that the original species from which these cichlids were hybridized also display a number of these traits.
The market for Flowerhorns exhibited a classic boom and bust cycle of the phenomenon, with rarity at the start and a huge oversupply at the end. The height of the outburst was in 2003, and was mainly in several countries in Southeast Asia.
Flowerhorns are hardy and very undemanding fish to keep in an aquarium. They do, however, require large aquariums due to their large size - they can grow up to 16 inches (40 cm) long. They are aggressive and carnivorous, and thus can only be kept with other large fish. Cannot be bred with other species of smaller fish.
