The fish that acts like a dog

Not a decoration. A pet.

Most aquarium fish are admired from a distance. Big cichlids are different, and the hobby has a name for them: wet pets. Among wet pets the flowerhorn has a reputation of its own. Keepers call it a water dog, and after a few weeks with one it is easy to see why.

A settled flowerhorn doesn’t hide or school. It watches the room. It knows when its person walks in, it knows where the food comes from, and it lets you know when either one is late. As one long-time keeper put it, “They are the only fish I had that behave like dogs. They are very responsive and quickly approach the glass every time they see me.”

What the bond looks like

Every fish is an individual, but these are the behaviors flowerhorn owners describe again and again:

• The greeting. Rushing to the front glass, wiggling and “dancing” when its owner comes into view.
• Following. Tracking a person, or a finger drawn along the glass, from one end of the tank to the other.
• Telling people apart. Begging from a familiar face while flaring, or hiding, when a stranger comes close.
• Hand-feeding. Taking food from fingers, and in many cases tolerating, even seeking out, a gentle touch on the head.
• Play. Pushing a floating ping-pong ball around, rearranging gravel and decor, and chasing a target stick.
• Moods. Darkening and sulking after a tank rearrangement or a missed meal, then brightening back up.

Why a fish can bond with you

Cichlids are among the most behaviorally complex fish kept in aquariums. In the wild they hold territories, recognize rivals and neighbors, form pairs and guard their young for weeks, all of which demands memory and the ability to tell individuals apart. The flowerhorn inherits that from its Central American ancestors, then lives alone in a tank where the most interesting thing around is you.

Science supports the idea that fish can learn people. In a 2016 study published in Scientific Reports, researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Queensland showed that archerfish could pick out a familiar human face from dozens of new ones. No one has run that experiment on flowerhorns, so we won’t overstate it. But combine a capable brain, a daily feeding routine and years of living beside the same people, and a fish that knows its keeper is no stretch at all.

Put simply, the flowerhorn bonds with the person who reliably means food, safety and something to watch. That is not so different from how a dog starts.

How to build a bond with your flowerhorn

1. Put the tank where life happens

   A living room or home office beats a spare bedroom. A flowerhorn that sees people all day becomes curious rather than skittish. Set the tank at a height where you can meet the fish at eye level.

2. Let it settle first

   Give a new fish a week or two to adjust before you push interaction. Keep the lights and routine steady.

3. Be the food

   Feed at the same times each day, from the same spot, and be the one who does it. Tap lightly or show your hand in the same way before each feeding so the fish learns the cue.

4. Move from tongs to fingers

   Offer pellets or a piece of shrimp with feeding tongs first. Once the fish takes food confidently, hold it in your fingertips at the surface. Wash your hands first, rinse well and never feed with lotion or soap on your skin.

5. Add play

   A floating ping-pong ball, target training with a colored stick, or occasionally moving a smooth rock gives an intelligent fish something to do. Boredom shows up as glass-banging and decor-wrecking.

6. Keep it gentle

   If your fish accepts touch, keep it brief and light on the head, away from the gills. Never grab, chase or lift a fish. Trust takes weeks to build and seconds to lose.

The care a pet flowerhorn needs

A happy flowerhorn is an interactive one, and the fastest way to lose that personality is poor water. These are the basics.

Signs of a healthy, content fish are the same things that make it fun: good appetite, bright color, and a fish that comes to the glass to see you. A flowerhorn that hides, stays dark or stops eating is telling you something is wrong. Check the water first.

Is a flowerhorn the right pet for you?

If a flowerhorn ever needs a new home, contact a local fish store or club. Never release one into a pond, lake or stream. Released flowerhorns have become invasive in parts of Southeast Asia, and in the wild they harm native fish.

Ready to meet one? Browse available fish at flowerhorn.co, or visit Pet Zone in San Diego and pick one out in person.