Flowerhorn Strain
Flowerhorn cichlids are ornamental aquarium fish noted for their vivid colors and the distinctively shaped heads for which they are named.
Their head protuberance, or kok, is formally termed a "nuchal hump." Like blood parrot cichlids, they are man-made hybrids that do not exist in the wild. First developed in Malaysia, Thailand, and Taiwan, they became very popular with Asian fish hobbyists.
They are also kept by hobbyists in the US and Europe, but their importation is banned in Australia. Some hobbyists have questioned the impact of flowerhorn breeding programs and their impact on the health of the animals, and on natural fish species.
Flowerhorn breeding dates from 1993. Malaysians admired fish with protruding heads, known as Kaloi or "warships," found in the western part of the nation