8 Best Filters For Flowerhorn Cichlids in 2024 – Reviews & Top Picks

Filters are an essential item for aquariums, and they help keep the water clean and fresh for fish. When it comes to setting up an aquarium for a flowerhorn fish, you need to choose a good filter that will keep the water clean and benefit the size and type of aquarium you are using it in.

Since flowerhorns are messy eaters and large fish that benefit from clean water, choosing a high-quality filter that has good filtration power is ideal. There are endless filters to choose from, from the simple sponge filter to something more complicated like the canister filter. Each filter has its pros and cons, and not all filters are created equal.

This is why we have decided to review the best flowerhorn filters you can buy today. Let’s get started!

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2024

The 8 Best Filters for Flowerhorn Cichlids

1. Marineland Magniflow 360 Canister Filter – Best Overall

The best overall filter for flowerhorn fish is the Marineland Magniflow 360 canister filter. This filter offers the aquarium 3-stage (chemical, mechanical, and biological) filtration to ensure that your flowerhorns water is kept fresh at all times.

It is one of the best filter systems you can use in a flowerhorn tank because it is strong enough to clean up waste and filter up to 360 gallons per hour (gph), making it ideal for larger adult flowerhorn tanks. This filter is perfect for flowerhorn tanks, and it is easy to clean as the filter media baskets are easy to access once you lift the canister’s lid.

If you want a fairly low-maintenance filter, this canister filter has a quick-release valve to prevent water from spilling out, along with a prime button that fills the canister filter with water. The filter comes with the necessary filter media, baskets, and tubing, but you will need to purchase compatible filter media from the same brand when it needs to be replaced.

---

2. Tetra Whisper Aquarium Filter – Best Value

The best filter for the money is the Tetra whisper aquarium filter designed for 45-gallon tanks. This filter is not only affordable and decently priced for the quality of the product, but it also has excellent water filtering abilities and a silent operation. If noisy filters are not something you enjoy, then this is a great filter to check out.

It is a hang-on-back filter, which means that it needs to attach to the back of an aquarium to create a waterfall effect. It offers all three types of filtration, and the motor is submerged so it does not need to be primed.

It does require filter media to work, which will need to be purchased separately.

---

3. Penn-Plax Cascade Aquarium Canister Filter – Premium Choice

Our premium choice is the Penn-Plax cascade canister filter because it is suitable for large flower horn aquariums, and it has a super quiet operation. This filter offers chemical, mechanical, and biological filtration while being easy to maintain in your Flowerhorn aquarium. This is an especially useful filter for flower horns because it can help keep the water looking crystal clear.

You can easily prime this filter by pressing the fast startup button and enjoy pristine water conditions in your Flowerhorn aquarium. The rubber base prevents any sounds of vibrations from the filter, and the motor is quiet.

For the size of this filter quality, it is slightly cheaper than other canister filters of a similar size.

---

4. Fluval C4 Aquarium Power Filter

The Fluval C4 aquarium power filter is ideal for flowerhorn tanks around 70 gallons in size. This filter offers a lot more benefits in terms of chemical, mechanical, and biological filtration as it goes through five different filtration systems to keep the water clear and fresh. The mechanical part of the filtration process is beneficial for any ammonia and phosphate buildup in the aquarium, which can be harmful to flower horn fish.

The filter also traps both large and small particles that float around the aquarium and make the water look unsightly. There are different chambers where you can filter media such as activated carbon and screen pads for toxin removal and beneficial bacteria growth.

Overall, this filter is affordable and worth the quality, although it will need to be placed on the top of the aquarium, making it difficult to place a lid on top.

---

5. Tetra Whisper Internal Aquarium Power Filter

The internal Tetra whisper power filter is ideal for small flower horn tanks, and it can work effectively in tanks between 20 and 40 gallons in size. The filter is fully submersible and has a silent operation. It offers mechanical, chemical, and biological filtration for flowerhorn fish tanks by catching debris floating around in the water while the filter media offers a good breeding ground for beneficial bacteria.

Maintenance is fairly easy for this filter, and you can rinse and replace the filter media every 4 weeks, or whenever it becomes dirty and clogged. Something to keep in mind before purchasing this internal filter is that it is not suitable for an aquarium with sandy substrates, as this can clog the motor.

---

6. Underwater Treasures Seapora Breeder Sponge Aquarium Filter

If you are looking for a simple yet effective filter for your flowerhorn fish tank, then the Underwater Treasures sponge filter is a good choice. This type of filter only offers biological and mechanical filtration, but it is excellent at filtering the aquarium and keeping it clean and the water clear. The large size allows it to filter 136-gallon aquariums, up to 150 gallons.

The sponge works as a breeding ground for beneficial bacteria to convert ammonia into a less toxic form for fish while filtering out debris and particles that prevent the aquarium water from looking clear. This filter runs via an air pump or powerhead which is sold separately, and you have the choice of choosing an air pump that is energy-saving and silent depending on your preferences.

---

7. Eheim Pro 4+ 350 Aquarium Canister Filter

The powerful Eheim Pro 350 canister filter is a great filter for flowerhorn aquariums if you want a strong filter that is easy to clean and maintain. It is easy to set up and install into the aquarium while making priming this canister filter easy at the touch of a button. It offers mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration while keeping the water crystal clear.

It has a 277 gph flow rate, which is a great filtering speed for large flowerhorn tanks. You will need to buy filter pads for this canister filter and replace them every 4 to 6 weeks when they become clogged. This filter does seem to be quite pricey in comparison to similar models, but the quality of this filter is worth it.

---

8. HIKPEED Submersible Aquarium Filter

Simple, easy to clean, and quiet, the HIKPEED submersible aquarium filter is suitable for flowerhorn aquariums ranging from 55 to 75 gallons in size. This filter offers 3-stage filtration, including mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration through filter media. The filter can be attached to the side of the aquarium using the suction cups on the filter motor, and the box is easy to disassemble when you want to clean the filter.

You have the option of placing this filter either horizontally or vertically in your flowerhorn fish tank without affecting the filter. However, the oxygen inlet does need to hang outside of the fish tank and not be submerged in water.

The filter media does need to be replaced each month, but the biochemical cotton can be rinsed under old tank water to improve the filter’s processing ability.

Buyer’s Guide: Finding the Best Filter for Your Flowerhorn Cichlid

What Types Of Filters Do Flowerhorns Need?

Most aquarium filters are suitable for flowerhorn fish if the filter is large enough to process the total volume of water in the tank within an hour.

There are a variety of different filters available, such as the:

• Canister filter
• Sponge filter
• Internal filter
• Hang-on-back (HOB) filter
• Under gravel filter

When it comes to choosing a good filter for your flowerhorn, canister and internal filters will be the best option. These types of filters offer 3-stage filtration which is ideal for maintaining good water quality for your flowerhorn and improving the water conditions. Canister filters seem to be available in larger sizes for big aquariums that adult flowerhorns should be kept in, making them the better filter for very large aquariums, typically over 150 gallons in size.

If you are looking for a customizable and simple filter for your flowerhorn, then a sponge filter is a good idea. These filters only offer 2-stage filtration (mechanical and biological), but they are quite effective at keeping the water clean while being available in large sizes. You will need to buy a suitable air pump or powerhead to run a sponge filter, along with airline tubing.

Internal filters are fully submersible in a fish tank and can create a current in your flowerhorn aquarium. These types of filters are usually strong, but not always available in large sizes suitable for big flowerhorn tanks.

Hang-on-back filters are great for oxygenating a flowerhorn fish tank by creating a waterfall effect over the aquarium. They can be slightly challenging to install, but they are excellent and keep the water clean with the added filter media. If you plan to add a lid to your flowerhorn tank, you may need to cut out a section to make space for the hang-on-back filter.

Under-gravel filters should be avoided for flowerhorns, as they are generally too weak and ineffective at filtering large aquariums that flowerhorns are kept in. They can also become clogged easily and stir up gravel and gunk, although they can work in conjunction with another type of filter.

Conclusion

Now that we have reviewed the best filters you can use for a flowerhorn aquarium, we have chosen three as our top picks. The first is the Marineland Magniflow 360 Canister Filter because it is big enough to effectively filter large flowerhorn aquariums.

Our second favorite is the Fluval C4 Aquarium Power Filter with the controlled flow and easy maintenance. Our premium choice is the Penn-Plax cascade canister filter for its easy installation and cleaning.

We hope our reviews have helped you find the best aquarium filter for flowerhorns for your needs!

---

Featured Image Credit: Bigc Studio, Shutterstock