Hey Guys,
Well the flowerhorn bug has bit me. I'm thinking about clearing out one of my tanks and getting a new FH. I really like the new breeds that are hitting the US market. I have some confusion though on the difference between Tan Kings and King Kamfas. Can someone break it down for me? Oh, and can you post some pics of adults to help point out the differences that you are describing? It's much appreciated. Thanks guys.

Nam is the expert on this and I'm sure when he sees this thread he'll be all over it, but just to tide you over until he gets here:

The basic difference between TK and King Kamfa is that the TK is a Zhen Zhu x Kamfa mix where as the King Kamfa is simply a Kamfa. TKs tend to have finer pearls and less blocky flowerlines. Some TKs pickup Zhen Zhu traits like buldgey eyes and long fin trailers. You also might want to look up some of the threads Nam has put out there on both TK and KK, all are very informative and go into much more depth than I have given you here...

http://www.flowerhorncraze.com/Tan-King-t22055.html
http://www.flowerhorncraze.com/Differentia...owe-t13646.html

This post has been edited by Pantherlax: Oct 8 2008, 03:41 PM

i have to agree with pantherlax. i see many more Zhen Zhu traits in tan kings. the tails have less percentage of being wraped and they have long trailers. also the flowerlines are not thick like kk. also the mouth and body shape resemble more Zhen Zhu traits than kk. lastly the worms are thinner and are not big and blotchy as king kamfa are. dont get me wrong though tan kings are still nice none the less.

Thanks so much. I had a feeling that the main difference was that TK had Zhen Zhu blood which explained the majority of the differences. Thanks for the links I'll check them out. I had one more quick question. I've been looking at some of the smaller KK's for sale and I thought that they were supposed to be completely covered with pearls, but the ones I've been seeing seem to have a regular amount of pearls and some faded black (second flowerline) and not much peals on the head or gills. Are these still considered King Kamfa but a lower quality or are they the fry that should have been culled or what? Thanks again.

Without seeing a pic and just going off of your description I would say that yes, they are KK, just a lower grade. But really the information is incomplete. For me there are three main things I want to see when looking at KK

1. Big Blocky Flowerline, Double flowerline is not necessary but strongly prefered.
2. Blotchy white pearls
3. Fan tail

There are other traits that are important as well, but I wouldn't even consider purchasing a 'KK' that didn't meet my expectations in those three categories.

Like Pat said, you can find plenty of info on this site regarding these two breeds. TKs tend to show different look and feel from various batches, from super pearly (higher quality) to very plain (very low quality). But the most consistent trait in TKs is on the tail and fins.

TK tail and fins - see how the rays are and the colors.




As for KKs, the newer generation of KKs, 2007 & 2008, look quite different than the older generation of KKs. And as for this year, only two batches have been released so far.

As for being sure what you're getting, get to know the origin of that fish. Where it was bred/where it came from. TKs are bred in Vietnam whereas KKs are bred in Thailand, but are exported to Vietnam.

thanks for sharing boss......

Both have extraordinary beauty in their own right. Tan Kings have more overall Zhen Zhu characteristics while King Kamfa have more overall Kamfa characteristics. Neither are better then the other. It is a matter of personal taste.

I always have to agree to answers like this.