How to Succeed with Your New Firemouth Cichlid
Aqualand Info on Thorichthys meeki
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Firemouth Factoids |
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Origin |
Yucatan peninsula and Guatemala and environs |
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Maximum Size |
Males 6 inches. Females smaller. |
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Housing |
20 gallons or more for adults |
| Substrate | Likes to move newly hatched fry to a pit |
| Aquascaping | Plants appreciated but often get dug up |
| Tank Mates | Barbs, rainbowfish, gouramis, and livebearers |
| Water | Not picky but needs frequent water changes |
| Food | Not picky -- flakes, pellets, frozen. live |
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Threats |
Bigger and rougher cichlids |
| Longevity | 10 to 15 years |
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Temperature |
70s and lower 80s |
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Attitude |
Sissy cichlid but territorial |
| Sexing | Males larger with longer top and bottom fins |
| Breeding Comments | Typical cichlid breeding. Ready at one year. |
| Breeding Setup | Likes a spawning cave |
| Fry Food | Will accept powdered flake food. |
I was just wondering why there's no information on firemouths? I think since you already have the firemouth on your med cichlids page that you might want to have some info on the firemouths ( I'd appreciate it)
PS. I love your website.
LA
A: Okay. I've got a couple dozen pics of firemouths. And since I've got a half dozen breeder size firemouths, I'll set up three breeding tanks tomorrow. Once they breed, I'll finish the firemouth page. LA
Where Do Firemouths Come From? Firemouths originally came from The Yucatan peninsula in Mexico and into Guatemala and several other countries in the area. Today, they are raised in fish farms and supplied to your dealer. They are also available on line. Not too many visitors to Mexico bring them back in their luggage, but some do. Traveling to another country to catch fish in the wild greatly appeals to some people. It's a little pricy but definitely fun. Firemouths from different areas look a bit different but they all act like cichlids.
What's Their Maximum Size? You usually find firemouths for sale at the 1.5-inch size. In a large tank (larger than most people provide), they grow to six inches. Most top out around four inches. Food and temperature also affect their growth (and color). As do water changes and age. Regular water changes help keep them healthy and help make them grow larger. You won't see very many six-inchers.
How Much Room Do They Need? "The bigger the better" as most cichlid keepers know. You can house a pair (breeders or not) in a 20 but they will not reach their full potential -- no problem -- because they can still look very good, act like cichlids, and grow very colorful.
How Does Their Substrate Affect Them? Firemouths develop darker colors over. They can change colors quite rapidly. Over white, they bleach out. Over black, they darken. Over natural gravel, they attain some very attractive colors. Firemouths also enjoy rooting in their substrate looking for snacks. They also dig pits when they're breeding.
Aquascaping. You design your tank they way you prefer. Your firemouths will redesign it to their specifications. They usually can't harm rocks and wood, but they usually uproot live plants. They usually leave plastic plants alone -- especially the "cichlid-proof" plants. They do like caves.
What Can You Mix Them With? Firemouths get along with other same-size cichlids. Also with larger barbs, gouramis, and rainbowfish. They look like they're trying to harass other fish but they're mostly bluff. Firemouths are territorial and will protect their turf. Their aggression level goes up when they spawn.
What Kind of Water Do They Prefer? Not picky. Firemouths come from down way south. They like water a little bit warmer than room temperature. Warm it up another five degrees when trying to encourage them to spawn. Warning: Warmer temps increase their aggression level. Formerly mellow firemouths usually become belligerent when you heat them up. You might say they become hot tempered.
What Foods Do They Need? One very strong plus in their color is their appetite. Firemouths eat flakes, pellets, frozen, freeze-dried and live foods. They turn up their noses at very little. Do not trust them with bite size fish. They are cichlids. Vary their menu. When planning to breed them, fill them up with dry foods then offer some of the tastier foods for dessert.
Threats? Larger cichlids will intimidate them. Rougher fish will beat on them or shred their fins. Otherwise, firemouths are a fairly sturdy fish tank occupant.
How Long Do They Live? Firemouths -- like most cichlids -- easily live for ten years. Some surprisingly longer.
Temperature? Re-read the water paragraph.. Bump the up to 80F to spawn them.
Attitude? Firemouths are territorial -- especially when breeding. They will rush over and flare their gill cover at interlopers. They try to look bigger and some become redder. The sudden belligerence is usually a bluff. They flare the most at their own species. In fact. if you keep your firemouth alone, you'll never see his or her true colors You might try holding a hand mirror in front of him may evince the same actions. Males often pick on females. Give them both their own cave and you will see fewer arguments. (The male will decide which one is his.)
How Do You Sex Them? Look for your males to sport more color and grow longer fins. Both are easier to sex when their breeding tubes come down. Lots of luck sexing the little ones. You can often sex them by the time they attain three inches.
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Firemouths seen less often these days. Fairly mild-mannered for cichlids
and never get huge.
LA
The longer they're in the tank, the better they look.
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1.5-inch firemouth cichlid. Most are not this colorful at this size.
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