They can commonly be found in the freshwater rivers of Mexico, south Belize and northern Guatemala. If there is a rival male in the tank the fight is inevitable, during which one of the fish may even be killed. When attempting to threaten members of their same species, the Firemouth Cichlid will inflate a throat sac and extend its gill covers in an aggressive stance. However, compatibility with dwarf cichlids and angelfish is rather poor, since fish may demonstrate aggressiveness towards their tank mates, especially if their tank is not spacious enough. Firemouth cichlids should be kept in pairs in a tank no smaller than 55 gallons per pair. A varied diet is a key part of their health. Other tank mates, Blood Parrots, 2 approximately 3″ and 1 large (approx 10″). They have an exciting personality which makes them fun to watch. What is its maximum size? Copyright © 2020 - Fishkeeping World - All Rights Reserved. Though firemouths is not very demanding as for the tank water chemical characteristics (water hardness and pH level), still according to experienced aquarists practice there are lots of cases of the fish early death in tanks and there is high mortality rate when imported fish is put in quarantine. Its natural habitat is the shallow and turbid waters of the rivers in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico Belize and northern Guatemala. Hi Christian, yes they inhabit the same areas in the wild so the water conditions would be fine. The main problems with a breeding project involves acquiring a breeding pair as aggression will be shown by more than one male housed in the same aquarium. It’s a 65g tank, heavily planted, and i added tons of stones and roots to offer hidibg places and that would let them establish teritories. Firemouth cichlid is an amazing, very beautiful fish among the pet fish keepers due to its hardiness and easy to care for. Cichlid coloring becomes brighter when the fish is excited or during its spawning period. Sergey is a founder and author of Meethepet.com. The fish you will receive are approximately 3-4cm. To be on the save side you could try a temporary divider and make sure to give them a nice dark place as well as plants to hide. Cichlid community with caution! We lost 3 within two days, I believe from heart attacks. They have an exciting personality which makes them fun to watch. An open area for your Firemouth to swim freely and present is also highly recommended. Firemouth Cichlids can tolerate relatively high-water temperatures, as high as 86°F for a few days. Share. The False firemouth cichlid is a difficult species to breed in the aquarium however it has been achieved on a few occasions. Body main color is light-gray or olive-gray with some blueish tint, while adult body color becomes completely violet. Newly-bought fish is quite often hard even to feed – this is how timid it is during several first months. Sadly, all the breeding process here turns out to be not very interesting for those aquarists who’d like to watch cichlid showing its parental instinct and looking after their offspring. Males will extend their gills and show off during spawning or as a warning to other fish to stay away from their territory. The Firemouth Cichlid can be added to a South American Cichlid aquarium. After running into the glass, the ornaments etc, they’d hit the bottom, all this in a 100 gallon aquarium. In a tank the fish eagerly feeds on blood worm, tubifex, white worms, brine shrimp. The firemouth cichlid is a hardy fish that can live in most water conditions and they eat a mixed diet of plant matter and insects. So, good filtration and weekly water changes are needed. Please be aware that the image is for illustration purposes only. And firemouth cichlids even more so. But I am not 100%syre about that: the smaller, more slender one is more dominant and chases the bigger, plumper, more colorful one. The species is easy to care for. Firemouth Cichlid Care. Try to reduce any form of stress by creating the best possible living conditions for your fish; check water parameters, a good diet and suitable tank mates. Thorichthys meeki) is a tank fish of Cichlidae family. Robert Woods is the creator of FishKeeping World, a third generation fish keeper and a graduate in animal welfare and behavior. During this season, they may become aggressive towards other fish and potentially kill any fish invading their territory. Firemouth Cichlid Keepers. Latin Name: Thorichthys meeki Tank Size 150 Lt.; Care Level: Moderate Water Conditions: 22-26° C, KH 4-10, pH 6.0-7.5 Color Form: Blue, Red Temperament: Semi-Aggressive Max Size: 15 cm Family: Cichlidae WaterConditions: 22-26° C, KH 4-10, pH 6.0-7.5 Diet: Omnivore Overview. Some aquarists describe large cichlid as an active diurnal fish, others, in contrast, note that their pets tend to spend the majority of time in their shelters. Ce poisson coloré n’est pas difficile à prendre en charge. Add to basket. Yet, all of the food is of high quality and it is the best one for this fish kind as well as it keeps the tank water clean. Its maximum size is between six and a half and seven inches in length. Firemouth Cichlid – A Complete Guide: Care, Lifespan, Tank mates, Breeding. This fish is easy to care for. The great news is that this fish is a great choice for beginners as well as for advanced tank-keepers. They are both pretty and rewarding to keep. Tank plants should be large-leaved and put into pots surrounded with stones. This is the perfect fish to make your aquarium livelier. You can include a much [Continue reading …], Goldfish are one of the most popular fish in the aquarium, especially for beginners. Tank for cichlid can be a of 50 gallons capacity, which is enough to keep couple cichlid , however, best of all it is to keep such a fish in a spaceous tank, planted with live plants. The newly-hatched fry are protected in pits excavated in the aquarium substrate and are moved several times. Like most fish, males and females of this species look different. Firemouth cichlids primarily feed on crustaceans, and invertebrates in the wild, with the occasional addition of plant mater and organic detritus to their diet. Usually males are larger and show brighter coloration with longer fin rays. 0 Shares. Usually, they spend most of their time in the lower or mid-section of the river trying to enjoy the protection of the vegetation close to the shoreline. For the moment the firemouths show no interest in the smaller fish, but i guess it’s just a matter of time until the will eat them. They are not schooling fish, and in their natural habitat males tend to live separately tending to their own territory.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',112,'0','0'])); They are monogamous and are excellent parents. The Firemouth is a beautiful and peaceful fish. Firemouth Cichlid Care: The Complete Guide to Caring for and Keeping Firemouth Cichlids as Pet Fish: Manuals, Fish Care: Amazon.sg: Books Frozen feed is also good for diet – brine shrimp, cyclops and artificial feed – tablets and flakes. They are a substrate spawner and both parents will show parental care to the brood. Breeding them is extremely hassle-free, to the point that you don’t even have to bother about encouraging it. Frozen feed is also good for diet – brine shrimp, cyclops and artificial feed – tablets and flakes.If you (just like me) regularly feed your fish with artificial food, then the links below will be very helpful for you. Firemouth Cichlids are not fussy eaters. Ideal tank mates are active schooling fish such as tetras (serpae, glowlight and rummy nose) and catfish (such as pictus catfish). If you don’t already have a formed pair it is easier to let them pair off themselves by buying 6 or at a time. In the aquarium they are fine with dried fish foods but they do relish live foods. But they do get territorial … Firemouth Cichlid – A Complete Guide (Care, Diet, Facts) Read More » I accidentely ended up with two firemouths (asked for african butterflies). In large tanks one may keep 2-3 couples and some species without a couple. Hi Robert, I’m sorry to hear about your losses. They will eat flake, live and frozen food. On the other hand, females show larger bellies giving them a more rounded shape. Firemouth cichlid (Thorichthys meeki) is very popular among aquatic lovers and keepers because of its natural care. Firemouth Cichlid Care: The Complete Guide. In group there’s no school hierarchy as, for example, discuses or uaru groups have. 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