firemouth: a few questions

[rmiller]

For quite some time I have been planning a 55 gallon set up. I had been planning on a community with neon tetras and cories. Recently I noticed firemouths at my lfs. I have read many websites with very conflicting and/or incomplete information. I figured I should try to get some advice before settling on anything.


The most important question is could I have one or two fm's in a 55 and have them thrive? I also wondered what else I might be able to house with them. Would a school of cories work or even a half dozen tiger barbs?

Would love to hear everyone's opinions. Thanks.

[Cliff]

As with any cichlid, there always is a small chance they can become aggressive

My two female firemouths are good community fish. I have them in a 90 gallon with corys and they don't pay any attention to them

I also had luck with these same two fish when they were in a 55 gallon.

I don't know a lot about barbs, so I will leave that for others to comment on.

[Lady Hobbs]

Mine also did well with some larger tetra's and platies. I had two pairs of firemouths in a 55 and it worked out well. Those that didn't have a mate ended up the odd man out and was harrassed and picked on terribly tho. Probably the idea of females is a good idea as Cliff has and less aggressive without the mating. They're rather easy to sex when young as the females aren't as red as the males.

[toddnbecka]

Firemouths claim a relatively large territory for their size, a pair would "own" the whole 55. Not generally a problem for tetras or barbs, but Cory cats aren't the best bet to mix with them. Yoyo loaches or Synodontis catfish are more suitable options for bottom feeders. Raphael catfish would also work, particularly if you don't want to deal with hundreds of fry.

[Lady Hobbs]

You're right, Todd. A pair in my 55 would have actually worked out better but I had massive amounts of hiding spaces and that was really the only saving grace. The real problem was the hundreds of BABIES! Never again!

[rmiller]

Thank you for the replies. It seems two would be reasonable for my tank. Now to research the suggested tank mates.

I would love to see the breeding behavior, but what one does with hundreds of fry is a whole other question. If I choose to get a m/f pair, I would check with my lfs's to see who might be interested in fry. Of course I doubt I could rehome hundreds, so the idea of a tankmate that would help with their population would be manditory.

Next question is what low light, impossible to kill plants would be recommended for fm's? I currently have anubias and hornwort in my tanks.

[Lady Hobbs]

I kept my tank with lots of rocks and driftwood and just attached some moss and ferns to them. Even just rocks and wood with floating plants is a nice tank. I used a shop light and upgraded the bulbs to 6700K bulbs.

[toddnbecka]

I have 3 pairs of cutteri, 2 pairs in a 90 and the others in a 40 breeder, that spawn regularly. There's a Carapo knife in the 40 and 6 P. typus catfish in the 90 that keep the fry from running amok. So far about 6 have managed to grow past edible size in the 90, while the Carapo in the 40 gets them all.

[fishguy66]

Firemouths claim a relatively large territory for their size, a pair would "own" the whole 55. Not generally a problem for tetras or barbs, but Cory cats aren't the best bet to mix with them. Yoyo loaches or Synodontis catfish are more suitable options for bottom feeders. Raphael catfish would also work, particularly if you don't want to deal with hundreds of fry.

+1 to all the above(clown loaches would also be a nice choice)

[rmiller]

Lady hobbs -- I think you have it nailed on ferns and mosses. They seem to be the most suggested plants across several boards. I love java fern and plan to get some asap, but my main lfs never has good ones.

Todd -- I checked out the cutteri, carapo knife, and p. typus cats you suggested as I was not firmiliar with any of them by name. I like the idea of a catfish of some type, just haven't settled on one yet. I'll have to look at more stores to see what is readily available.

So far I think I would really like to have a pair of FM's and 8-12 tiger barbs plus a catfish of some type. Any thoughts or potential problems that you forsee?

[toddnbecka]

I wasn't actually suggesting them, just saying what works for me. The Carapo knife and P. typus catfish aren't commonly available species like the raphael, but they are very effective fry predators and happily eat pellets between spawns. Just make sure whatever you get won't grow large enough to eat the t-barbs. The Carapo certainly would. Bumblebee catfish are another fairly commonly available option; they'll eat anything that will fit into their relatively wide mouth, but anything larger than neons should be safe enough.

[Lady Hobbs]

I didn't really have it nailed on ferns and mosses. But without plant lights, the selection is limited. It was more the opinion of what can live under low lights and what does not need to be planted. :)

[rmiller]

By nailed, I mean that's probably what I will use. If I can find an lfs with a decent stock of it.

What are everyone's thoughts on say 3 pictus cats in this set up?

I think I am going to aim for a m/f pair of fms. Would pictus likely be able to help with fry control or would they be too likely to over eat with free reign of a whole batch?