A few questions about Firemouths.

[Pleco-Heaven]

I have recently aquired 4 (possibly 5) firemouths along with an unknown cichlid which I think is a big firemouth or a hybrid (firemouth+Geophagus Brasil(if that is possible). They live in a 3 foot tank. Any way...

1. How big do Firemouths have to be to breed?

2.What other cichlids will live happily with them? (that won't eat plants).

3.What is the best algae eater that will live peacefully with them?

4.Can i put my bully red tail black shark with them?

 

[EX-AmP]

1. 2-3 inches
2. mild cichlids of the same agression level (cons, severums,jewels)
3. plecos depending on tank size
4. yes

 

[Pleco-Heaven]

Also my fish have been hiding alot, what is a good Dither fish for them??

 

[Oddball]

try curviceps chichlids i have them living with my firemouths. However, my dither fish are severums, which unfortunatley strip plants to the root so i have a lot of mopani wood, the only plant to survive is anubis.........erm i suppose you could always try congo tetra or giant danios! oh and yeah i forgot i do have two red tail black with mine as well

 

[EX-AmP]

giant danios for small cichlids

 

[missyintx_99]

Ya know, when I want to try dithers in my tanks I start out cheap. Buy a couple of feeder goldfish (they cost me .12 each) and see how it goes. If they are successful then you could go with a more expensive fish for a dither.
Just my opinion!

 

[Dwarfs]

2. mild cichlids of the same agression level (cons, severums,jewels)

I would be careful with jewels. They can kill just about anything when breeding, and sometimes, even when they're not

 

[EX-AmP]

yeah theyre generally agressive, but fme they werent for me. you cant tell a cichlid by its name

 

[F 1]

"Dither Fish"?? What does that mean?

F1

 

[Dwarfs]

yeah theyre generally agressive, but fme they werent for me. you cant tell a cichlid by its name

Every one of mine (9) is mean. They can only stand eachother

 

[EX-AmP]

dithers are fish that insure safeness from predators....eh....like for example, you have a jaguar thats a mean bastard. it may be the top of the food chain on fish, but where its from it has alligators and a bunch of other things that eat it. dithers are fish that generally school and show that its okay to come out. x.x they should be fast too or they will be eaten or hurt by the fish you got them for.

 

[F 1]

Interesting concept. Thanks.

F1

 

[Pleco-Heaven]

Number 3 is solved, I got a 5 inch gibbiceps, works like a charm. The shark is too fast to catch.
Still looking for 2 and 5 though!

 

[cichlidmaster]

Are you going to upgrade to a larger tank??

That gibbiceps will outgrow a 3ft tank!!

CM

 

[Pleco-Heaven]

No I will not upgrade just yet. For a start I have no room, secondly how can I afford it, I am only 11 (going on 25 ). thirdly it doesn't need it, gibbiceps grow just under 1 foot and the tank is 3 foot, if it is air your talking about there is already 2 filters in there and I can add other stuff like airstones or even another filter!