Firemouth Cichlid: Complete Care Guide
- Aug 27, 2021
- Anshika Mishra
- 843 0 0
In this article, we will be walking through a care guide and a species profile for one of the most popular cichlids in the hobby, the Firemouth Cichlid.
Overview
Firemouth Cichlids are from Central America, and they have some unique colorations. With gray bodies, bright red color complimented the bottom and a little tent of blue in their fins. As they grow older, the gray and red turn darker, with the bluefins dominating the body.
Males have longer tails, making them reasonably easy to identify when they are mature enough, but it might be challenging to distinguish Juveniles.
This fish is widespread in the hobby today, as they are readily available at most big box stores. Usually, they are on sale when they are only an inch or two in length, but they can grow up to 7-inches in males and 6-inches in females.
Water Parameters
Firemouth Cichlid is from central America. So, their ideal water parameters
- Temperature: 75-82 degrees F
- pH: 6.5-8.0
- dGH: 8-15
- Ammonia, Nitrate 0 ppm
It is recommended to keeping your water parameters consistent rather than chasing numbers as the fluctuations seem to do more harm than good. Also, most of these Cichlids are tank-bred and have become used to your local water parameters.
They are a relatively hardy cichlid. Just make sure you have consistent water parameters, and you keep up with your water changes. Always aim to keep the nitrate below 40 ppm, as it will keep the fish happy adn healthy.
Because they are from Central America and are found in rivers and streams, an ideal tank setup would have some driftwood, rocks, and sand. Some plants could also work with them.
This fish loves to have territory. So, make sure to make plenty of hiding places. Males will flare up their tails when stalking territory. But overall, they aren't super agressive. If they have large enough tanks and hiding spots, they will show less aggression in the tank.
It is recommended to keep them in a 40-gallon tank or larger when it comes to tank size. A 40-breeder with a pair would be a good setup, but if you, the bigger the tank, the better.
Tank Mates
For cichlid tankmates, it is recommended to keep a similar size central or South American Cichlids. The central American options are:
- Jack Dempsey
- The Convict
- The Nicaraguan Cichlid
- Salvini
The South American options are:
- Green Tears
- The Severum
- The Electric Blue Acara
Some larger Tetras like the Colombian Tetra or Denison Barbs would also make great tank mates. Silver Dollar will be an excellent dither option to bringing the Firemouth out of its territory. Plecos also make a great choice.
Feeding
For feeding, high-quality flakes and pellets are recommended with the occasional frozen blood worms and brine shrimp to round out their diet.
Breeding
Firemouths are super easy to breed, which is another reason why they are so common. All you need is a male or female and some flat surface for them to lay eggs. The eggs will be adhesive and will hatch in a few days if the male fertilizes.
These fishes have a few similar species and color variations that are somewhat rare, like the lemon or yellow Firemouth or a similar species like the Jewel Cichlid. However, the firemouth get a much more deep red color and minor spotting on their bodies, making it easy to tell the difference.
Overall the Firemouth Cichlid is an excellent addition to a Cichlid tank. It is a fantastic choice for beginners getting into Cichlids, as they don't get too agressive, have great color, and don't need a vast tank size. They are highly recommended.
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