Common name: Firemouth, Meeki

Scientific name: Thorichthys meeki

Family: Cichlidae

Origin: Guatemala

Maximum size: 6 inches (15cm)

Temperature: 75-79

Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons

Care: Provide pleanty of hiding places with rocks.Make sure all rocks are secure because the fish will dig around them. Use a fine sand substrate, Firemouths like to dig. Recommended in a species only tank or with similar sized cichlids of the same temperment. Larger catfish are also compatable. Firemouth are very hardy and can adapt to a wide range of pH. The ideal would be 7.2-8.2.

Feeding: Cichlid flakes/pellets, ghost shrimp, bloodworms, brine shrimp.

Sexing: Females noticably duller and silver in color. Males have a red throat and chest, females usually do not. Males have pointed anal and dorsal fin

Breeding: Female cleans smooth rocks and lays 100-300 eggs on a rock. Fry hatch at about 72 hours and can be fed finely crushed flakes and newly hatched brine shrimp as first foods.




(Edited: 3-29-06)

just a couple things to note...firemouths are also found in Mexico and a few other surrounding countries. the natural ph where firemouths are found usually ranges from Neutral to alkaline. In some areas the ph gets up to 8.2 and very hard, much like the water from Lake Malawi. I'd say 7.2 to 8.2 would be a better recommended ph range.

This post has been edited by Lateral Line: Feb 5 2006, 02:56 PM

heres a picture of my breeding couple...................female is in the front male is at the rear... and my female firemouth

juvi male at 3 inch