Firemouth And Angelfish

[karawr]

So I have a 120g tank with 6 angelfish, 2 bolivian rams and various tetras and cories.

Anyways I don't know much about firemouths but thought they were really pretty and wanted to add one/some to my tank.
So let's start off with can I even add this fish to my tank?
If so should I get one, a pair or a group? How many?
Will there be any problem with the tetras or cories?


Also with the 6 angels I have, I wanted to get rid of 4 and replace them with juvies (just because their colouration, well... it isn't the prettiest ). Would this be bad to break up a group (they haven't paired or anything) and is it a bad idea to mix juvies with 2 adults?

 

[onidrase]

firemouths are highly unpredictable. IME don't do it, not because of the angels, but because of the bolivian rams. My firemouth left my angel alone, but had my rams chewed up and hiding in the corner of the tank. Little guy didn't make it.

At this point in time, my firemouth dominates my green terror and convict cichlid. However, he doesn't pay any mind to any fish that don't resemble a generic cichlid.

FM's are also extremely aggressive toward each other if they're not paired or kept in a huge group where he aggression is dispersed. Since it's hard to sex them, you'd have to get a good sum of them to get a pair. And when they pair, they only get only meaner during breeding.

Overall, I'm not going to recommend firemouths period. However, you could try some totally different fish if you're looking for something new. Festivums would be a good choice, as would severums, and I believe rainbow cichlids would work as well, though I have no experience with rainbow cichlids.

 

[mattlee]

i agree with onidrase. rainbow cichlids may well work but get a group of say 4-5 to see them at their best. i would also with a 120g get some more bolivians as they do better in a larger group too

 

[karawr]

I was gonna do a group of 6 bolivians, just waiting on LFS to bring some more in.

No rainbow cichlids here... but if I ever do come across them I might snatch them up. Thanks for the suggestions.

Guess I won't be going with firemouth then, oh well.


On the note of the angels... is it bad to mix 2 adult angels with 4 juvies (like quarter sized)? Should I let them grow out a bit in another tank first?

 

[onidrase]

I was gonna do a group of 6 bolivians, just waiting on LFS to bring some more in.

No rainbow cichlids here... but if I ever do come across them I might snatch them up. Thanks for the suggestions.

Guess I won't be going with firemouth then, oh well.


On the note of the angels... is it bad to mix 2 adult angels with 4 juvies (like quarter sized)? Should I let them grow out a bit in another tank first?

Depends on the temperament of the adults. Just make sure to break up any territories the adults may have established so they don't see the juvies as a threat.