firemouths, the tank size!

HoldenOn · Oct 2, 2020

Hey all,
I've never seen the same minimum tank size for fire mouth cichlids, this is a super common fish, but I feel like I see it in 30 gallons, which doesn't seem right! Anyone have a opinion?

Wills · Oct 2, 2020

Some people do keep them in 30s but I would go for at least a decent sized 4ft

Wills

HoldenOn · Oct 2, 2020

Wills said:
Some people do keep them in 30s but I would go for at least a decent sized 4ft

Wills

They are gregarious are they not?

itiwhetu · Oct 2, 2020

Pretty much the same as angels, be careful. I don't class them as a community fish but people sometimes have no problems, as with a lot of cichlids, some males can have serious personality disorders, which will require their owners to under go therapy. And consume large volumes of scotch to recover.

HoldenOn · Oct 2, 2020

So 30 for breeding, but larger for keeping long term.

Wills · Oct 2, 2020

HoldenOn said:
They are gregarious are they not?

Sort of different to Geophagus but similar but you would need a big set up I don’t think a 30 is viable for these imo

HoldenOn · Oct 2, 2020

Wills said:
Sort of different to Geophagus but similar but you would need a big set up I don’t think a 30 is viable for these imo

Yea I'm not going to keep them, I'm just curious.

Metalhead88 · Oct 2, 2020

I see no reason a pair can't thrive in 30 gallon tank. But with no other fish.... I wouldn't bother going that route as it would likely be a boring tank.

I'd say angelfish need a larger tank than firemouths do.

I've found them to actually be more on the semi aggressive side comparable to most south american cichlids.

Their personality ranges from timid (especially when kept alone or with few other fish) to highly personable.

I've kept american cichlids for many years and adding dither fish if you can is certainly a great way to bring out the real personalities of your cichlids. Giant danios, rainbows, and non bite sized barbs really make your cichlids come to life instead of hiding in a cave.