Interested In Adding A Firemouth

[ZoddyZod]

Morning all,

My tank has been up and running for about 8 months now and I'm considering a change of stock (current in sig). I'm interested in getting a Firemouth, but what fish would need to go before I got one? I dont mind seeing the danios and guppies go but I would like to keep hold of the Rams, BN and neons. Also, will the Firemouth cause problems with amano shrimp? The 3 I have are mature and about 2" in length.

The reason I like the idea of a Firemouth is that I'm very interested in cichlids, but due to my 30g tank size, I can't go with any African or larger CA/SA cichlids. Any other possibilities would be gladly received!

look forward to reading your advice.

 

[minxfishy]

IME a firemouth would be too aggressive for the rams, but its down to individual temprement. I would imagine the shrimp would be eaten and the neons may find themselves a snack too.

 

[bricko]

I think the Amano shrimp will become lunch, I had 7 in my tank until I had a rearrange of stock just before Christmas. Adding a curviceps and 2 Keyhole cichlids as well as 7 denisoni barbs are the only additions to the tank and now I cant find a single shrimp. Saw one about 2 weeks ago but none since then. I can only assume one of the new additions are responsible as the botia loaches and BNs had never bothered them before and Im sure the african fan shrimps havent eaten them.

 

[Wills]

From your list you would probably have to consider quite a big shuffle. I think you would have to take out all your shrimp if you wanted them not to become food, the guppies and neons I dont think would be safe. I think the danio could be fast enough to get out of the FMs way if need be and not sure about the rams might depend on the FMs personality.

With a 125 I would consider doing either 2 medium or 2 small + 1 medium or 2 small + 2 small (or in some cases 2 small + 3 small) if you see what I mean. If you went

Quite a lot of cichlid options that wouldn't affect your stock that much, just remember though that your rams are cichlids so when adding more cichlids they need to be taken into account. But yeah you have all the dwarf acara options like various Laetacaras, krobias, nannacaras and keyholes. Obviously all your apisto species would be okay. If you can find them, guinacara pair might work but depends on species and they are hard to get hold of sometimes.

As with all cichlids though your cherry are at risk, same with your amano but to a lesser extent.

Wills

 

[bricko]

How many rams have you got? Are they GB or Bolivian? You could try curviceps, they are very pretty and small but like I said earlier not sure if they are partly responsible for the depletion of my amano shrimp.

 

[star4]

When I had to move my firemouth I tried her in a 300l tank and there were rams in there, she went striaght for them! so in my experience the rams maybe a problem. however at the moment I am keeping (although only 2" at the mo) Thorichys Ellioti, the cousin to the firemouth with rams without problems, but they are not full grown yet. But with all cichlids it does depend on the temperment of the individual.

 

[ZoddyZod]

IME a firemouth would be too aggressive for the rams, but its down to individual temprement. I would imagine the shrimp would be eaten and the neons may find themselves a snack too.

The rams and the neons are staying, so two big No votes there then

 

[ZoddyZod]

Quite a lot of cichlid options that wouldn't affect your stock that much, just remember though that your rams are cichlids so when adding more cichlids they need to be taken into account. But yeah you have all the dwarf acara options like various Laetacaras, krobias, nannacaras and keyholes. Obviously all your apisto species would be okay. If you can find them, guinacara pair might work but depends on species and they are hard to get hold of sometimes.

Wills

I was looking for a non 'dwarf' variety, but maybe I'm pushing it. Might think again about kribs or keyholes.

 

[minxfishy]

A single keyhole could work well, I wouldnt advise Kribs as again, they are often too aggressive towards rams.

 

[star4]

Ditto Minxy on the kribs and rams for the size of your tank, it can work if the tank is large enough I have kribs and rams in my 300l tank, no problems but feel free to give me a telling off for mixing them

 

[ZoddyZod]

A single keyhole could work well, I wouldnt advise Kribs as again, they are often too aggressive towards rams.

I was of the understanding that Kribs only became aggressive when spawning, not so?

seen some very nice keyholes in a nearby LFS so will give them some thought.