Firemouth tankmate, 29g

[swifty]

I'm still trying to decide on a tankmate for my 3" male firemouth. I've narrowed it down to one of the following:

-red tail/rainbow shark
-blue/honey/other gourami
-2 female convicts
-Blue Acara
-pictus catfish

As of now he is alone in a 29g with a school of black skirt tetras that he ignores.

I'm leaning towards the blue acara, as a lot of videos/posts that I've come across during my search show the 2 cichlids relatively peaceful with each other.

Anyone got some experience with blue acaras and firemouths, or some opinions on the others?

 

[Mogurako]

I would say add nothing else to that tank, a 29 is much to small for a Thorichthys meeki long term. Upgrading to a 55 would be your best bet of you wanted to add more fish.

 

[garfy]

I would say add nothing else to that tank, a 29 is much to small for a Thorichthys meeki long term. Upgrading to a 55 would be your best bet of you wanted to add more fish.

100% agree

 

[5x5]

100% agree

3rded. Its just going to be a whirlwind of fish chasing if you try to house another fish in that small of a space. The firemouth will easily claim the whole tank as territory.

 

[swifty]

So a single shark or gourami wouldn't work? What about increasing the current school or adding another school of tetras to fill out the top?

 

[PockX]

Yeah..I totally agree with all the others here.

 

[Mogurako]

So a single shark or gourami wouldn't work? What about increasing the current school or adding another school of tetras to fill out the top?

That tank is at capacity and quite frankly not suitable for you cichlid long term. If you want to add more fish and have a community tank either upgrade to a 40 breeder / 55 gallon or rehome the Meeki.

 

[cmbtengnr43]

That tank is at capacity and quite frankly not suitable for you cichlid long term. If you want to add more fish and have a community tank either upgrade to a 40 breeder / 55 gallon or rehome the Meeki.

i agree a 29 would be fine for a single specimen but meekis can get up to around 6'' give or take so with adding other cichlids your going to get territorial issues new world are not like old world if you over crowd them they will pick at each other until one or the other dies.

 

[Mogurako]

I wouldn't even keep a single Meeki in a 29 gallon by itself long term. A 29 is only 30x12x18,l that is not enough space or water volume once all the decor is added. A single fish would be fine until 2-3" but would need to be moved soon after that.

 

[5x5]

I wouldn't even keep a single Meeki in a 29 gallon by itself long term. A 29 is only 30x12x18,l that is not enough space or water volume once all the decor is added. A single fish would be fine until 2-3" but would need to be moved soon after that.

This is correct in my opinion. I have 3 near-full grown meeki (~6 inches) and I can't imagine keeping one of them in my 29 gallon tank. Its like putting a golden retriever in a closet.

 

[cmbtengnr43]

This is correct in my opinion. I have 3 near-full grown meeki (~6 inches) and I can't imagine keeping one of them in my 29 gallon tank. Its like putting a golden retriever in a closet.

so your saying one 6" fish is to big for a 30x12" footprint ? OP i kept a mated pair in a 29 for a year with a ac70 and 30% weekley water changes and no over feeding they where healthy and fine NOT ONE ISSUE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THEY WHERE IN THERE until i sold them to my local distributor.you can def keep one in a 29. If you can keep a 6" convict male solo in a 29 you can do the same with a firemouth.

 

[5x5]

so your saying one 6" fish is to big for a 30x12" footprint ? OP i kept a mated pair in a 29 for a year with a ac70 and 30% weekley water changes and no over feeding they where healthy and fine NOT ONE ISSUE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THEY WHERE IN THERE until i sold them to my local distributor.you can def keep one in a 29. If you can keep a 6" convict male solo in a 29 you can do the same with a firemouth.

I don't think even a single one in a 29G is "ideal", i'm not saying I wouldn't do it short-term or in a pinch if I had to suddenly rehome a fish.

Your convict comparsion is weak. I've owned both on numerous occassions and the firemouth is simply a bigger fish. A big Firemouth can grow beyond 7" (which I believe my alpha male will). Depending on the sex of a convict, you could be looking at 3 inches.

We've had this conversation before in other threads. I'm simply not a believer of stuffing as many cichlids as possible into a tank. I like to give them reasonable space to keep stress down and make the water parameters easy to manage as possible.

 

[Mogurako]

so your saying one 6" fish is to big for a 30x12" footprint ? OP i kept a mated pair in a 29 for a year with a ac70 and 30% weekley water changes and no over feeding they where healthy and fine NOT ONE ISSUE FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THEY WHERE IN THERE until i sold them to my local distributor.you can def keep one in a 29. If you can keep a 6" convict male solo in a 29 you can do the same with a firemouth.

This all boils down to thrive vs survive, did your Fish survive for a year? Sure, but did they thrive? I highly doubt it.

IMO any cichlid that is over 3" should not be kept in a foot print any smaller then 36x18x16 ( 40 breeder). Its all a matter of swim space and water volume. I tend to error on the side of overkill when it comes to keeping cichlids.

A big Firemouth can grow beyond 7" (which I believe my alpha male will).

I've seen this first hand, one of the members of my aquarium society kept two Meeki in a 125 with just some tetra and they were the largest ones I have ever seen. The male was an easy 8+ and the female was over 7.

 

[cmbtengnr43]

I don't think even a single one in a 29G is "ideal", i'm not saying I wouldn't do it short-term or in a pinch if I had to suddenly rehome a fish.

Your convict comparsion is weak. I've owned both on numerous occassions and the firemouth is simply a bigger fish. A big Firemouth can grow beyond 7" (which I believe my alpha male will). Depending on the sex of a convict, you could be looking at 3 inches.

We've had this conversation before in other threads. I'm simply not a believer of stuffing as many cichlids as possible into a tank. I like to give them reasonable space to keep stress down and make the water parameters easy to manage as possible.

well yes but i was refering to a male convict which will reach 6" and average meekis do get between 6-8. trust me i definatley do not believe in stuffing as many as you can into a tank thats just cruel but i do think the safe zones are a bit exagerated at times. i def make sure mine have plenty of swim space i very himane in the treatment of my fishes hell everyone i know jokes about me loving my fish more then my cat and dog lol. dont take what im saying the wrong way.

 

[PockX]

I think the anything over 3" thing in a 40B might be a little steep.. in a natural african cichlid habitat (I know this isn't about africans, just an ex.) but space is limited and they live in little rock nooks and are aggressive in defending it. Overfiltering and a good WC schedule can only do so much, you're right..but each fish is different. All fish would like to have the most space possible but yup. You both have very valid points, however.

 

[cmbtengnr43]

This all boils down to thrive vs survive, did your Fish survive for a year? Sure, but did they thrive? I highly doubt it.

IMO any cichlid that is over 3" should not be kept in a foot print any smaller then 36x18x16 ( 40 breeder). Its all a matter of swim space and water volume. I tend to error on the side of overkill when it comes to keeping cichlids.



I've seen this first hand, one of the members of my aquarium society kept two Meeki in a 125 with just some tetra and they were the largest ones I have ever seen. The male was an easy 8+ and the female was over 7.

i like to think they thrived they gave me several spawns and where a great example of strong and healthy meeki. i recieved tons of compliments on them. trust me if for even one second i thought they wher eunhappy or stressed i wouldve removed them to a bigger home. and 125 for two meeki well **** they are in the kingda ka of hotel fishy lol im sure they will grow to a formidable size in a tank that big.

 

[5x5]

I think the anything over 3" thing in a 40B might be a little steep.. in a natural african cichlid habitat (I know this isn't about africans, just an ex.) but space is limited and they live in little rock nooks and are aggressive in defending it. Overfiltering and a good WC schedule can only do so much, you're right..but each fish is different. All fish would like to have the most space possible but yup. You both have very valid points, however.

Well, everyone has there judgement on how conservative to be with space. While Mog might be just a hair more conservative than me in this case, I would never advise against erring on that side. Unfortunately, most new aquarists go the other direction and overstock because they don't know better. The only penalty to understocking is lower need for water changes.

 

[cmbtengnr43]

Well, everyone has there judgement on how conservative to be with space. While Mog might be just a hair more conservative than me in this case, I would never advise against erring on that side. Unfortunately, most new aquarists go the other direction and overstock because they don't know better. The only penalty to understocking is lower need for water changes.

True I would only say over stocking is ok with certain mbuna species and with higher percentage water changes that is my only personal exception with over stocking and that is mainly only to help spread out aggression with more aggressive psudotropheus species

 

[5x5]

True I would only say over stocking is ok with certain mbuna species and with higher percentage water changes that is my only personal exception with over stocking and that is mainly only to help spread out aggression with more aggressive psudotropheus species

Yes, Old worlds is a different story. I just pretend they don't exist.

 

[cbourg746]

Yes, Old worlds is a different story. I just pretend they don't exist.

Almost pee'd my pants laughing!