Firemouths

[jfran]

Hey everyone!
Anyone have any good stocking schemes to add to a 40 gal with 300 gph filtering, three young firemouths and three tiger barbs?


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[garfy]

That certainly sounds doable


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[garfy]

Looks kinda small for 49g though


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[garfy]

40 not 49


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[Brookster123]

That's a 29 gal? Measurements?

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[jfran]

36 wide 12 deep 20 high


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[Brookster123]

40 tall! Odd one..

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[mikem691]

That's a standard 40. Sure don't look like one in the picture though.

 

[jfran]

So what cool fish can I add if any? I think I have one male firemouth and two females but not entirely sure. They are about 2 in each. The barbs do their own thing.


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[TMRC Exotics]

You sure on those measurements? Really looks like a 29 gallon. You need to get the barb school up to 6, these guys are aggressive towards each other and will form a hierarchy. At that point I'm not sure much could be added. I do have some cherry barbs with my firemouth.

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[jfran]

Yes I am sure it is a 40 gal. It is my tank after all and I do know how to use a tape measure. The barbs is a good idea. Any advice on breeding the firemouths?


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[TMRC Exotics]

Hey I'm not trying to insinuate you don't know what you're doing, more just verifying you actually measured it and weren't relying on dimensions given to you. I haven't attempted breeding firemouths, I only have the one but based on their low cost and availability I don't thinks it difficult. Buenos Aires tetras also make great dithers, i think you could add a group of six once you get your barb numbers up, that's at the limit though.

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[jfran]

Thanks! I wasn't offended. I just thought it was funny. I am new to the SA cichlids. I had a few kenyi but one female died (still not sure why but it looked like she wasn't getting enough food because of the male harassing) so I gave my kenyis to my LFS so no more females would bite it. I got firemouths instead. Thanks for your help.


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[jfran]

Oh and my other question is there a way to distinguish male firemouths from females? And is there a required ratio like there were with kenyis (aka max of one male)?


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[mikem691]

For the most part meeki are all bark and no bite. There will be a dominate male that will color up nicely and the rest of the males will show less color. As far as telling them apart I'm not too sure on that but the males tend to have longer finnage. But that isn't a sure way to tell. I had 6 in a 33 long back in the day with very little bickering and no breeding.

 

[jfran]

Does meeki equal firemouths?


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[TMRC Exotics]

Yes, thorichthys meeki= firemouth

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[jfran]

So any breeding advice anyone?


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[Rivers2k]

I have had several generations of Firemouths. You are going to want to remove the gravel and add sand. They like to dig especially around breeding time. They will make several pits and move the babies from one pit to another. No real way to tell male and female apart. Females can show male traits like trailers on the fins. I got sick of all the breeding so I kept what I thought where two very colorful males and before I knew it I had babies again. I don't recommend trying to breed either. The pair will take over that whole tank. I had mine in a 75 and the two dominated the whole tank kept much larger fish all huddled in one corner. Fry are also so common you cant get rid of them after you have raised them for a minimum of 6 months to get them to decent size.

 

[jfran]

If they do end up breeding, is there a certain point when you can take the fry away from their parents and move them to a smaller tank to be grown?


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