Please sex firemouth cichlids if possible.

[Caliban07]

 

[caseysd80]

They all look to young to sex. Once bigger the males will be darker red and the females are more of an orange. I've been looking for a female so if you ever want to sell one once you know what they are please let me know

 

[Rivers2k]

Sorry still to young to tell. The first pic looks female getting the fuller body but not 100% the rest can't really tell yet.

 

[Caliban07]

They all look to young to sex. Once bigger the males will be darker red and the females are more of an orange. I've been looking for a female so if you ever want to sell one once you know what they are please let me know

If I do get 2 I will let you know. I'd rather they went to another home than back to the LFS having spent so much time away.

 

[Caliban07]

Sorry still to young to tell. The first pic looks female getting the fuller body but not 100% the rest can't really tell yet.

Ok thanks anyway. It the one in the second picture I thought was a female.

 

[Rivers2k]

Keep us updated I love to stay in touch with other Firemouth fans.

 

[Caliban07]

Keep us updated I love to stay in touch with other Firemouth fans.

Ok will do. For the first time last night they actually all came out to see me. What else do you feed them? At the moment they are on new life spectrum sinking pellets but I would like to start mixing things up a bit now. Also do you think that there will be any major aggression with 4 cichlids on the tank or us that too many for a 47 gallon in the long run?

 

[Rivers2k]

Ok will do. For the first time last night they actually all came out to see me. What else do you feed them? At the moment they are on new life spectrum sinking pellets but I would like to start mixing things up a bit now. Also do you think that there will be any major aggression with 4 cichlids on the tank or us that too many for a 47 gallon in the long run?

Aggression - It really does depends on your fish. I know people say this all the time but in most cases it is not true but with the fire mouths it is. If you get a breeding pair there might be quite a bit of aggression mine turn psycho when they are breeding. My wife prefers when I say "they are being good parents" lol. But you might not have the same issue. People say their FM's are babies others say they are killing everything in the tank. With Firemouths it really depends on the fish. Mine are quite passive except when breeding (which is every 3 months like clock work).

Feeding- I feed mine twice a day. Flakes or pellets or both in the morning. In the evening I like to mix it up I feed flakes and sinking pellets, then a couple times a week I throw in some frozen blood worms and mysis shrimp just to mix it up. I stick the cubes in frozen and they eat the thawed worms that fall off the cube. They seem to prefer it that way. they don't show as much interest when they are piled up on the ground, but that is just mine.

 

[Caliban07]

Ok thanks. I know most people probably say this but they are very tolerable with each other but I know this may change in time .

I've heard lots about this frozen cubes but I've never seen them being sold in the UK. What about a bag of blood worm?

 

[Rivers2k]

Ok thanks. I know most people probably say this but they are very tolerable with each other but I know this may change in time .

I've heard lots about this frozen cubes but I've never seen them being sold in the UK. What about a bag of blood worm?

A bag of blood worms will be fine. Yes they generally do well together.

 

[Bichir Bro]

I've heard the ones that flare their gills are male. Don't know if that's true or not just something to keep in mind.

 

[Rivers2k]

I've heard the ones that flare their gills are male. Don't know if that's true or not just something to keep in mind.

Not true both sexes flare their gills.

 

[fishyfriends3]

I've heard lots about this frozen cubes but I've never seen them being sold in the UK. What about a bag of blood worm?[/QUOTE]

I'm from the UK.
Frozen food is available in almost every aquatic store, it's just generally not on show as it's kept in a freezer you have to ask for it.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Bichir Bro]

Not true both sexes flare there gills.

Ok thank you! I've been wondering if there's any truth to that statement myself. Now I know!

 

[Caliban07]

I've heard lots about this frozen cubes but I've never seen them being sold in the UK. What about a bag of blood worm?

I'm from the UK.
Frozen food is available in almost every aquatic store, it's just generally not on show as it's kept in a freezer you have to ask for it.

Sent from my GT-I9195 using Aquarium Advice mobile app[/QUOTE]


Thanks I'll bare that in mind

 

[Rivers2k]

This just goes to show how hard they are to sex. I was just watching this video of a breeding pair. The male is outside the cave but the pair look almost identical

Legsel meeki's - YouTube

 

[Caliban07]

wow they are amazing. Cant believe how big they get. I certainly wont be able to have 4. I wish they would hurry up and pair! assuming i have females and males.

Did you see them fending that larger fish off! that was brilliant.

Couple more Qs

what temp would you keep them at? i have it set to 26c. Just done another 50% water change. I noticed some slight fin rot (possibly) A couple had it when they were introduced but i thought since i started doing 2 50% water changes a week it would clear up. I will have to keep my eyes on them. The one that is dull really doesnt look much like the others colour wise.

Also. How many frozen cubes would you feed 4 x 2-2 inch firemouths and how often?

 

[Caliban07]

i will check parameters tomorrow as the water change may affect results if the params are off slightly. Cant see ther being anything wrong with them though.

 

[Rivers2k]

wow they are amazing. Cant believe how big they get. I certainly wont be able to have 4. I wish they would hurry up and pair! assuming i have females and males.

Did you see them fending that larger fish off! that was brilliant.

Couple more Qs

what temp would you keep them at? i have it set to 26c. Just done another 50% water change. I noticed some slight fin rot (possibly) A couple had it when they were introduced but i thought since i started doing 2 50% water changes a week it would clear up. I will have to keep my eyes on them. The one that is dull really doesnt look much like the others colour wise.

Also. How many frozen cubes would you feed 4 x 2-2 inch firemouths and how often?

Yeah its pretty cool how the team up mine do that. They kept a jag 6" pinned in a corner when they had new fry.

Your temp is perfect.

I cant really tell you how much food all the food I feed is gone in under a minute. there should be no left overs so play around with the amounts

As far as the fin rott goes try adding some Melefix to your water and keep up on water changes.

The one that is dull does it have the fin rot? It looks a little sickly from the one pic.

 

[Caliban07]

Yeah its pretty cool how the team up mine do that. They kept a jag 6" pinned in a corner when they had new fry.

Your temp is perfect.

I cant really tell you how much food all the food I feed is gone in under a minute. there should be no left overs so play around with the amounts

As far as the fin rott goes try adding some Melefix to your water and keep up on water changes.

The one that is dull does it have the fin rot? It looks a little sickly from the one pic.

No not really but it does look a little sick. Kinda has white near its mouth and near its head but it was so skittish at first and would go crazy to get away it would hit all the objects in the tank so I thought it may have just caught itself.

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