what would be good tankmates for?

[LyndaB]

Your right, it is. Nothing against you, just so you know. I hope I didn't come off sounding like a butthole. If I did, I'm sorry, didn't mean it like that.

Not at all. Species preference is a very personal thing.

 

[Malawi Freak]

Might be worth a shot talking to where you got them from. Some stores may give you a new fish.

Is the tank cycled? I would start to wonder along the lines of why the fish died.

Not trying to argue, but honestly in the hobby of fish, $10 is cheap unless we are talking mollies. I've spent over $75 on a single fish in the past. I hear ya with the kids and stay at home wife. Same boat over here.

 

[christine2012]

Well I woke up today to my fire mouth dead :-( Not quite sure why yet. He had been mouthing for air (or whatever u wanna call it) and I knew it wasn't normal and was worried about it. Guess I was right to be worried. That was a $9.99 fish. My one daughter asked if I was going to get another one. I told her I will only try an expensive fish once

What are your nitrite readings?
I definitely wouldn't get him a tankmate until the big tank is set up. Have you considered a pleco? Some of those rare plecos are amazing. I personally love the green phantom!

 

[aaronjohn20]

Yes the tank is cycled. I had just upraded from a whisper (not sure on size) to a penguin 350. The readings the day the firemouth died was ammo 0, nitrite 0, and nitrate 20. I'm not getting anymore tankmates till I have the big tank set up!

 

[Malawi Freak]

Did you pull the old filter and put in the new one. That would have reset your cycle. Essentially all BB was removed and a new surface was put in place.

 

[aaronjohn20]

I put new filters in yes, but I have extra slots available and put my old filter in there too