Firemouth Cichlid-----;)

[Pleco11771]

So I am moving soon and am going to use this as an opportunity to change the substrate to sand. I HAD 6 bloodfin tetras and have put them in my 75 gallon community and are now in a school of 15. The platys were taken back to my pcs because of parisites or unknown diseases. But I still have my albino BN and 4 cories. I have a 20 gallon tall and was thinking of getting a single firemouth that I know will go with the pleco but what about the cories? I will be trying to get a male. With the sand I was going tobtake all of my rocks out and make one big cave for the pleco and firemouth. My idea was taking a 1 gallon plastic bowl that I have and putting it on it's side on one end of the tank and putting sand and a rock over it. Comments? Ideas?

 

[Jesse18]

Your tank would be to small for the fire mouth they get about five inches mines about 3 inches but he is in a 125g it would be ok if he is a baby but when he gets bigger I would get a bigger tank

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, the tank is too small for a firemouth. Sorry. Why don't you consider a smaller cichlid, like a ram?

 

[Pleco11771]

Your tank would be to small for the fire mouth they get about five inches mines about 3 inches but he is in a 125g it would be ok if he is a baby but when he gets bigger I would get a bigger tank

Every site I have been to (which is ALOT) all say that a PAIR needs a around a 30 gallon tank. If it's just the firemouth and pleco that still won't be ok????

 

[Pleco11771]

And around here we don't have any 100% fish stores that are not chain, or atleast good ones and all the have is firemouths, electric blues, labs, terrors, Jack Dempsey, some all white snow colored cichlids and oscars

 

[Jesse18]

To tell u the truth the pleco needs a bigger tank because they get big depending on what type it is. if I was u I would at least get a 55g then u would be fine u could get a pair of fire mouths and when they get bigger they would look great

 

[Pleco11771]

To tell u the truth the pleco needs a bigger tank because they get big depending on what type it is. if I was u I would at least get a 55g then u would be fine u could get a pair of fire mouths and when they get bigger they would look great

My pleco is albino bristle nose pleco that max out at about 4.5 inches

 

[Jesse18]

Ok my bad all I red was u had a pleco btw how big is he now

 

[Pleco11771]

Ok my bad all I red was u had a pleco btw how big is he now

almost 2 inches

 

[absolutangel04]

You ASKED us and we answered that we do not think 20 gallons is enough for a firemouth. Especially not with something messy like a bnp (which I personally would also recommend a 20 long as a minimum). Its just my opinion and maybe somebody else will have a different one. Also, I am betting those recommendations you read were for ONLY a pair, not a pair plus 5 more fish. But, a 20 tall does not have much horizontal swimming room for a 5 inch fish.

 

[Pleco11771]

Well are their any other cichlids that are not hard to find that will go with this setup, their will be one large cave and the rest sand and swimming space

 

[absolutangel04]

Well are their any other cichlids that are not hard to find that will go with this setup, their will be one large cave and the rest sand and swimming space

Rams. Why does it have to be a cichlid? You won't even see most of the interesting cichlid behaviors if you just have one anyway. Like I said before, rams would work, but I would only keep one because of the corys and the fact that your tank is 20 tall instead of a 20 long. Maybe some sort of apisto, but I am not positive if that would work or not.

 

[Pleco11771]

Because their are no other larger tropical fish that fit in a 20 gal

 

[absolutangel04]

There are no large cichlids who will be happy in there either. You shouldn't put a large fish in a 20 high tank.
So, you would prefer a single bigger fish instead of a school of smaller fish?

 

[Pleco11771]

There are no large cichlids who will be happy in there either. You shouldn't put a large fish in a 20 high tank.
So, you would prefer a single bigger fish instead of a school of smaller fish?

Schools have gotten boring to me because I have always had them, I want a simpler tank with 1 big fish

 

[mfdrookie516]

Big fish need big tanks... there's no way around that. There are no big fish that will work in a 20g tank, plain and simple. There are lots of fish that will, just not big ones. Either get a bigger tank or look for smaller fish.

 

[Pleco11771]

Big fish need big tanks... there's no way around that. There are no big fish that will work in a 20g tank, plain and simple. There are lots of fish that will, just not big ones. Either get a bigger tank or look for smaller fish.

It's doesn't have to be a "big" fish I just want something that's big for the tank, not as in like it's crammed but like bigger than community fish, also are there any catfish besides cories for a 20 gallon? I know it's a small footprint but it has a cave and that's it with sand

 

[Pleco11771]

What about albino scolofi cichlids?

 

[bruinsbro1997]

What about albino scolofi cichlids?

Nope, sorry, tank is too small for one and they need a cichlid-specific setup...

 

[Pleco11771]

Nope, sorry, tank is too small for one and they need a cichlid-specific setup...

Eh what's the biggest fish/catfish for a 20H