Stocking to breed firemouths

[Polly91]

I have a 75 gallon tank and I'm looking to breed firemouths! Just a few questions in regards to how to stock the tank so they could breed.

First of all how should I stock the tank?I have heard they get aggressive when breeding and it's not a good idea having many other fish in the tank with them.

Also when getting a pair for breeding is it a matter of getting one female and male? Because I have hear it's better to get a few and let them 'pair'??

If anyone has successfully or unsuccessfully breed firemouths?

[toddnbecka]

Start with a group of 5-6 young ones, then remove the rest after a pair is established. Firemouths claim a relatively large territory, so you won't be able to keep more than one pair in a 75.

[Polly91]

So u think by the time they are fully grown and breeding,I should only have two of them?
Would it be possible to have any other fish breed in the same tank???sorta seems outta the question though

[toddnbecka]

Other fish would be fine, as long as they aren't cichlids. I've kept BN pleco's with cichlids, the BN fry disappear shortly after they venture away from the protection of the male. Cichlids are very effective fry predators. A school of of larger tetras like Colombians, a Synodontis catfish would mix well. I highly recommend keeping something in another tank to eat extra fry. A pair of firemouths will produce hundreds of fry, many many more than you'll have tankspace to grow out of be able to move along.
I have several actively spawning pairs of cutteri, 3 pairs in a 90 and another pair in a 40. There are 6 P. typus catfish in the 90 and a Carapo knife fish in the 40 that eat the cutteri fry. I moved a pair into a 29 last August and grew out the spawn. Some were moved into the 40 for the Carapo to eat, some were sold and/or given away, but I finally ended up culling 80 young adults.
That was only 1 spawn from 1 pair, somewhere between 150-200 fry. A breeding pair of cichlids will spawn regularly, usually for 5-6 rounds before taking a break IME.

[Polly91]

Well at the moment my firemouths are only about 1.5-2 inches.how long does it take them too mature and start breeding?

[alLexX]

not sure if it would work with firemouths,but a rainbow shark would eat fry when the lights were off. a raphael catfish would do the same,but i dont think it would actively hunt them down

[Polly91]

Well I don't really want the fry to be eaten???

[alLexX]

Originally Posted by Polly91

Well I don't really want the fry to be eaten???

but what would you do with all te fry? do you really have room to house them til sellable size?

[Polly91]

Hand them to the lfs?let a few get eaten but I wanna keep some

[IvanMike]

you have a long way to go afore they breed. Don't sweat it.

breeding cichlids can be daunting, and the strangest things can happen. I've had a 125 with salvinii, firemouths, convicts, and ports all breeding at once. Utter mayhem, but fun.

[Polly91]

So at what size do they start to breed?only because I'll want to have them paired by that time so I can remove other fish

[IvanMike]

I'd wait till they actually start showing interest in breeding. Sometimes removing the other fish can interfere with the pair bond due to the absence of target fish.

[Polly91]

Yeh but I'm talking down the track when they are actually grown.like I only got them a week ago

[IvanMike]

I've seen em breed at 4 inches sometimes.

Seriously - sit back and live in the moment.

[Polly91]

Haha ok don't know what ur tryna tell me but ok

[IvanMike]

As in stop worrying about the future and enjoy your fish.

[Polly91]

Yeh but I just wanna plan it out!think planning is important

[IvanMike]

Haha - the best laid plans.....

Fish (and people) have a nasty habit of doing what they want despite your plans.

[Mouth-Brooder-Fanatic]

chill. they grow up to like 7" apparantly, so the min breed size woul be about 3 ins for male 3.5 for female (minimum) as research/ peoples experiences say. my zebra male is 2.5" and breeding. has any of urs paired? x

[Polly91]

Oh ok cool.well I only have two at the momenT