Tank footprint/breeding FMs
 

Hello! First post, I'm Lindsey. I still need to set up my profile. I have a 4"male FM and a 3" female FM that I was told had bred one time at the store. I have them in a 40 gallon tall right now with 5 giant danios and 5 emerald corys. I know it's not a breeder length, but could the FMs still breed in it? They dig pits and have their vents protruding, but never any eggs. The male chases the female around but there's never any damage. I have very fine sand as substrate (that they LOVE!!), plenty of plants (one that hangs from the top for above hiding spot for female), piece of driftwood, a rock cave, and a few flat rock laying on the ground. I'm at the store looking for a flower pot right now. I had one before and just laid it on the side, they never used it so I put a plant in it, but I read a person's story today of how their firemouths laid eggs on the walls of a pot totally upside down. I have the temp at 86 F and add cold water during weekly sand cleanings to stimulate rainfall, could my tank footprint be a serious problem?

I'd lower the temp a bit, 86 is pretty high

Try feeding some live foods just after doing a water change, that should help, especially if you do a water change with RO water

Also, the cories are more than likely to make a quick snack of any eggs, the danios will make short work of wiggles. If you really want them to breed, I'd remove the Cory and the danio, add a smaller dither species, like black neons, that will still prompt the parents to protect their young, but won't try and eat the eggs/wigglers

+1! Spot on! Large cool water changes will help also, say about 6-8* cooler than tank water and about 30-50%

Also, what is an FM? I'm sure I know, but my brain is fried right now so I can't think of what the acronym stands for.

It stands for firemouth. Sorry, I picked up the lingo on some forum

I knew that! Lol
No need to apologize, but for future reference, you'll probably get a lot more help if you write out the full name atleast once in the original post and then use acronyms after that. This way when people are having blonde moments like I did they don't have to ask an can help right away.

Will do, I don't know why I didn't put it in the title :P I have wondered about the cories eating my eggs. I don't mind switching out the danios, but I don't know about the cories...they're so darn cute and entertaining! Maybe I just wasn't supposed to have baby firemouths!

Forgot to add, I have also fed them some earth worms. Some burrowed into the sand though so hopefully I've sucked them out by now. And I will lower the temp, I've just read all over the place that rising the temp to 86-88 encourages them to breed, but maybe the lowering will too. Thanks!

It depends on the fish, but usually fish breed during the wet season and cooler water helps them into thinking it's the right time.
Same with adding a good amount of protein into their diet which you've already done with the earthworms