How many Firemouths in 55g?

[serjuanca888]

I have a 55g aquarium that I would like to stock with Firemouths.

Say the max of adults I can have is 5, then I would like to get 10-15 jueveniles and as they pair off, return all but maybe 3 or 4.

Obvioulsy I want to breed them. But I do not want to make a breeding tank. I want a tank that will be a pretty tank.

So my question is, how many adult firemouths can I have in 55g aquarium? Of course I would like to add maybe a pleco and afew cleaning catfish of some sort.

Please help me out, I cannot seem to find much good info on them.

[andruboz]

i had a pair and the territory they decided to defend was almost a third of a 55 gallon tank. [down at the gravel. perhaps a fish that lives in the top of the tank would be acceptible]. two pair with a huge stump or rockpile creating a border might work. there will still be daily skirmishes. its a feisty fish. a cat fish that will stay small enuff for a 55 will either get picked on for trespassing or will be a hermit coming out at night and you'll hardly ever see him.
and plecos are serious poop machines. my firemouth lives with a 4.5" chinese algea eater who doesnt eat much algea but isnt starving.