Over-aggressive Firemouth

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H

Himekp

AC Members
Sep 17, 2012
46
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6
Chicago
I upgraded to a 75 gallon tank about 3 months ago and am loving it. The only problem is that my 3" firemouth is extremely aggressive and is stressing my angelfish out a lot. My angel is a beautiful platinum and his fins have started to fray from fin nipping and possibly the early stages of fin rot due to stress from the firemouth. The tank is well filtered and kept at 78 degrees. The tank is medium planted as well as I have 2 seperate caves, 2 small pieces of driftwood, and a larger fake driftwood.

Stock is: 1 3" firemouth
1 2.5" angelfish
1 2.5" krib
5 male guppies
3 Julii cories
4 Peppered cories
1 clown pleco
1 rubber lip pleco

Any suggestions on how to decrease aggression? I much prefer the angelfish over the firemouth, though would be happy if I could keed both somehow.
 
Slappy*McFish

Slappy*McFish

Global Moderator
Staff member
Feb 18, 2002
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Raleigh, NC
Firemouths are not the typical 'community' fish. They are aggressive CA cichlids and should be kept with such. Rehome him or set up another tank more suitable for him.
 
aviva90

aviva90

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Jun 19, 2010
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Real Name
Aviva
As stated above, firemouths are aggressive. I wouldn't say yours sounds "overly aggressive", just like a typical firemouth, unfortunately you should rehome him or your other fish (especially the angel) if you want them to all stay intact, happy, and alive. Or rehome the firemouth since you said you prefer the angel. I had to give back an electric blue jack demsey because of similar issues. Maybe set up clear territories with plants and rocks, this may help lessen the aggression... but I'm not sure that will be enough.
 
H

Himekp

AC Members
Sep 17, 2012
46
0
6
Chicago
Thanks for all of your input, I'm going to start looking to rehome the firemouth. He/she was a combination of bad information and an impulse buy, taught me my lesson.
 
D

djlamonica

AC Members
Sep 16, 2012
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Fire mouths are not actually as aggressive as they look. they normal are much more bark then bite when placed with similar sized sa/ca cichlids. Unfortunately with angels having such long fins and the other peaceful community fish in that tank a firemouth doesn't have anything to put him in his place.

+1 to rename the fm
 
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