Firemouths

[momar]

Just a couple of questions out of interest (not intending to get one, although the questions suggest otherwise...)

How big a tank do they need (in terms of dimensions)? Because most places say 36", but convicts and rainbow cichlids are often recommended in 30" (or even 24")
How aggressive are they?

Thanks.

 

[dorkfish]

Can't tell you much about tank size, but how agressive they are depends almost entirely on what else is in the tank and how big the tank is, and wether or not there breeding/raising fry.

 

[momar]

I see. Are they 'community fish' in the sense of semi-aggressive dwarf cichlids like kribs?

 

[hughitt1]

The convicts are pretty aggressive and isn't the best community fish unless perhaps things are all bigger than him. You also have to be careful if you have a pair because if things go bad he can be pretty brutal towards his mate.

The firemouths i've been considering myself. From what i've read, and the people i talked to they seem to be in most cases "semi-aggressive".. So if you have a 30 gallon or larger, and one pair only they may be okay in a community tank, but only with fish that aren't to small or slow. Maybe some larger tetras and cories?

 

[dorkfish]

I see. Are they 'community fish' in the sense of semi-aggressive dwarf cichlids like kribs?

I have seen a large tank that has firemouths and "community" fish together. The larger tank will probably (larger than nessisary) be nessisary in oreder to keep slower moving fish with them, becuase they can get really territorial/agressive when they start breeding. However, if you only get a single fish, or get a group of them and identify and remove the fish of one gender, you will be free of this problem.

So the short answer is yes, but they can do more damage (becuase of thier size) if they don't like thier tankmates.

Oh ya here is the tank I was talking about.