Quick Stats
Scientific Name: Thorichthys meeki,Cichlasoma meeki (old genus name)
Distribution: Central America (Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Guatemala)
Size: 15cm (6inch)
Common Names: Firemouth
Temperature: 25-29 C (77 to 84 degrees)
pH: 6.8-7.2
General Characteristics
Firemouths are one of the most popular and oldest cichlids to be kept in an
aquarium and are considered less aggressive than most of their Central American
cousins. However, like most cichlids, they can become quite aggressive towards
other fish especially during spawning or in territorial disputes. During these
disputes, Firemouths will often flare their gill plates and inflate their throat
sac showing a vibrant red around their throat and mouth (hence their name).
Juveniles are usually lighter in colour and the fish will darken and display
more colour as it matures. .
Aquarium Set Up
Firemouths are considered excellent tank mates with other Central or South American Cichlids provided there are of similar size and temperament. It is common to see them with Oscars, Jack Dempseys, Severums, and Convicts to name a few. Adults should be kept in a min of a 30-gallon tank for one though I highly recommend a 55-gallon if you can provide or larger if you wish to have more than one. They prefer a gravel or sand substrate, as they like to dig. Provide plenty of blinds and hideaways (rocks, driftwood, pots, caves, artificial plants) for territory. Avoid smaller species of fish that could be small enough to be considered a meal or unable to defend against aggression.
Feeding
This will be no surprise to most of you avid cichlid owners… Firemouths will eat just about anything they can fit in their mouth. Being omnivorous they require a diet that has variety such as a high quality cichlid pellet or flake, beef heart, shrimp, krill, greens and even the occasional insect like crickets. Home made foods high in protein such as the Beef Heart Recipe is suggested for them.
Compatibility
This is not really a community fish and unless kept for breeding it should probably be housed alone as a display fish. Some people often mix them with other cichlids of similar size but they are generally in extremely large tanks and the success of mixing them is often a trial and error experiment that more often than not can lead to a few casualties along the way to establishing a good balance between tank mates.
Breeding
They are considered fairly difficult to breed, as they are quite picky
pairing off and require a steady ph and temperature. Provide a flat stone or
rock for them to spawn on and be warned that both parents are very good at
defending their clutch. They will attack anything that comes near their nest.
A typical spawn is around 500 eggs or so.