Firemouth Cichlids

Author : Efrain Silva

Appearance

How does this fish physically portray itself and stand out from the pack? Well, a good question to ask — the Firemouth Cichlid brings its own unique fiery flare to any fish tank it becomes a part of, so why not add it to your collection right now?

Much like its name implies, it is brightly red and black colored (and in some cases, brightly silver and orange colored, for more mild variations). Some also come in red and grey. So pick the color you like, and let the party begin. This fish will make a lasting impression of its own….

Diet

You might be wondering — like any responsible, informed fish owner ought to be — what exactly you can give this type of fish on a daily or weekly basis. Well, on that note, please keep in mind that it can eat small crustaceans (which it usually likes to go out and hunt for, when it’s in its original habitat ocean homes).

Not only that, but you can also give it a few snails and shrimp. Small invertebrates can be great for it — it will eat these right up without question; in small - portion serving sizes, this fish can eat twice daily.

Origins

The origins of this guy are quite diverse and broad - ranging, having first been discovered in and around South & Central America. Places like Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize have considered themselves quite blessed indeed to have been able to house such a beautiful fish in their regions, respectively. What kingdom does this fish belong to? That would be none other than that of the Animalia!

It comes from the Heroini tribe as well. Notice how that has the word hero in it? Perhaps that implies that, deep down inside, this fish is brave and heroic, by nature, venturing out to explore the unknown….

Roommate Situation

You will want to consider a few things carefully here before just randomly tossing any fish you own into random ‘tank mate arrangements’ as not all fish get along well. Some nip at the fins of others, some avoid others, and some — in many cases — even try to eat others alive.

So with that all said, having tank mates of the same size (or, at the very least, a size that is very, very similar) will at least help take care of the cannibalism problem. Much bigger fish will always try to ‘bully’ and eat much smaller ones — that’s just the nature of things. Try other Cichlids, or even Tetras, of the same size and proportions.

Other Facts to Note

You might also like to know that a pH of 6.5 - 8.0 is perfectly ideal for them to swim about in. Try and have the settings already prepared before you make the drop, if transferring the fish into the tank from a fresh plastic bag. Or, you can even ask the pet store employee, in many cases, to prepare the tank temperatures for you and drop the fish in (but you’ll need to purchase the tank there as well). Enjoy!