Firemouth cichlid care
Thorichthys meeki · Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico and Guatemala
Firemouths flare a bright red throat to warn off rivals but are fairly mild for Central American cichlids.
- Tank size
- 40 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 75 to 84 °F (24 to 29 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 6 in
- pH
- 6.5 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 8 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 10 to 15 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 40 gallon breeder
36 3/16 × 18¼ × 16 15/16 in outsideHow to keep firemouth cichlids
Firemouths flare a bright red throat to warn off rivals but are fairly mild for Central American cichlids. A pair needs a 40 gallon or larger tank with sand and caves.
Diet: Omnivore: cichlid pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Firemouth cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Angelfish
6 in · 29+ gal · 76–84 °F
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Electric blue acara
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–82 °F
Yellow lab cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–82 °F
Scissortail rasbora
6 in · 40+ gal · 72–79 °F
Rainbow cichlid
6 in · 30+ gal · 72–84 °F
Acei cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 74–82 °F
Keep apart
Cardinal tetra: Adult firemouth cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; cardinal tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Green neon tetra: Adult firemouth cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; green neon tetras grow to 1 in.
Ember tetra: Adult firemouth cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; ember tetras grow to 1.2 in.
Chili rasbora: Adult firemouth cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; chili rasboras grow to 0.8 in.
Celestial pearl danio: Adult firemouth cichlids eat fish under about 1.5 in; celestial pearl danios grow to 1 in.
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: firemouth cichlids need 75 to 84 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
What a firemouth cichlid tank needs
A tank of 40 US gallons or more (such as the 40 gallon breeder) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Fluval U3
Rated by the maker for up to 40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon firemouth cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Hang-on-back Canister Filter 7W
Rated by the maker for 20–40 US gal, which covers a 40 gallon firemouth cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 200W
Firemouth cichlids need 75 to 84 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding firemouth cichlids.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 75 to 84 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 40 gallon tank · Heaters for a 40 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common firemouth cichlid problems
- Breeding pairs guard territory hard.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Thorichthys meeki. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Firemouth cichlid H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue acara 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yellow lab cichlid Julian Matz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Scissortail rasbora Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rainbow cichlid Happy Birthday To You!, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Acei cichlid Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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