Firemouth Cichlid

The firemouth cichlid is recognized by the bright red color running from its throat to its belly and the gold-ringed black spots on the lower part of its gill covers. Facing a rival or danger, it flares its gill covers and puffs out its throat; this display serves to deter without getting into a fight.

It is one of the mildest Central American cichlids, which makes it a good choice for anyone who wants to start with this group. Still, during breeding it claims a territory, sifts through the substrate and may see small fish as food.

It lives in slow-flowing rivers, lakes and spring pools, above all in the Usumacinta system in Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, Guatemala and Belize. It is found in places where the bottom is covered with sand and mud and the water is moderately hard and slightly alkaline. It sifts sand through its mouth and eats the small creatures in it.

• Volume: At least 150 liters and 100 cm of length for a pair; 250 liters or more with other cichlids.
• Substrate: Fine, round-grained sand is essential; it feeds by sifting the sand.
• Decor: Create territory boundaries with stones, roots and caves. Rooted plants may be uprooted; tying Anubias and Java fern to stones is safer.
• Water: Moderately hard water; a 25–30% water change every week.

Omnivorous. Use sinking cichlid granules as the staple; vary the diet with frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis and spirulina food. Since it feeds from the bottom, make sure some of the food reaches the substrate.

Despite its showy threat displays, real fights are rare. A breeding pair defends an area of 40–50 cm around the spawning stone.

Good companions: Central American cichlids of similar size and temperament (rainbow cichlid, Thorichthys species), silver dollars, large livebearers (swordtails, mollies), plecos.

Avoid: Small fish the size of neons, shrimp, very aggressive large cichlids (jaguar, red devil), delicate layouts with rooted plants.

The firemouth is kept as a pair. A pair forms naturally when several juveniles are raised together; after pairing, the extra fish should be removed. Two pairs can be housed in a tank of 250 liters or more that is divided up with stones.

The pair lays 100–500 eggs on a flat stone it has cleaned. The eggs hatch in 2–3 days; the parents move the larvae into sand pits they have dug beforehand. Once the fry become free-swimming, they move around as a school under the watch of both parents and are fed brine shrimp nauplii.

Hardy. Hole-in-the-head disease (HLLE) and fin rot can occur in poor water quality. Avoid overcrowded tanks to prevent injuries from territorial fights.

The male is larger; his dorsal and anal fins are longer and more pointed, and his red color is more intense. The female is smaller and rounder. A reliable distinction is made by checking the papilla during spawning.