# firemouth aggression out of hand



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

So my (3.5") firemouth has officially become a punk. He pursues and seeks out my bigger (taller) 3.5" Uaru relentlessly...

My soon to be solution I believe is to remove the FM and take him back to the LFS...

That said - I was thinking about adding one (2?) Uaru to make it a pair (group?)

Thoughts? If you have other ideas for a fish to replace the FM with or think I should take the FM and the Uaru back and go in another direction, feel free to chime in...

Here are the sizes of the fish...

5 SDs - ranging from half dollar size to the size of a silver dollar coin.

1 Oscar - 3" but not "tall" yet

1 FM - 3.5"

1 Uaru - 3.5"

1 Raphael Cat (irrelevant I guess) - 2.5"


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## kinggreenterror (Dec 16, 2010)

did u try cleaning the tank tank out like 30-50 water. move evrythign around.. thaat way it feels like a new place and not his tank. add more hiding place. :dancing:


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

My Firemouths a little douchebag too. He'll argue with and chase the sajicas, but the JD and the Bristlenose scare the **** out of him.

I'd say either ditch the Uaru and get another fish that will stand up to your FM. Like i said, my JD is good for this.

OR

Keep the Uaru and ditch the FM. I'm not sure i'd keep more than 1 Uaru in that tank with an oscar. They do grow to about 1 foot and 3 fish of a foot or more will make that tank look TINY. That's without factoring in the SDs!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Already did a 65% water change and took EVERYTHING out of the tank, then did a complete re-aquascape... no change.

Ideas for a fish that would stand up to the FM? I'm not really into JDs


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## stevenm1 (Jul 14, 2008)

I would try a Convict, he would be fine in that tank and will not get to big for the 90g.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I've actually tried a female convict (a little smaller than the FM - but she was the most aggressive convict I've had) and he did the same thing to her...

Normally I'd be okay with a little chase here or there, but the FM actively seeks out and bites/nips on the fins of the uaru pretty regularly.

I'm getting the idea I should just ditch the Uaru (sad).

Here're the fish I've tried with the FM since he's been in the 90 with the Oscar and SDs...

- 1.75" female con (who is currently breeding in my 15) - FM beat on her

- 3.5" male bellycrawler pike - FM instigated fights with him but the pike became too aggressive

- 4" female nicaraguense - hid in the cichlid stone all day for over a week...

- 3.5" Uaru (currently being chased and bitten)

I almost want to try something like...

- synspilum
- male convict (bigger though)
- chocolate cichlid?
- geophagus brazilian?

others?


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Always remove the aggressor. 
Adding another aggressor greater than the first will result in just a bigger bully in the end. 
Consider yourself lucky you can even get uaru. I've been after them for months and can find none around here. They do great in groups, had a breeding trio a long time ago. Truely an awesome fish...


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

Most CA cichlids will stand up to a firemouth, as will many SA cichlids.

A Green Terror would for sure, but may challenge your Oscar. A female GT would probably do better than a male with your Oscar. Blue Acara or Severum would probably work, and would be my likely choice if it were my tank. Other choices that would be along the same lines as a GT would be a female V.Synspilum or a Nicaraguense--also preferably a female.

If you aren't particularly attached to the FM, I'm inclined to agree with TheFishGuy on this one.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

TheFishGuy said:


> Always remove the aggressor.
> Adding another aggressor greater than the first will result in just a bigger bully in the end.
> Consider yourself lucky you can even get uaru. I've been after them for months and can find none around here. They do great in groups, had a breeding trio a long time ago. Truely an awesome fish...


True words, I'm kinda attached to the firemouth, but the oscar is my pride and joy. I'm almost inclined to return both the FM and the Uaru and get a Syspilum...

If I can get another 2 Uaru tomorrow I might. I have a LFS about 40 minutes from me that gets them in every 3 weeks or so (problem is, people like us hover like vultures and someone always buys the lot before I know about it :x ) If i can grab another then that would result in probably returning the FM, depending on how well having the trio(?) of uaru is.

TFG - what do you think about having the Oscar with 2 or 3 Uaru in the 90?? I just worry about when those fish hit full size (mok3t has a good point)..

I think my real "goal" is the oscar, the SDs, and then 2 smaller cichlids roaming the bottom.


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## kinggreenterror (Dec 16, 2010)

get a med size Green Terror. Or med size Midas.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

kinggreenterror said:


> get a med size Green Terror. Or med size Midas.


Honestly, though I appreciate input, I have to disagree with this advice... a midas would destroy anything in my tank and own the tank in a week (esp. since my oscar is a juvie at 3") and a GT would be too aggressive I think


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

> TFG - what do you think about having the Oscar with 2 or 3 Uaru in the 90?? I just worry about when those fish hit full size (mok3t has a good point)..


I think it'd be ok for a while, depends on your oscars attitude once mature. There's not going to be a whole lot of room for decor once all have grown up...

I'm PMing you...


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Went to my two LFS(s), neither of them had Uaru (was hoping one would), so for now the FM is in a "breeding box" at the top of the tank (because my heater broke for my 10 gallon)

Uaru is very happy now, though I'm sure a friend would be appreciated...

Gonna keep looking for the next few days for another Uaru.

On a side note, I've been really noticing how skittish my silver dollars are, which made me think about trading them in for a school of like 6 giant danios. Do you find the giant danios to be less skittish than the SDs?


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## HawkinsStu (Feb 27, 2010)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> On a side note, I've been really noticing how skittish my silver dollars are, which made me think about trading them in for a school of like 6 giant danios. Do you find the giant danios to be less skittish than the SDs?


I have 5 giant danios (2-3inches) in with my 2 oscars (around 8 inches) in a 150cal (48x24x30high), great contrast in colours with the oscars, to quick for the oscars to catch even thou they will just look at them.

Having not owning SDs i cant answer your question for sure but i find my group arnt that skittish, they are pretty much none stop swimmers but not darting around all over the place looking for somewhere to hide.

I went with these instead of the SDs based on size, i didnt want the tank to look over crowed but i wanted something in there which was moving alot, these may grow as long as SDs but not as tall. I have also found with the oscars being messy eaters i dont actually need to go and feed them, they will just pick up what ever the oscars spit out or dont eat, blood worm, pellets you name it. Cant belive how much they have grow in 4 months with them just picking up scraps!

Sorry for the long answer but i find these are great dither fish and would much prefer these over silver dollers (looking to increase my group by acouple i think) also the fact they spawn so much which the canister filder collects. Sorry cant help to include some pics hope you dont mind:


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## ebjdftw (Aug 24, 2010)

I would say go with giant danios. I use them as dithers in my JD tank and my EBJD tank. They add so much activity to the tank, its great. I have six in each tank. They never seem to stop swimming.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I'm going to be bringing the firemouth back today and getting 6 giant danios... For now I want to see how they do while still having the SDs in the tank... (My family is pretty attached to the silver dollars) But once the oscar gets to be about 6 inches the SDs go back.

I'm kinda lucky because my LFS is giving me the danios for half price since I'm bringing them a pretty nice FM 

I'll post pics once they get introduced (the tank at the LFS that they're in is pristine)


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

So I just got them and introduced them, and saw an IMMEDIATE difference in the silver dollars - they're no longer afraid to swim out in the open at all, and the oscar and Uaru are really happy too!


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Here's a shot of the 90 with the danios in it (hard to get a shot since they NEVER stop moving) and a layout change


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## ebjdftw (Aug 24, 2010)

they may never stop moving haha


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

ebjdftw said:


> they may never stop moving haha


They've done SO MUCH good for the tank since i introduced them yesterday... here's a list of the positives 

1. Silver dollars no longer skittish at ALL
2. I can walk by or do work next to the tank without scaring everyone
3. My raphael catfish swims during the DAYTIME!!! 
4. Much more tank activity

Only one negative...

1. More poop :lol:


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