# Firemouth - white lips



## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

So I've been trying to pick up the pieces after Mr. Peaches death. I rebuilt the filters and the water clarity is insane. Also got tempersture up to 78 degrees. Several weeks have passed and everyone seems to be doing well but I'm worried about my Firemout, Bubbles. His lips turned white at some point and I'm starting to worry it's some kind of fungus... what do you guys think? His lips have been like this a couple months, during a time when the tank went through a couple months of neglect. Bubbles is a neat fish, he's the biggest and coolest looking, longest lived firemouth I've ever had. He was acting weird for awhile after Mr Peaches died, but his behavior is improving, he's eating and swimming around more. His lips havent really got worse, they seem to have been improving except today there is a small white blotch above his upper lip that wasn't there before. He does tussle a bit with my yellow lab who thinks she's tank boss now, but I don't think this is a lip locking issue.

I described a period of neglect, basically the heater died and the fish went through one Southern California winter without heat, and also the lights burned out so it was dark in the tank for about a month or 2. One day peering into the darkness of the unlit tank is when I noticed Bubbles' white lips.

55g, 2 aqueon 30 HOB custom, one 50watt aqueon Heater preset 78.

1xyellow lab "Splashy"
1xfiremouth "Bubbles"
1xalbino rainbow shark "Michael"
1xfemale pink convict "Susan Brewster"

And presenting...
1xflowerhorn "Lady Glitter Sparkles" aka "Meg"


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## shiftyfox (Aug 2, 2019)

I love the fish names lol. Looks like Bubbles has been fighting. 
50w heater seems a little on the low side for a 55g tank..


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

Shiftyfox, I appreciate the reply so much!!

I think you're right because I saw Bubbles fighting with Splashy this morning and there was definitely lip locking involved!!!

Ever since Mr. Peaches died, Splashy thinks she is the boss of the tank... she even spawned with herself and appeared to be mouthbrooding last week... Silly lab! smh

As far as the 50 Watt Heater, I have a thing about heaters... When I first joined the forum I read a lot of stories about how the heaters can get stuck on and cook the fish. Ever since I have always tried heat my tank minimally. The 50 Watt is working overtime and the heat is fluctuating between 75-78F. It's on most of the time, but is still shutting off for short periods a couple of times a day; shouldn't have bought the non-adjustable heater but I was on a budget; I admit I do like the compact size. I am planning to find and add 25 watt adjustable heater and set it to max, my goal being that it would stay on 24/7 and get the tank up to between 78-82F. If that isn't enough to hit 80 then I'll add a second 25 Watt.

This way even if the 50 Watt got stuck on, I don't think the tank could possibly heat up to hazardous levels.

IMO the official recommended 200W heater for a 55 gallon aquarium is way overkill unless you're living in Antartica.

Anyway, I feel much better now because my primary concern was that Bubbles had columnaris or something that might infect my new fish Meg, who I have really high hopes for.


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

LOL my kids named all the fish except for Meg, whose full name "Lady Glitter Sparkle" is derived from Bridget's alter ego in the film Trolls, and whose nickname "Meg" comes of course from the world's favorite princess, Megan Markle AKA "Megan Sparkle"

She has some amazing turquoise pearling... I will post a picture of her at some point.

My daughter named "Susan Brewster" after Punky's mom, who abandoned her in a supermarket...


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

I have the heater right next to one of the filter intakes...


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## Oscar6 (Aug 4, 2017)

A 200w heater in 55g is not really overkill. Heaters are not of the quality they used to be, and were never designed to run hour after hour. They are supposed to come on for just a couple minutes, get very hot and shut down. Look at it like a small engine in a big truck. Works much harder than a bigger engine to get the same result. Also, beware the Flowerhorn. Notoriously aggressive, generally bad tankmates for anything even slightly milder mannered than they are.


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

Maybe you're right, but the constant on/off bothers me. My last heater was a little 25 watt guy and it ran non-stop for well over 5-6 years before it gave out, and it heated my 55 gallon tank for... well, 5-6 years all by itself.

When it came time to choose new fish, I gave it a lot of thought. (I resisted the urge to do a stocklist post lol), I wanted a large aggressive cichlid that would work in my 55g, I considered a red devil (but decided that would be too controversial) before finally selecting a female flowerhorn. Or I tried to select a female, because at 2-3 inches I'm not sure how reliable they can be sexed. But she doesn't have as much pink as some of the others did; also many of the others already had prominent nuchal humps forming, and she did not. The reason I wanted a female because I know the females are smaller sized and would work better in my tank. Also, I'm not really into the huge bulging koks to be honest...

alternatively I considered 2-3 more moderately sized less aggressive cichlids like some red severum or blood parrots but ultimately I decided I wanted a larger more aggressive fish with a big personality.

If her destiny is to kill everyone in her tank then so be it. I realized that possibility when I added her. And I was kinda pissed off at my yellow lab (labidochromis caurelus) the way it's chasing everyone around, so I wanted a fish that would be able to take charge.

I am considering pulling Bubbles and Susan and setting them up in a 20 gallon long. I have a feeling they might spawn; they seem to like each other and they make a cute couple as you can see in the picture. And then Bubbles lips would have time to heal. And I will have FIrecons lol


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## heyzeusbrains (Jul 12, 2011)

Here is a picture of Splashy, the tank menace who is beating up my Firemouth
When she's not being aggressive she likes to hide and poke her head out of caves... typical mbuna


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