# Firemouth setup



## MbunasandMapleleafs (Mar 23, 2004)

I'm in a position to a aquire a breeding pair or firemouths. 
I'm only familiar with Africans and angels and want to give these guys an ideal home. 
What do I need for tank size, substrate, rockwork live plants, to have success ?

thanks


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

A 55gal with some DW, sand and plants would be great (not a big believer in rocks for non-Rift lake Cichlids) . I use to have and bred them when I was young. Great parents and easy to raise.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

A 40 breeder would work for a pair. Large groups of firemouths work too if you go with a bigger tank. Sand and smooth river rocks for decor. I had thorichthys ellioti, which is similar, and they liked to sift sand alot so I would keep potted plants or stuff that you can glue to rocks and wood.


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## MbunasandMapleleafs (Mar 23, 2004)

Okay perfect I have a tank that will work with sand substrate. Which types of plants and what kind of tank mates would work or should I leave the 2 to breed and raise their young.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

If you want area correct tankmates, look for swordtails or sailfin mollies. The only plants I can think of is anubias and have fern. You could also keep other plants in pots and just hide the pot behinds rocks.


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## thornsja19 (Feb 4, 2017)

Another cool idea if you wanted a larger tank is doing a mix of thorichthys meeki (Firemouths) and thorichthys pasionis (yellow/lemon firemouth). The yellows are a lot harder to find but I've seen some awesome setups with both in the same tank. They're supposed to get along pretty well together and strangely enough do not crossbreed very often if ever


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## thornsja19 (Feb 4, 2017)

Oh and yeah, +1 to the sand and driftwood setup. Plants you gotta get lucky. They really like digging around in the substrate so most plants won't make it simply because you can't keep them in one spot consistently. Gotta get lucky with the fish as to if they leave the plants alone or not


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