What could go with a fire mouth cichlid?

[Fmcc789]

i have one fire mouth cichlid in a 20 gallon aquarium and i wanted to know, what would go well with him (if anything)?

[Cottontail]

First off, firemouths alone need a larger aquarium than 20 gallons. They reach an excess of 6". I would recommend at least a 30 gallon tank.

They can be kept with other fish, including other cichlids; however, they are aggressive and territorial. They should be kept with fish that are equal or larger in size and robust.

In short, if you plan to get more fish with your FC, you need a bigger tank.

[Fmcc789]

ok, i already had a 35 gallon setup at home so i have taken your advice and moved him into this instead, what species of cichlid would you recommend?

[Cottontail]

I wouldn't recommend adding more than one cichlid of the same size in your tank. I'll list a few species that could work in your aquarium. In that size tank, it's still going to be tricky picking your tank mates, especially if you choose to go with another cichlid. In any case, I recommend that you have plenty of caves and hiding places.

A pair of firemouths can be housed in a tank that size, though. You could go with this simple path and just get another (of the opposite sex) firemouth. Or house two females.

Option 2 for cichlids would be a Blue Acara (Aequidens pulcher). They reach a maximum of around 8", but can be smaller and are generally well behaved.

You may also be able to get by with one Port Cichlid (a.k.a, Brown Acara. Aequidens portalegrensis) as another option. They range from 6-8" and are also one of the better tempered South American Cichlids.

The final option for cichlids would be to add one Flag Cichlid (Festivum). They can be a little testy with other semi-aggressive fish and do often eat smaller tank mates, which shouldn't be a problem with your FC. It's recommended that these particular cichlids have heavily planted tanks.

Besides cichlids...

You could go the path of a community tank without adding more cichlids and have your FC as a showcase fish. Some options would be to add a group of larger tetras (at least 4"), barbs, or loaches of similar size. As you probalby know, FCs spend a great deal of time at the lower end of the aquarium. So, if you choose to add a bottom feeder, be careful that it's not too small or fragile.