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I have just freed up one of my 55 gallons, just wanted some input on my proposed stocking list.

2 fire mouths
2 blue acaras
1 Severum
1 pleco (already there until I find a couple BN)

I know the blue acaras and the severum will do well together, Ive kept them together in the past. The thing im worried about is the fire mouths. I havn't tried them yet. Anything else that would go good with this combo? Would I be able to fit another severum? Im not too worried about them pairing off. I actually would like that, and ive got plenty more tanks to give a pair their own space if that does happen.

Im just popping this back to the top, in hopes someone might give me some feed back .

give the firemouths something to defend and i wouldnt see it as a issue. they are pretty calm when it comes to agro and territories are fairly small. If i remember right they mostly flash their gill plates as an act of aggression. Tanks large enough i dont see an issue.

I dont know about blue acaras though. you knowing them allready should tell you if they are to agressive for FMs.

I'd swap the acaras for rainbow cichlids - far less aggressive.

just my opinion. but i like big aggressive and smart fish. if u want something thats always fun go for somethin big like: oscar, green terror, jack dempsey, red devil, midas.
u know, one of the big guys

So you wouldnt be at all worried about any of the aforementioned fish beating the living hell out of firemouths, who are well known for starting fights they cant possibly win? An oscar in a 55 would in no way be acceptable, and most of the others should ideally be given more room than that too, if indeed humane fishkeeping is your thing, rather than rushing in blindly and underestimating these larger spoecies need not only for the correct dilution of toxins,but for humane habitable space for fitness,muscle tone and mental stimulation.

Amilner's suggestion was a good one, the rainbow cichlids are just about large enough to look after themselves and wont rise to the firemouths aggravational tactics, thus the tank should be peaceful rather than an abusive charnel house which would be the envy of absolutely no-one.

Having said that blue acaras and firemouths can go, ive tried it, but in a larger aquarium than that, 55 might be pushing it, a blue acara can beat the hell out of a firemouth and might just get to it - if cramped. Ive found that severums and firemouths aggravate each other with a fair amount of consistancy, particularly if the sevvies are natural colour, though the gold sevvies seem to get by without setting them off.

god help those fish if the blue acars you get are like mine

I'll step in here and concur with LHG. Fishes such as Dempseys are candidates for a 75 gallon on their own, let alone with anything else, and I wouldn't house an Oscar long term in anything less than 120 gallons, given that a fully grown Oscar can hit 14 inches. As for Guapotes ... forget it unless you have 150 gallons minimum, and make that 300 for tank busters like Parachromis dovii.

To live alongside Firemouths, you would be looking at something of similar size, not too aggressive, in which case the above suggestion of Herotilapia multispinosa, the Rainbow Cichlid, is probably a good one. Rainbow Cichlids have evolved to live in pretty crowded conditions in the wild, and have also evolved a breeding strategy that reduces internecine warfare among conspecifics, which will make them more compatible with the Firemouths.

One or two of the Cryptoheros species are also worth considering, such as C. spilurus, the Jade Eye Cichlid, which again is capable of accommodating itself in a diplomatic fashion alongside the Firemouths.

This article on Rainbow Cichlids should prove VERY useful in helping to make a determination as to their suitability alongside Firemouths. The Cichlid Room has an article on Cryptoheros Cichlids too, but that's a pay per view article (sigh).

Oh, by the way, make sure you obtain correctly identified specimens of Herotilapia multispinosa, as juveniles can resemble juveniles of a different, but related Cichlid species, namely Archocentrus centrarchus. This latter fish grows to be much bigger as an adult and a LOT more aggressive - it's on a par with the Caquetaia species for aggression, which means it's bad news if you're not prepared for it!

Likewise, there is one small Cichlid from Central America that I would avoid unless you're a specialist in these fishes and know what you're taking on. This is Neetroplus nematopus, whose breeding colour pattern has led to it being called "The Poor Man's Tropheus duboisi", but which is usually referred to simply as the "Neet". As a juvenile, this fish isn't especially problematic, but once sexual maturity kicks in, and these fishes start breeding, their commitment to the "search and destroy" doctrine of fry defence is total. Which means that an adult pair sets about systematically exterminating anything it thinks is a threat. Do NOT touch this species with a 60 foot barge pole unless you're prepared to give them a species aquarium and live with their frantic, berserker antics!

[Edited for broken tag]

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002