40g long with Firemouth and Honduran Red Point, more room for...?

HI all, this is my first post here.

On Monday I transferred my roughly 2" 6 month old firemouth (male) from a 10 gallon tank to a 40 gallon long. First, I'm hopeful I didn't stunt him in the 10 gallon, he wasn't supposed to be in there for nearly that long. Any thoughts on that?

Secondly, two days ago (Tuesday) I got a female Honduran Red Point (most likely a convict hybrid... oh well) to put in there with him and she's just as happy as can be, but the firemouth doesn't seem as keen on her company.

He flares up when she comes near and chases her away from his area. He's not relentless, and often times he'll let her pass on by with nary a glance, and he comes out quite a bit more now, doesn't fight her for food and is generally more active. I'm hoping his aggression dies down as they mature, but I know that's wishful thinking.

The decor is pretty sparse for the time being (there are multiple caves) but there could be a lot more broken lines of sight, which I plan to implement in the very near future as I gather more rocks and treat some newly acquired BW. Do you think the female Honduran will be able to hold her own against the FM? She doesn't seem stressed at all by his chasing her, she just scurries away and resumes her active investigation of everything.

Finally, I'm thinking about adding a male HRP for the female. I'm hoping this will split the attention of the firemouth so the female HRP doesn't get the full brunt of his aggression. It seems like she just wants to be his friend, because she will follow him, getting about 2 inches away directly behind him, just hanging out there, chillin', until he notices her and chases her off.

Will I be way overstocked if I have a male FM, and a pair of HRPs in a 40 gallon (48"L) with an AquaClear (Fluval) 110 HOB filter? I have other filters I can use, but would rather not if I can avoid it because they are either really loud or waiting to be used on another 40 gallon I'm in the process of re-siliconing.

The tank is fully cycled and I will change out 10 to 15 gallons of water every two weeks (I can do every week if necessary). Sorry this is so long. Thank you for any input you may have!

 

Welcome, welcome, welcome!! I hope you enjoy the forum!
I would not do more fish, especially since it sounds like they may breed. Just my advice, and I'm not cichlid- savvy. I hope my response helps you generate more answers!

 

Thanks for the warm welcome! So far I'm really liking the feel of this site

When you say it sounds like they may breed, do you mean the behavior of the FM and HRM suggests they are likely to breed? (I would be interested to see what a FM/HRP cross would look like... of course, I wouldn't pass them on to anyone else! I know hybrids are highly frowned upon unless they stay strictly within the confines of the person's aquarium) or if I introduce a male HRP the HRPs will breed? Thank you for your response!

 

Happy to hear you're enjoying life on Fishlore!
Like I said, I don't know much about cichlids, but to me, it does sound like that.

 

Thank you Guinea. If they did indeed pair up, then I introduced a male Honduran, that could spell doom for him as my FM appears to be a little pugnacious, I can imagine that'll increase 10-fold when they are in protect-the-kids mode. Maybe I can look into that when I upgrade them to a 70 gallon in a few years (hand-me down tank from my goldfish)... It would be cool to have 3 in there if the 3rd was one of the offspring (hybrid). The others would probably end up being food for other fish. Does anybody else have any thoughts on any of the above? Even with the possibility of fry, and keeping one in this tank after he grows a little bit, I'd still be curious if it would be overstocked with 3 cichlids/

 

I identify with your signature, the only plants I've been able to keep with my three goldies are anubias, and even that only when it's been introduced already deeply rooted in some bogwood. They have destroyed everything else!

 

You have goldfish? What types?

 

I have a 6" comet, a 4" oranda and a 4" black moor in a 70 gallon tank with 9 pentazona barbs and 9 khulI loaches. I assume you do as well? What do you have?

EDIT: Oh hey, I have a signature now! So yea, it's a bit small and the comet's quite blurry, but that's my goldie tank down there

 

Cool!
I have 5: Oranda (my favorite!!!), Fancy, 2 shubunkins, Common
Right now I have temporary 29 and 10 gallons for them. I'm getting an 110 gallon so tey can all be together in a Not overstocked tank!

 

I have to agree, my oranda is so awkward when he tries to move with any measure of speed, it's hilarious and endearing at the same time!

 

Would it be worth asking in the cichlid section? Or is that frowned upon... probably frowned upon.

Some new developements, though. She's trying harder and harder to be near him (FM) and he's only chasing her a way a smaller portion of the time. She's still only like an inch long so I don't imagine she'd be ready to make baby's yet but she sure does seem to think the firemouth is a stud. Proof that ladies like men who are mean to them (not a good habit to perpetuate!)

 

Would it be worth asking in the cichlid section? Or is that frowned upon... probably frowned upon.

Some new developements, though. She's trying harder and harder to be near him (FM) and he's only chasing her a way a smaller portion of the time. She's still only like an inch long so I don't imagine she'd be ready to make baby's yet but she sure does seem to think the firemouth is a stud. Proof that ladies like men who are mean to them (not a good habit to perpetuate!)

LOL
I think you could definitely post in the cichlid forum. For your breeding question, perhaps you should post in the breeding forum.

 

Hello, all Central American Cichlids can interbreed. Convicts are amazing at interbreeding with everything, man can they get around. Even though she's small it may still be possible for her to lay eggs. If you add a male con/hrp that will create a war between those two and the Firemouth. When breeding they become evil little monsters.

Personally, I'd hold off on adding my Cichlids. You can add some top dwelling fish though.

 

Right on. Being so small I imagine if she did lay eggs they probably wouldn't have much of chance of surviving since she's not mature yet. Just a guess.

I'm looking forward to the possibility of a FM/HRP cross. I will not add any more cichlids for the time being, and I don't think I want to add any top-dwelling fish either as I'd love this tank to be strictly a CA cichlid tank (even if there are only two )

 

I can't think of any other CA Cichlids that will stay small enough for your tank. Maybe you can find a female pink convict? Add some color to the tank.

Keep us updated, I want to know if they successfully breed.

 

I will keep you updated for sure! I'm excited to see what happens. For the time being it doesn't seem like the FM has any interest in the HRP other than to just chase her around, so my hopes of a "family" tank are slowly dwindling... perhaps when they move to the 70 gallon I can get another female and he'll feel more frisky having "options".

I was looking into the possibility of a yellow convict, they max out at 4", but I'm going to wait it out

 

Let us know!

 

Will do! Cool goldy Ginuea, BTW

 

Thanks! That's Peachy!

 

Hello, all Central American Cichlids can interbreed.

That is a very vague statement and also not entirely true. Many can interbreed with other species within their own genus yes, but this is only happening in our home tanks, species that people are coming up with hybrids at home.... some of these same species are found in the same waters in the wild and there is no evidence of hybrids there. So will they, yes, when forced into the situation if you will.
Also there are very few species that will have viable spawns when spawning with a species outside of their Genus. I said very few so yes it does happen, but to say all Centrals will interbreed is far fetched.
Although that is one of things ruining the hobby today.

Right on. Being so small I imagine if she did lay eggs they probably wouldn't have much of chance of surviving since she's not mature yet.
)

C. Nigrofasciatus will spawn at a very small size for the female, under 2" is fairly normal.
Just to give an idea here is a pic of a pair I have, so don't be fooled by her small size.....

removed

removed



Brian

 

btate, I didn't say anything about cross breeding in the wild, just that it's possible. Nothing far fetched about that.

 

btate, I didn't say anything about cross breeding in the wild, just that it's possible. Nothing far fetched about that.

I know that, you said hello all Central American cichlids can interbreed.
I will change my statement from that isn't entirely true to that is just a false statement. You will not get a viable spawn from mixing every Central it just won't happen, doesn't matter in a home tank or in the wild. I didnt say it happens in the wild either, I said species that are found in the wild together are not crossing yet when we put them in tanks at home they will.
You are correct it is possible, and is something that is wrong with our hobby today, but to say they all will do is not true and shouldn't be said as such.




Brian

 

.
... that is one of things ruining the hobby today.



C. Nigrofasciatus will spawn at a very small size for the female, under 2" is fairly normal.
Just to give an idea here is a pic of a pair I have, so don't be fooled by her small size.....

Brian

Thank you, Brian. After further observation I don't believe that the Firemouth will have any interest in breeding with the HRP. Just to be clear, that was never the intention to begin with, I just did some research on what Centrals would fit with my FM in a 40 gallon. I went with a female because she will stay smaller.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be bummed if they did spawn, but as I said before, there will be no distributing of the fry whatsoever.

 

I know that, you said hello all Central American cichlids can interbreed.
I will change my statement from that isn't entirely true to that is just a false statement. You will not get a viable spawn from mixing every Central it just won't happen, doesn't matter in a home tank or in the wild. I didnt say it happens in the wild either, I said species that are found in the wild together are not crossing yet when we put them in tanks at home they will.
You are correct it is possible, and is something that is wrong with our hobby today, but to say they all will do is not true and shouldn't be said as such.




Brian

We're getting a little off topic here but what CA species do you feel won't hybridize? From everything I've seen, read and experimented with myself show that It is possible for any CA Cichlid to cross with another CA. I'm interested with what doesn't hybridize.

 

Quick update: Last night I went to check on the HRP and FM and I found them both flaring their gills at each other. It appears the calm little HRP is done taking guff from the FM! I watched them for a while and she is getting pretty aggressive towards him. He's kind of fighting back... a little, but mostly he hides from her now as she cruises around like the queen bee (we've named the FM sitting bull and her buzzing bee... mainly because she used to buzz around him and annoy the bajeebers out of him, but now she's the queen!)