Fire mouth tank mates?

I'm not gonna say it would be okay because Cichlid tanks are an ever-changing playground. But I can tell you that I have kept a 2.5" Cichlid with my 6"-8" Cichlids before with no problems. The little guy posed no threat to the bigger fish so they left him alone. Just provide lots of rocks and driftwood to break up line of sight. From my experience, adding similar sized fish (i.e. large fish with large fish) usually triggers aggression as the new fish is a potential threat to the established hierarchy.

 

I'm not gonna say it would be okay because Cichlid tanks are an ever-changing playground. But I can tell you that I have kept a 2.5" Cichlid with my 6"-8" Cichlids before with no problems. The little guy posed no threat to the bigger fish so they left him alone. Just provide lots of rocks and driftwood to break up line of sight. From my experience, adding similar sized fish (i.e. large fish with large fish) usually triggers aggression as the new fish is a potential threat to the established hierarchy.

Well I'll let you know hope it goes because there's definitely going to be a hierarchy issue with a larger fish going in. Right now the BP is at the top and the others usually play nice until somebody riles things up and big daddy shuts down the show. I guess I mainly wanted to know if it'd be ok long enough to see if they can live together or if placing then in the same tank would lead to a blood bath on the first night.

 

Well I'll let you know hope it goes because there's definitely going to be a hierarchy issue with a larger fish going in. Right now the BP is at the top and the others usually play nice until somebody riles things up and big daddy shuts down the show. I guess I mainly wanted to know if it'd be ok long enough to see if they can live together or if placing then in the same tank would lead to a blood bath on the first night.

I'm actually curious about this too (adding a large fish to a hierarchy of smaller fish). Usually for my experience it's the reverse (I always add smaller fish into a tank with larger fish). As long as you have plenty of rocks/decor to break up line of sight, I think your smaller fish should be fine.

I recently added a 6" Tiger Oscar to my tank and my Jaguar and Jack Dempsey beat him up pretty bad. But he's a tough guy. He'll make it.

 

I've got plenty of rocks and such, if you look at it it's more of a African cichlid setup with American cichlids. But for sure I'll let you know the outcome. If not tomorrow Monday for sure so long as it remains healthy (I trust my Lfs because they have a strict no selling sick fish rule) it'll be skipping there quarantine tank and going in. Wish me luck.

I'm actually curious about this too (adding a large fish to a hierarchy of smaller fish). Usually for my experience it's the reverse (I always add smaller fish into a tank with larger fish). As long as you have plenty of rocks/decor to break up line of sight, I think your smaller fish should be fine.

I recently added a 6" Tiger Oscar to my tank and my Jaguar and Jack Dempsey beat him up pretty bad. But he's a tough guy. He'll make it.

Ok, 6 inch firemouth with JD, bp, and oscar all around 3 inches. Initially the oscar and BP had a standoff with the firemouth when it decided the BP hideout was there only place big enough for it. Lasted for all of 30 seconds and the grounds seem level. Tomorrow is water chamber day I usually do around 50%. Because of the bio load but might do 25-30 this time and see if this peace treaty lasts.

 

First day doesn't really mean much. Once the new Firemouth settles and gets used to the new environment, that's when the fun begins. Shouldn't have any problems, in my opinion. It's just for me, my fish one day work out fine. Months later, one of my fish can suddenly kill other fish. For no reason!

 

Like that red devil two weeks later the oscar looked like he'd been through a pencil sharpener lol. He healed pretty good though.