Firemouth Cichlids dying

[OutbackJack]

as the title states, every time I try to keep Firemouths, they always die within a few days. No wounds, no ripped fins, no signs of damage. My water parameters are perfect; minimum ammonia, nitrates/nitrites, PH is good, fed twice a day with good quality food. 25% water changes every Tuesday and Friday nights.

But still, they're impossible to keep alive. I have one Red Spotted Severum, two EBAs, three Bloodfin Tetras, two Burmese Upside Down Catfish, and two Keyhole Cichlids in a 150G tank. I've never witnessed any aggression with the fish or anything unusual besides my Severum sizing newcomers up; but once they're in the tank, he's completely chill. Did start thinking maybe it was the Catfish but they've been with my tetras for months now and they've never tussled. I've even snuck into my aquarium room with a flashlight to get the jump on the catfish (they hide in my ornaments during the day time) and those goofy things are just playing in the hornwort or my driftwood. I'm starting to become frustrated because I really love Firemouths and I just want some to survive.

Is there something I'm overlooking or not doing correctly? Some kind of knowledge I don't know about? I'm starting to think it's my LFS's supplier or something; bad batch of fish?

 

[Jexnell]

You said PH is fine. Fine as in what number. Firemouth come from high PH hard water. They also do better in groups, the more the merrier.
I had like 15 of them 8n a 125gal. The males would set up a territory, then the females would swim around checking out each male territory until she found one she approved of.

 

[OutbackJack]

You said PH is fine. Fine as in what number. Firemouth come from high PH hard water. They also do better in groups, the more the merrier.
I had like 15 of them 8n a 125gal. The males would set up a territory, then the females would swim around checking out each male territory until she found one she approved of.

About a 7.3, from my last reading before I added them to the tank. From what I was reading, Firemouths are good from 6.5 to 8. Next go around, I'll have to add more in, maybe? lol

 

[Lif.Natdanai]

I’ve never had experience keeping this type of fish, but personally, I think the firemouth cichlid comes from Central America, so it probably needs different water parameters compared to the fish you’re keeping, most of which are from South America. Differences in parameters like hardness and pH from their natural habitats could cause problems, don’t you think?

 

[OutbackJack]

I’ve never had experience keeping this type of fish, but personally, I think the firemouth cichlid comes from Central America, so it probably needs different water parameters compared to the fish you’re keeping, most of which are from South America. Differences in parameters like hardness and pH from their natural habitats could cause problems, don’t you think?

Most websites list Severums, EBAs, and a lot of SA Cichlids as good tank mates for Firemouths. The differences in water parameters isn't really huge or anything. It's nothing as drastic as keeping dojo loaches with Discus lol

 

[Jexnell]

7.3 is quite low for Firemouth. Mine were kept in 8.2 with a harness of 350 and they did great. Are you adjusting your water at all or is that the natural state of your water source? If it's the natural state not adjusting then maybe stick with South American fish. It's better to pick fish for your water than constantly adjusting the water for the fish.

 

[OutbackJack]

7.3 is quite low for Firemouth. Mine were kept in 8.2 with a harness of 350 and they did great. Are you adjusting your water at all or is that the natural state of your water source? If it's the natural state not adjusting then maybe stick with South American fish. It's better to pick fish for your water than constantly adjusting the water for the fish.

Out of curiosity, I did a PH test on the water straight out of my faucet and it's reading about a 7.6. I don't adjust my water really, never needed to before because my other fish seem to thrive in it.

 

[Jexnell]

All your fish listed are from South America and used to low PH soft water. It's the reason they are doing OK. Different pathogens grow in different types of water. Fish from high PH hard water don't have defenses for softwater pathogens and vise versa.

 

[RD.]

7.6 pH would be fine for this species. Not a pH issue. Probably come from a fish farm in FL and raised in pH 8.0+
No need to get anal retentive with pH values and domestic strains of captive fish.

every time I try to keep Firemouths, they always die within a few days

Do these fish go through a proper QT process, or straight from the LFS and into the tank?

 

[Bret Signorelli]

I suspect a bad source