55g Advice needed - Firemouth's and Salvini's

[TotalFish]

Hi

I am reasonably new to fish keeping. I have owned my three firemouths and pleco for about a year and a half. The firemouths tended to linger at one end of the tank which is their safe spot and that's fine so I thought it would be safe to introduce something else as the tank was fully being used and the water conditions didnt shift a lot at all.

My LFS suggested various things one worker suggesting fish much larger than my firemouths which I knew wasn't the best advice (Things like Red Devils and Green Terrors) . I eventually settled on trying Salvini's. I had a look into them and as they can be quite aggressive decided to get two not three to match my firemouths.

I now have three firemouths (One is a bout 4 .5 inch and is the boss of the tank the two others are bit smaller) , two Salvinis (both about three and a bit inchs) and a pleco. They seem to get on occasional with bit of aggression from the largest firemouth towards all of the fish. I do weekly water changes of roughly 25 - 30 % and have live plants and stable water conditions etc. I am also running two filters one EHEIM 2213 and one 2215. All my fish are male or at least have no pairs.

The firemouths are now actually more active and seem less skittish / have better colour. They still hang around the one end but do occasionally visit the middle section and even the other end. The Salvinis move all over. One spends half its time with the firemouths and the rest of the time up the other end especially when the other salvini is there.

My main question is do you think this will be sustainable or am I going in the wrong direction .

Any advice would be great

Thanks

 

[tlindsey]

Hi

I am reasonably new to fish keeping. I have owned my three firemouths and pleco for about a year and a half. The firemouths tended to linger at one end of the tank which is their safe spot and that's fine so I thought it would be safe to introduce something else as the tank was fully being used and the water conditions didnt shift a lot at all.

My LFS suggested various things one worker suggesting fish much larger than my firemouths which I knew wasn't the best advice (Things like Red Devils and Green Terrors) . I eventually settled on trying Salvini's. I had a look into them and as they can be quite aggressive decided to get two not three to match my firemouths.

I now have three firemouths (One is a bout 4 .5 inch and is the boss of the tank the two others are bit smaller) , two Salvinis (both about three and a bit inchs) and a pleco. They seem to get on occasional with bit of aggression from the largest firemouth towards all of the fish. I do weekly water changes of roughly 25 - 30 % and have live plants and stable water conditions etc. I am also running two filters one EHEIM 2213 and one 2215. All my fish are male or at least have no pairs.

The firemouths are now actually more active and seem less skittish / have better colour. They still hang around the one end but do occasionally visit the middle section and even the other end. The Salvinis move all over. One spends half its time with the firemouths and the rest of the time up the other end especially when the other salvini is there.

My main question is do you think this will be sustainable or am I going in the wrong direction .

Any advice would be great

Thanks

Welcome aboard☺

The tables may turn once the Salvinii mature but will suggest this from what I have learned from experienced members here is to add dithers such as Sword tails to help diffuse aggression.

 

[Gourami Swami]

I think when the fish are all full size this will probably not work out. It is possible, but if either of them forms a pair they will want half (or all of) the tank to themselves and will harass the others. Salvini are much more aggressive IMO, and firemouths have weak jaws which make keeping them with more aggressive species in close quarters risky, because they easily get hurt if they lock lips. I think a better idea would be to return the salvini and make it a meeki species tank- get 3 more firemouths. Or you could try adding 3 thoricthys of another species such as aureus.

 

[kewpiefishypewpie]

I think when the fish are all full size this will probably not work out. It is possible, but if either of them forms a pair they will want half (or all of) the tank to themselves and will harass the others. Salvini are much more aggressive IMO, and firemouths have weak jaws which make keeping them with more aggressive species in close quarters risky, because they easily get hurt if they lock lips. I think a better idea would be to return the salvini and make it a meeki species tank- get 3 more firemouths. Or you could try adding 3 thoricthys of another species such as aureus.

This. Firemouths are no match for Salvini.

 

[Rocksor]

Welcome aboard☺

The tables may turn once the Salvinii mature but will suggest this from what I have learned from experienced members here is to add dithers such as Sword tails to help diffuse aggression.

I have found that dithers, while good for making cichlids less shy, are generally ignored in terms of territorial dispute. The best target fish for cichlid aggression is another cichlid.

 

[dan518]

I would go for a pair of salvini or a group of 6 or more Thorichthys,