Central American tank

[Cheifwalnut]

I have some questions about how to make a Central American tank. It'll be a 40 breeder. I'm planning on having firemouths, swordtails, and hopefully some sort of catfish/algea eater. I need to know how many fire mouths I can keep with 6-10 swordtails. And I also need to know if there are any catfish/algea eaters from the same location as the FM's and ST's. Thanks

 

[tlindsey]

I have some questions about how to make a Central American tank. It'll be a 40 breeder. I'm planning on having firemouths, swordtails, and hopefully some sort of catfish/algea eater. I need to know how many fire mouths I can keep with 6-10 swordtails. And I also need to know if there are any catfish/algea eaters from the same location as the FM's and ST's. Thanks

Shoot pm to duanes he is very knowledgeable with CA especially how they thrive with live bearer's in the wild. I would even check out some of his threads.

 

[Zachk29]

So your tank size is a 40 gallon?

 

[Lawlboom]

Yeah that is going to be one cramped 40gallon. Probably should look for a 75 for that plan

 

[Zachk29]

I've never had firemouths before but I'm planning on getting some next week. So I've done a lot of research I would only put a pair of firemouths in a 40gallon. I'm only putting a pair in my 55 gallon.

 

[Lawlboom]

My 3-4 inch firemouth has violently murdered several buenos Aires tetras and my giant danios have damaged scales on their backs from time to time. In a 125g I'd be afraid of what they are capable of in a 40g

 

[Zachk29]

Yeah I agree and when they breed they are going to be super aggressive, because they will protect the babies if you want firemouths in a 40 gallon id be tempted to do just a pair of firemouths and maybe a small size Pleco.

 

[smitty03281964]

It would not be the best set up but I have seen worse. But definitely do not go over 5 Firemouth's.

 

[duanes]

If I was going to do a 40 gallon Central American cichlid tank, I'd go with something like Honduran Red Points, or nanoluteus, or maybe because they are slow growers, panamense. These are about the only CAs small enough for that size tank.
HRPs

panamense

nanoluteus

 

[Quo Vadis]

Or try Rainbow cichlids - I am doing almost the same tank as you, but with 5 Rainbow cichlids and swordtails. They are both from Honduras. If you aren't one hundred percent set on Firemouths I might consider another small CA cichlid. My Firemouth is a little terror, chasing around my convict, JD, acaras, anything that is not dramatically bigger than him... he does focus most his attention on other cichlids, but if there weren't any other I could see him chasing the swords