Firemouth & Convict cichlid in 35 gallon tank help!

[karate626]

I recently moved my painted turtles from this 35 to a 55. I then put a 3ish maybe 3 1/2 inch male convict cichlid in. He was the weaker male in another tank with 2 male convicts. I also put a 1/2 maybe 3/4 inch firemouth cichlid in the tank. Both were placed in the tank at the time. The tank is heavily planted (real and fake), many large rocks across the bottom, and a tall piece of fake driftwood from the lft in the middle that is a major sight block. Anyway, I'm hoping my firemouth will catchup in size with the convict. Right now the convict chased the firemouth to the top corner behind the filter. I'm hoping they may become a pair (won't sell fry, probably end up as feeder fish) but I'm afraid the firemouth will die before having a chance to grow up. I have a few questions. Will lowering the temp from 76 to something like 70 lower the aggression? Will the firemouth die from this treatment? How long does it usually take a firemouth to grow to 3 inches if it is already 1/2 an inch? Any ideas on how to make the odds of them forming a pair greater?

Thank you! Sorry for so many questions!

 

[Gruff Master]

Unless you just want to see what Firemouth x Convicts look like, you would probably have much better luck at getting fry by introducing a female Con. They breed like rabbits and will give you an almost endless supply of feeders. Lowering temps. does reduce aggression a bit and it also reduces appetite. It can also effect breeding too. Some fish will not spawn at cooler temps. I'm not sure if that's the case with Convicts. They are always eager to reproduce.

 

[karate626]

I wish I could get a female convict but the fish stores here don't have any. I got what I thought the next best mate would be, a firemouth. I hope she is a female.

 

[thedarkone]

The convict may breed with the firemouth if it is a female. Convicts will breed with other species of cichlids if there is not another con to mate with. However the con will not mate with a fish that it chases to the corner of the tank and mercilessly beats on. He will see the firemouth as weak and an unexceptale mate.

Firemouths are very slow growers it will take it quite awhile to grow to the same size as the con, and by then the con will have grown.

 

[karate626]

How long will it take the firemouth that is 1/2 an inch to grow to 4 or 5 inches? 4 or 6 months?

I found some black mesh! I think I will make a divider. I took out the convict and put him in with the dominate male again. This is just for overnight so they should be fine. I'm not sure how to attach the mesh to the sides of the tank. Any ideas. This is temporary so I don't want to use something to stick it if I can't get it off later.

Thank you!

 

[karate626]

I'm leaving the firemouth in this tank by itself. I may add a few black skirt tetras as they are not that small, hardy, and a little nippy to they can stand for themselves. Could I add a bristlenose pleco or would a few snails be better to clean the gravel and keep help with the algae?

 

[karate626]

I just took the 2 platys out of the 15 gallon and the 2 black skirt tetras out of the 20 gallon. They are all in the 35 gallon with the 1/2 inch firemouth.

Here is the current stocking:

15 gallon:

6 neons
3 cherry barbs (1 male 2 female) all over 3 years old
2 ottos (2 died )

Long 20 Gallon:

6 black neons
2 gold barbs
1 bristle nose pleco

35 gallon:

1 half inch firemouth
2 platys
2 black skirt tetra

How does all this sound? Now the tanks all seem a little empty which I know know is good!

 

[thedarkone]

How long will it take the firemouth that is 1/2 an inch to grow to 4 or 5 inches? 4 or 6 months

It will take a lot longer then for your 1/2" FM to grow that large. It will most likely take at least year before it reaches 4".

 

[karate626]

Here is the current stocking:

15 gallon:

6 neons
6 cherry barbs (2 male 4 female) (I only have 3 right now but will get 3 more soon)
2 ottos (Used to be 4 but 2 died. I'm not replacing them)

Long 20 Gallon:

6 black neons
5 Platys (only have 2 right now but will get 3 more soon)
1 bristle nose pleco

35 gallon:

1 half inch firemouth
6 Gold Barbs (Only have 2 right now. Will get 4 more soon)
6 black skirt tetra (Only have 2 right now. Will get 4 more soon)
6 rosy minnows (not in yet. Will get them soon)
1 Bristle nose pleco

How does all this sound? Now the tanks all seem a little empty which I know know is good! I can switch the 6 rosy minnows with the cherry barbs if either one needs a 35 gallon more than the other.

 

[karate626]

I like rosy minnows but they are only sold as feeder fish at my lft and I don't have a tank to quarantine them. I may switch them with glowlight tetras. I would put them in the 15 gallon with the neons and move the 6 cherry barbs into the 35 gallon.

Are Firemouths okay with gold barbs, cherry barbs, bristlenose pleco, and black skirt tetras?