Firemouth photo journal

[shaun_jon]

Going to be posting pics once a month tracking the growth of my Firemouth. Here he is after one month in the tank.

 

[shaun_jon]

A little over 2 months in the tank. Still a happy fish.





Here's a full tank shot too.. just redid the scape and much happier with this!

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Are you sure that's a firemouth (thorichthys meeki)?
Colour and head shape suggest female thorichthys macullipinnis to me. Especially the last photo. Not sure if it's lighting or camera but meeki have red and blue tails not yellow.

 

[shaun_jon]

It was labeled as Firemouth in the store.

The body is getting close to 3" I would say. Do you know what size they usually show more color?

Here's another before I did the rescape where the fin looks more blue, maybe it was just the flash or lighting?

 

[shaun_jon]

Now that I think about it... There are a lot of tannins in the water from the new drift wood I put in. Maybe that made it look more yellow too.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Now that I think about it... There are a lot of tannins in the water from the new drift wood I put in. Maybe that made it look more yellow too.

You maybe right. Lighting, colour of the water or the camera could have gave the tail more of a yellow glow.
Thorichthys will show more colour in pairs or groups. If your fish is the only cichlid in the tank it has no need to display full colouration.
Thorichthys I have kept in the past start displaying good colour at about an inch. Genetics and environmental conditions alo g with diet will also have an influence.

 

[shaun_jon]

Went to a black substrate and added an electric blue acara to the tank. He seems to be much more active and showing great color now.

 

[Ogertron3000]

Certainly looking more like a firemouth now.

 

[BIG-G]

nice firemouth.
One of those fish that gets overlooked because they are so common in the hobby.
Still a great species and fun to keep.
I always come back to them every now then in my fish keeping.