my firemouth never last same with electric jack dem

[candidpets]

in my 150 the firemouth gets torn apart they dont survive with salvini convict jewels

so i keep them witth electric jacks

i was told firemouth can hold their own why are mine so fragile? **** breeding? inbred?

 

[Hendre]

You have listed convicts, savings and jewels. 3 of the most downright nasty creatures placed on planet earth, after chihuahuas and politicians. I'm not surprised that firemouths get beaten down, and to be completely honest it sounds pretty crazy in there. My salvini was merciless to any fish, be it teensy danio or knifefish 3x his size.

 

[candidpets]

did u read all the threads here? people telling others to mix firemouths when i said its not a good idea? i get bashed/ this is a long time ago now i keep them alone

 

[candidpets]

thats why i thought maybe i am getting inbred firemouth or something

 

[Hendre]

What I'm implying is that the existing cichlids seem to be a mix of a few rather vicous species. And sometimes, with cichlids, it appears like they really differ in attitude between individuals. Inbreeding may make them more susceptible to disease and disability. But I doubt that'd change the other fishes attitudes and aggression. Maybe I'm completely wrong. I'll let the cichlid guys further on this

 

[candidpets]

jewels salvini jack dem all get along fine the firemouth no matter what did not do well this was years ago. I love firemouth tho, always wanted a group

 

[Rocksor]

Compared to a jewel cichlid, salvini, and jack dempsey, a firemouth is docile. It doesn't matter if it is wild caught or farm bred. They are not as mean as those 3 fish. Tank size is also important. You have a bigger chance of it working in a 8 foot tank versus a 2 foot tank.

 

[Hidan]

jewels salvini jack dem all get along fine the firemouth no matter what did not do well this was years ago. I love firemouth tho, always wanted a group

Quite a few mentioned that Firemouths don't do as well with violent tank mates, so your not alone with your experience.
Someone even mentioned that they do well as a group of Firemouths than in a cichlid community tank. Maybe you could try such a tank.

Problem with cichlids is often you can get an outlier. So you may have a hobbyist with a nasty firemouth who bossed around everyone and he will confidently state that firemouths can survive with any fish, in fact they will dominate the tank. And he isn't wrong as that was his experience.
Most fish have their own personalities and often a community tank of aggressive fish working out is just plain luck.

 

[duanes]

FMs are way more bluff than bite, are not fragile, its just their instinctual nature, and IMO don't do well with any other cichlids (especially the ones you have) other than other Thorichthys.
FMs are a social (among their own kind) species, and do well in a group of 4 or 5 other FMs, and some dithers, like geographically correct live bearers. Thorichthys are very much the Central American equivalent of Geophagines that also do well housed in shoals of their own kind.
Salvini are very aggressive loners once they hit stride, and I would never try to keep them in a cichlid community.
And jewels (if you mean Hemichromis) are aggressive African's, and really don't belong with any of the others you mention, geographically or in temperament.
Many people on MFK might think a 125 is an appropriate to randomly keep this or that Central American cichlid together, I don't, and believe your tank is too small for these type of volatile combinations together peacefully.

 

[Toiletcar]

I agree w/ all that has been said.

I have mixed salvini w/ firemouths in my 150g. But I do a few things to make it work.

1. Make sure it’s a female. IME males are much more aggressive.
2. Make sure you have a group of firemouths. My salvini seems to not bother a group.

Salvini aggression really varies from fish to fish. I’ve had aggressive ones and placid ones.