A Central American cichlid known for its vibrant red throat and gill covers, peaceful temperament, and territorial behavior during breeding.
Out of Stock
A Central American cichlid known for its vibrant red throat and gill covers, peaceful temperament, and territorial behavior during breeding.
Oval-shaped body with metallic greenish or blue base coloration and fiery red coloration prominently on the throat, gill covers, and sometimes extending to fins. Males are larger with more intense colors and elongated fins.
8–10 years
Omnivorous; high-quality pellets or flakes as staple, supplemented with live/frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and occasional blanched vegetables.
Firemouth Cichlids offer a colorful and engaging addition to community or species-specific aquariums, with manageable care requirements and attractive parental behaviors.
Intermediate; requires stable water parameters, spacious tank, and careful tankmate selection.
30 gallons
6.5 to 8.0
8–15 dGH
75–82°F (24–28°C)
6–7 inches (15–18 cm)
Peaceful cichlids, larger tetras, catfish (Plecos, Corydoras), and other robust community fish with similar temperament.
Small community fish, overly aggressive or territorial species, and slow-moving or delicate fish.
Thorichthys meeki
Cichlidae
Central America: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala
Generally peaceful but territorial during breeding. Requires adequate territories and hiding spaces.
Feed 1-2 times daily with balanced cichlid pellets/flakes supplemented by live or frozen protein sources and vegetable matter.
Substrate spawner; pairs lay eggs on flat rocks or cave surfaces and guard both eggs and fry aggressively.
Pairs clean a flat surface (rock, wood) for egg laying; eggs hatch in about 3-4 days. Parents tend and protect eggs and fry; fry start feeding on infusoria and baby brine shrimp.
pH: 6.5–8.0, Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C), Hardness: 8–15 dGH, Nitrate: <20 ppm
Susceptible to ich, fin rot, and bacterial infections. Prevent with clean water, stable parameters, and proper diet.
Generally peaceful but territorial, especially when breeding. Requires hiding spaces and suitable tank mates.
Mildly aggressive, especially when breeding; territorial digs substrate and defends territory. Usually peaceful outside breeding times.
Native to rivers and streams in Central America, the Firemouth Cichlid thrives in warm, moderately hard water with stable parameters. It prefers tanks with sandy or fine gravel substrates, plenty of rocks, driftwood, and hardy plants. This species is active and digs the substrate to create territories. Though peaceable, males can become aggressive when defending breeding sites. Adequate tank space and plenty of hiding places help reduce aggression. They are hardy but require good water quality and regular maintenance to prevent common diseases.