Firemouth cichlid tank mates

Good matches

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The safest picks for firemouth cichlids are angelfish, oscars and guppies. Each match shares firemouth cichlids' temperature and pH and leaves them alone.

Mostly bluff: flares the red throat instead of fighting.

Temperature

75–86°F

pH

6.5–8

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

Minimum tank

30 gal

With care

34

Avoid

12

Good tank mates

• Angelfish76–84°F
• Oscar75–81°F
• Guppy75–82°F
• Kuhli loach75–86°F
• Blue gourami75–82°F
• Yoyo loach75–86°F
• Kissing gourami75–82°F
• Tiger barb75–81°F
• Severum75–84°F
• Electric blue acara75–82°F
• Congo tetra75–82°F
• Clown loach77–86°F
• Boesemani rainbowfish75–82°F
• Rummy nose tetra75–84°F
• Pearl gourami77–82°F
• Discus82–86°F
• Silver dollar75–82°F
• Paradise fish75–79°F
• Cherry barb75–81°F
• Dwarf neon rainbowfish75–82°F
• Lemon tetra75–82°F
• Pencilfish75–82°F
• Blood parrot76–80°F
• Molly75–82°F
• Cardinal tetra76–84°F
• Platy75–80°F
• Bristlenose pleco75–81°F
• Glass catfish75–80°F
• Bichir75–82°F
• Corydoras75–79°F
• Swordtail75–79°F
• Black skirt tetra75–80°F
• Harlequin rasbora75–80°F
• Zebra danio75–77°F
• Peacock cichlid76–82°F
• Elephant nose fish75–82°F
• GloFish tetra75–80°F
• Electric yellow cichlid75–82°F
• Odessa barb75–79°F
• Clown pleco75–82°F
• Serpae tetra75–79°F
• Crayfish75–77°F
• Pictus catfish75–79°F
• Siamese algae eater75–79°F
• Rosy barb75–77°F
• Dojo loach75–77°F
• Bolivian ram75–79°F
• Upside down catfish75–79°F
• Otocinclus75–79°F
• Zebra loach75–79°F
• Killifish75–77°F
• Panda cory75–77°F

Possible, with care

• Betta Firemouth cichlids are much bigger and pushier than bettas, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
• Pea puffer At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small pea puffer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Honey gourami Firemouth cichlids are much bigger and pushier than honey gouramis, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
• Bala shark Bala sharks grow to 13 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for firemouth cichlids.
• Convict cichlid Convict cichlids are aggressive. Firemouth cichlids hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Common pleco Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Sparkling gourami A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small sparkling gouramis as food, especially at night.
• Ember tetra At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small ember tetra. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Dwarf gourami Firemouth cichlids are much bigger and pushier than dwarf gouramis, which are slow and easy to bully at feeding time.
• African cichlid African cichlids are aggressive. Firemouth cichlids hold their own only in a big tank with places to hide.
• Mystery snail Large firemouth cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Endler's livebearer At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small endler's livebearer. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Rainbow shark Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Hatchetfish A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small hatchetfish as food, especially at night.
• Black neon tetra A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small black neon tetras as food, especially at night.
• Neon tetra A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small neon tetras as food, especially at night.
• Chili rasbora At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small chili rasbora. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Tinfoil barb Tinfoil barbs grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons, far more than a tank set up for firemouth cichlids.
• African dwarf frog African dwarf frogs eat slowly and nearly blind. Fast firemouth cichlids will take the food first, so target-feed them.
• Apistogramma Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Chinese algae eater Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Celestial pearl danio At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small celestial pearl danio. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• Zebra pleco Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Glowlight tetra A grown firemouth cichlid may treat small glowlight tetras as food, especially at night.
• Red tail shark Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Bamboo shrimp Firemouth cichlids will eat baby shrimp and may chase adults. Dense plants or moss give bamboo shrimp somewhere to hide.
• Kribensis Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Pygmy cory At 6 inches a firemouth cichlid can swallow a small pygmy cory. Fast, alert fish usually stay out of reach.
• German blue ram Both claim territory on the bottom. Give each its own cave and plenty of floor space.
• Gold barb They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.
• Assassin snail Large firemouth cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Ramshorn snail Large firemouth cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Nerite snail Large firemouth cichlids crack or pick at small snails. A big mystery snail has better odds than a ramshorn.
• Hillstream loach They only share 75°F. Keep the heater set there and steady.

Avoid

• Axolotl Axolotls are coldwater animals (60–66°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.
• Jack Dempsey Jack dempseys are aggressive and much bigger than firemouth cichlids.
• Goldfish Goldfish are coldwater animals (60–74°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.
• Flowerhorn Flowerhorns are aggressive and much bigger than firemouth cichlids.
• Silver arowana An adult silver arowana eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 6 inches firemouth cichlids do.
• Cherry shrimp A firemouth cichlid is big enough to swallow adult cherry shrimp.
• Black ghost knife An adult black ghost knife eats fish that fit in its mouth, and at 6 inches firemouth cichlids do.
• Ghost shrimp A firemouth cichlid is big enough to swallow adult ghost shrimp.
• Koi Koi are coldwater animals (59–77°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. They overlap only at 75–77°F, the edge of both ranges.
• Amano shrimp A firemouth cichlid is big enough to swallow adult amano shrimp.
• Fancy goldfish Fancy goldfish are coldwater animals (65–74°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.
• White cloud minnow White cloud minnows are coldwater animals (60–72°F); firemouth cichlids need 75–86°F. No temperature suits both.

Planning a mixed tank? The tank mate checker tests every pair at once. Or read the firemouth cichlid care sheet.