From the underside of the mouth all the way to the tail, the Firemouth Cichlid has a fiery red color – which inspires its name. The body is a mixture of blue-gray, blue and brown.

Avoid putting Firemouth Cichlid together with other fish species because during spawning, they are aggressive with other species. The red coloration has itself been discovered by scientists to be frightening to other types of fish. When a male Firemouth Cichlid is in the mood for a fight, he inflates his fiery red throat sac and gill covers. It may be a bluff, but it is impressive to other fish.

Fish Facts: What you need to know about Firemouth Cichlid:

1. These aquarium fish like fine sand lining the bottom of the tank as well as plenty of rocks and wood to hide in.
2. They appreciate plants within the tank – as long as the plants do not occupy too much space leaving little space for swimming.
3. Males are more colorful, especially during spawning season.
4. They have a second set of teeth in the throat besides the normal teeth.
5. They exercise their sense of smell by sucking in water and expelling it.
6. They are larger – growing up to 6 inches.
7. For a pair of Firemouth Cichlid, a 20 gallon tank is enough.
8. They are monogamous and remain in two parent families.