Tropical Fish Forums

RaiderFan92 · Regulars Joined: 12 Jun 2006

I have two firemouths, JD, Elliot. JD is the probable male, Elliot is the probable girl.

JD constantly keeps Elliot in the corner of the tank. He is way more aggresive then the other male I had that was killed by JD. I'm trying to breed, them and I kinda want to keep JD for his awesome colors.

So can I put JD in a 3 gallon solid pink colored bucket, with an airstone, and a screen cover on top?

Ill change some of the water every day, and scoop the waste and uneaten food out.

Ill do that, so that I can keep Elliot in a tank with great water quality so she grows fairly fast, and JD won't be stunted, but won't grow as fast as Elliot. Then when Elliot is a little bit bigger then JD, Ill put them back together.

Elliot is very shy and peacefull, she won't beat him up when shes bigger, but she'll be able to defend herself.

So will the bucket stress JD out to much? Is there anything I can do to reduce that stress?

(I'm sorry I post such long questions, I just like giving the whole story.)

Bob · Moderators Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: UK

Sorry to be short and sweet, but the bottom line is you really need a tank at least twice as big as the one you have. a 29 US gallon tank is no home for two Firemouths, and the idea of keeping one in a bucket to keep it from growing fast is not good fishkeeping.

Bob

RaiderFan92 · Regulars Joined: 12 Jun 2006

Not to stunt it. Just to keep it in OK water, and keep Elliot in water with great quality. And I would feed Elliot more too.

And those firemouths are both 2 inches long.

Bob · Moderators Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Location: UK

All I can do is repeat what I have already said, a 29 gallon tank isn't big enough for 1 growing Firemouth let alone 2.

It certainly isn't large enough for 2 growing or a full grown pair, a 55 gallon would do.

Growing fish need as much room, if not more than adult fish, they put out growth hormones that build up in a small tank, and this will stunt their growth.

I do understand your fish look small at the moment, but if you want these fish to be full grown, healthy and live full lives, you need a larger tank.

We have a single full grown Firemouth in a 30 UK (36 US gallon tank), we rescued him from a 5ft tank where he was being too aggressive with his tank mates (It was be rescued by us, or dead). This tank is dedicated to his wellbeing.

There is no way I would attempt to put another Firemouth in a tank of this size. And there is no way, I would have expected him to have grown as well as he did in the 5ft tank he grew up in.

I would consider the idea of keeping a Firemouth in a 3 gallon bucket as cruel.

Bob

number6 · Moderators Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada

PocketBoy · Regulars Joined: 09 Jan 2007 Location: Arizona

Bucket = no bueno. Please return the fish or find it a larger home. Sad

_________________
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RaiderFan92 · Regulars Joined: 12 Jun 2006

Wow. You guys just really don't understand what I was saying, do you?

I wasnt going to keep a full grown firemouth in a 3 gallon bucket permenantly.

Do you understand now?

I was going to put a 2 inch firemouth in a 3 gallon bucket with 50% water changes every day, for five days.

You honestly thought I would put a live animal in a bucket of water, to stunt it? Wow.

RaiderFan92 · Regulars Joined: 12 Jun 2006

So if you understood what I was saying, you would also see the similarity with putting a pregnat guppy in a breeding trap. There both 2 inches also.

number6 · Moderators Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada

RaiderFan92 · Regulars Joined: 12 Jun 2006

I was just given a message on this website, from someone (I won't say his name or else some of you will probably argue with him) who told me they will do fine in a 30 gallon. I believe him because Iv heard and read it in a lot of diffrent places and from a lot of diffrent people.

He (or she) also told me that the bucket idea wouldnt work. Not that it was cruel and a horrible way to treat the fish, just that it would stress JD out to much. That was how you guys should of said it, not by calling me cruel.

AND that person gave me alternatives. He or she was extremely helpfull. Unlike most of you guys.

I just wanted to say that, so that you knew how to reply to peoples questions in the future.

PS- I asked because I didn't know if it would work or not. It was a question, I wanted an answer, not to be yelled at. I never did it, so I'm not cruel, I simply didn't know if it would be alright or not.