# Firemouth Losing Color



## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

I have a 3" firemouth that was alone with a convict cichlid of about the same size in a 29 gallon tank until recently when they began to fight. I separated them with a divider for a couple weeks before moving the convict to a different tank. since that time the firemouth has lost most of his reddish color under his mouth and throat. i have been changing the water just as frequently as always and have been feeding krill along with pellets, just like before. His fins still have bright metalic sparkles and they are always fully erect and beautiful. he also seems to swim around more often than before when the other fish was in there, so i thought it was a little weird when the color dissapeared. it used to be very bright red, but now is a duller orange-ish red. My thought was that maybe with no competition the extra vibrant colors were just uneeded, so i tried adding some zebra danios for him to chase around and for dithers, but he mostly just ignores them and still has dull red. i put a couple zebras in with the convict too, but she ate all of them. my water parameters are exactly the same so if anyone has any ideas what else it could be let me know....thanks
Matt


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Matt_1313 said:


> My thought was that maybe with no competition the extra vibrant colors were just uneeded,


You've just answered your own question. If you miss that bright red throat, get your firemouth a mate.


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## Matt_1313 (Feb 2, 2006)

i think mine is a male but its awefully hard to sex them. is it important that the other one is the opposite sex?


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Yep, otherwise they'll kill each other. Even fish of the oppisite sex will kill each other, so you have to be careful and keep an eye on them.


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