# My firemouth is acting funny :(



## KrazyCrusader (Oct 26, 2004)

I just got a firemouth. He's probably 1.5 in long. The last 2 days I've noticed his behavior has changed alot. First my Jack Dempsy has been chasing him around more and beating on him and now he's darkened in color and hiding. He always just almost lays on the bottom of the tank breathing hard. Everything with the tank is fine and he's the only one acting funny. Should I do anything or just let things go?


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

Your firemouth is scared shitless, prolly due to the JD's aggression. There's a fair chance that he will eventually get better 'accepted' into the tank with time, but there's also a good chance that he'll just live in continuous terror from the JD.

If you take him back to the LFS, trading him in for another FM probably won't do you any good, as the JD clearly doesn't like intruders, so you'd want to just get a refund.

You can just leave him in there and hope though, too. Your call. How big is the tank and how big is the JD? the smaller the JD and the bigger the tank, the better are your FM's chances at eventually getting 'accepted'.

Personally, I have a 3" male JD suffering from the exact same situation as your FM, and its due to the wrath of a 6" JD. The poor little guy seems to have gotten so used to sitting on the bottom that he's lost the function of his swim bladder, and swimming seems to be a great effort for him. I'm still banking on him getting 'accepted' eventually, though.


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## KrazyCrusader (Oct 26, 2004)

piranha45 said:


> Your firemouth is scared shitless, prolly due to the JD's aggression. There's a fair chance that he will eventually get better 'accepted' into the tank with time, but there's also a good chance that he'll just live in continuous terror from the JD.
> 
> If you take him back to the LFS, trading him in for another FM probably won't do you any good, as the JD clearly doesn't like intruders, so you'd want to just get a refund.
> 
> ...


75 Gallon Tank


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

my suggestion then would be to add a bunch of cover/decor to the tank, to break up the JD's line-of-sight towards the FM (assuming there's not much decor in the tank), so the FM can stay hidden better, and hope that time dulls aggression and works things in your favor.


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## KrazyCrusader (Oct 26, 2004)

It's weird because in the tank there is 4 Danios, 4 Tiger Barbs a Platy and 2 Plecos and they all seem fine. It's just the fire mouth that's all scared









There are plenty of rocks and there is a nice piece of driftwood. There are quite a few plants too. That's why I'm confused by it. Just about a 5 days ago he was fairy aggressive and everyone seemed to get along?


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

the JD recognizes the FM as a conspecific competitor; he knows the other fish are harmless unrelated small fry.


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## kove32 (Oct 26, 2004)

Leave him in there, he will be fine. I mean, most likely he will be. Just mabey take the fish out, rearange the plants etc and then throw them back in! That should help! Mabey not, but you can only hope for the best! Best of luck with your FM.


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## KrazyCrusader (Oct 26, 2004)

I checked on my tank tonight and the firemouth dug himself a small crater and was hiding in it. It was probably 3/4 of an inch down. He seems a darker color than usual. Poor fella. I just got him


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## dan-uk (Oct 31, 2004)

Your jack dempsey is like my convict he will only attack fish that he feels threatned by.


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## KrazyCrusader (Oct 26, 2004)

The firemouth is dead now. I just fished him out. Made sure he was dead and bagged him and trashed him









Not a big deal. He was only a $2.59 Fish









That wimp


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## Dave Hasselhoff (Nov 17, 2004)




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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

stress kills


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