TankBud

Yellow-cheek firemouth

Thorichthys helleri

Also known as Helleri cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Yellow-cheek firemouth (Thorichthys helleri)
(c) Konstantin Gerasimov, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–84°F
24–29°C
pH
7.0–8.2
Adult size
6.7 in
17 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Atlantic slope, southern Mexico

Overview

The yellow-cheek firemouth is a firemouth relative that stays low in the tank, sifting sand and grazing. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Yellow-cheek firemouths and the rest of the firemouth group settle disputes by bluff. A fish flares its gill covers to show off large dark eyespots. That makes its head look far bigger and more threatening than an actual fight would prove.

Caring for the yellow-cheek firemouth

Give a yellow-cheek firemouth or a pair at least 66 gal (250 L), with a soft sand floor it can sift. Add planted margins, driftwood and some flat stones for spawning. It settles best in a planted tank with cover.

Keep the water warm and neutral to hard, at 75 to 84°F (24 to 29°C) and a pH of 7.0 to 8.2. Thorichthys are sensitive to poor water and react badly to nitrate and stale water. Keep up steady filtration and regular water changes.

Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, and some vegetable matter. Keep it singly or as a single pair, since it pairs off and defends a patch at breeding time. It is mostly peaceful and rarely does real damage. Choose tank mates with some care, and avoid pushy cichlids that will stress it.

It is a biparental substrate spawner. A pair cleans a surface and lays its eggs in the open, and both parents guard the fry. Breeding it is of moderate difficulty.

Good to know

Thorichthys helleri is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae, colored lemon and turquoise with a red-edged dorsal fin. Its genus name comes from a Greek word for leaping.

In the wild

The yellow-cheek firemouth lives in weedy, clear rivers and pools on the Atlantic slope of southern Mexico, over sand and among plants.

Common questions

What size tank does a yellow-cheek firemouth need?

A yellow-cheek firemouth needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a yellow-cheek firemouth need?

A yellow-cheek firemouth is comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.

What does a yellow-cheek firemouth eat?

A yellow-cheek firemouth eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp, and some vegetable matter.

How big does a yellow-cheek firemouth get?

An adult yellow-cheek firemouth reaches about 6.7 in (17 cm).

How does a yellow-cheek firemouth breed?

A yellow-cheek firemouth is a biparental substrate spawner. A pair cleans a surface and lays its eggs in the open, and both parents guard the fry. Breeding it is moderately difficult.

Related species