Cichlasoma Meeki
Cichlasoma meeki is commonly called the "firemouth cichlid." The firemouth is so named because of the brilliant red color it develops on the underside of its body, from the base of the tail to the mouth. Sex is distinguished by the shape and size of the anal fin. A 10-gallon tank is minimum for firemouths as they sometimes get to be 6 inches long and need room to spawn. They breed very much the same as other fish, except that it is advisable to have a piece of slate for them to spawn on; if you have a slate-bottom tank and do not put in a rock, they will dig through the sand and spawn on the tank bottom. The size of the slate should be about 5 by 10 inches. Thickness is of no consequence.
