firemouth bully

Question
i have a firemouth that terrorises a jewel cichlid of the same size, and killed a red tail shark.will the jewel be ok with the firemouth?.the firemouth is scared of a smaller kribensis, but the jewel and krib just size each other up. i heard firemouths were a calm cichlid but mines a terrorist, my girlfriend has one thats peaceful and swims with a danio??.have i just got a rogue??

Answer
Hi Martin
I just saw your quesion posted in our answer pool.  

I've got the same combo as you, a jewel and a firemouth.  My firemouth flares at the jewel and almost head butts him, and the jewel turns red and head butts back at him lol.  They don't nip, it's usually when one just comes into the other's "territory", like you said sizing each other up.  Do you have little caves or hidey holes for each of them?  They're both pretty territorial, and sounds like your firemouth has taken it a bit further :)  Firemouths are generally peaceful, except when they're breeding.  Maybe you have a male jewel and a male firemouth and they're just clashing, that's what I've attributed mine to, because neither messes with anyone else in the tank.  

One thing you can try, if you do have a few places for them to stake out as their own, rearrange the decorations.  Move them around, so they need to reestablish their territory.  This works a lot of times with cichlids.  If you don't have anything, add some.  Those orangey colored planter pots, think they're terra cotta?  Those are great for caves.  Kribs are peaceful fish, that's kinda funny he's afraid of the krib lol.  Both are gorgeous fish though aren't they?

Good luck with them!!

Christy