) ▁is ▁a ▁species ▁of ▁c ich l id ▁fish ▁native ▁to ▁Central ▁America . ▁They ▁occur ▁in ▁rivers ▁of ▁the ▁Y uc at án ▁Pen ins ula , ▁Mexico , ▁south ▁through ▁Bel ize ▁and ▁into ▁northern ▁Gu atem ala . ▁ ▁Their ▁natural ▁habitat ▁is ▁typically ▁shall ow , ▁slow - mov ing , ▁often ▁tur bid , ▁water ▁with ▁a ▁p H ▁of ▁ 6 . 5 ▁- ▁ 8 . 0 . ▁ ▁It ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁reported ▁to ▁live ▁in ▁cave ▁systems . ▁As ▁fish ▁with ▁a ▁tropical ▁distribution , ▁fire mouth ▁c ich l ids ▁live ▁in ▁warm ▁water ▁with ▁a ▁temperature ▁range ▁of ▁ 2 3 – 3 0   ° C ▁( 7 5 – 8 6   ° F ). ▁The ▁common ▁name , ▁fire mouth , ▁is ▁derived ▁from ▁the ▁ ▁bright ▁orange - red ▁colour ation ▁on ▁the ▁unders ide ▁of ▁the ▁j aw . ▁M ales ▁in ▁particular ▁f lare ▁out ▁their ▁g ills , ▁expos ing ▁their ▁red ▁thro ats , ▁in ▁a ▁threat ▁display ▁designed ▁to ▁w ard ▁off ▁male ▁riv als ▁from ▁their ▁territory . ▁ ▁Like ▁most ▁c ich l ids , ▁bro od ▁care ▁is ▁highly ▁developed ; ▁this ▁species ▁is ▁an ▁egg - layer . ▁Fire mouth ▁c ich l ids ▁form ▁mon og am ous ▁pairs ▁and ▁spawn ▁on ▁fl atten ed ▁surfaces ▁of ▁rocks , ▁leaves ▁or ▁sub mer ged ▁wood . ▁Bre eding ▁males ▁are ▁primarily ▁responsible ▁for ▁territorial ▁defense , ▁while