Festae fry tank setup??

zetroc

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 26, 2012
77
3
38
Chicago
I bought 5 one inch festae fry. I plan on putting them in a 75 gallon thats setup with driftwood, fake plants, natural gravel, basically, a natural setting with plenty of hiding spots. My question is do I need dithers? If so, what type of fish is best for that purpose?
 

duanes

MFK Moderators
Staff member
Moderator
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2007
21,048
26,407
2,910
Isla Taboga Panama via Milwaukee
Just about any schooling fish will work for a while, until the festae get big enough to scarf them down. I have used lemon tetras with young festae and ornatum.

or Columbian tetras if you'd like to be more geographically correct.
If geographical correctness isn't important to you.
For larger festae, I use Tilapines,
I wouldn't use buttikoferi or mariae because they are too aggressive, but prefer the less aggressive types such as zillii or Saratherodon linnelli. They are fast, and can take some abuse, without retaliating.
Here are young zillii, I believe they are available in Chicago from guys in the gcca

and linnelli, I put some of these with a shy female festae that refused to eat, and she almost immediately came out of her shell, and gobbles food like crazy with the greedy Tilapines.

the once shy female below
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store