Festae Help

rich_one

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jan 6, 2011
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Southern Maryland
I know there are quite a few folks on here with bonded and breeding festae pairs. My question is, is the only way to protect them from the male going homicidal is to use a divider? Do any of you have a long term, bonded and even breeding pair that do not need to be separated? If so, how long have you had them, and what do you do, if anything, to keep the male from going homicidal? I've tried keeping convicts with them, which seems to work to an extent, but then eventually, no. The only thing I've manage to do so far is keep a male and female in a community 210 with other cichlids of various sizes, and aside from normal, brief chasing, as cichlids do, no full out fighting.

I'd like to have a stunner, bonded pair, without need of a divider, if possible. But if not, then at least I'll know for sure, and divider it is. Thanks for any help you guys can offer with this. If I have to divide them, I will do so... just hoping that's not the only answer!

-Rich

P.S., I know I could probably try to get it where the male is bigger than the female, so she can fit in places he cannot... I can eventually try that, but as of right now, my entire group are similar in size, so they can all fit into similar spaces. Thanks again!
 

Belly up

Piranha
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Sep 19, 2008
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Until your male grows bigger than the female the divider is your best bet. I have used the pass through divider for several violent species as well as clay pots with the bottoms removed and have still had females killed on me, making me wish I had just been satisfied with a complete divider, cemented in place.

Females killed using incomplete divider or clay pots that come to mind are dovii, jag, grammodes. I`m sure there were others but that`s what I remember right now.
 

rich_one

Plecostomus
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Jan 6, 2011
1,141
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Southern Maryland
So it's beginning to seem then, that if I truly want a successful pair, at least until the male gets much larger than the female, then I better get used to life with a divider. Okay, cool... thanks!

-Rich
 

duanes

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I don't like the look of them, but feel a divider, or some space she can fit in, that he can't, is very important in keeping a female alive long term, and with just about any new world cichlid, not only festae.
Whenever I try to stretch that boundary is when I end up with a dead female, or in some cases, a dead male if the female is similar in size.
I lost a female carpintus to her mate, after 3 successful spawns a few months back.
Even when a pair seems bonded, and has successful spawns, it can turn on a dime, at any moment in time, so always better safe than sorry.

 

Mythic Figment

Feeder Fish
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Jul 27, 2012
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Festae are something I am looking into as well, so I am curious about this question as well. Would a safer alternative be to keep a separate, adjacent tank for one of the pair where they can still see each other and only put them together when you're looking to spawn them or would that just result in breaking their bond?


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Belly up

Piranha
MFK Member
Sep 19, 2008
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Wolverine, MI
If keeping your female alive is your highest priority, go with a complete divider cemented in place. That way you can still get some fertilized eggs, providing they work with you by laying them on a surface you will place next to the divider. They can even tend the fry together as they will swim back and forth through said divider. If you try placing your divider after the tank is filled you can expect your valued fish to push it aside, resulting in risk of death for the smaller of the pair.

I do not like the idea of separate tanks because it creates risk in transfer and bonding.
 

jag123

Gambusia
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May 16, 2008
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I agree that long term a divider is recommended. I always have to resort to dividing eventually. As soon as I get confident in the pair getting along, the next day the female is missing scales and has torn fins. This is my cue to reinstating the divider until I feel they can interact safely. Plus it gives the pair a break from spawning which I think is healthy. ImageUploadedByMonsterAquariaNetwork1408483649.467080.jpg


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Freshwaterpredators

Peacock Bass
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Apr 25, 2009
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Festae are hot and cold. I've had the best expirience using Midas that are slightly smaller than them as dithers. Works better than any other cichlids or dithers to help them pair and spawn. But once they spawn remove dithers immediately. Best bet is to always have a divider handy. Consider those people that haven't had to use a divider lucky. There will be times and long runs where you might not need it. Then one day, bam!! Male decides to go homicidal.

I've got plenty of other advice but you've got to try one thing at a time;)


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rich_one

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jan 6, 2011
1,141
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Southern Maryland
Thanks, guys! It looks like the divider is going to have to be the way to go. It's good to know everyone seems to experience this. For a while, I thought I just kept getting lucky with the psychotic males. LOL...

Since a few of you tossed in some pics, I thought I'd put up a pic of one of my females. I don't have a pic of the male just yet, but will soon. Thanks for the input, everyone! And good to hear from you, Jason... been a while! I need to check some of your threads and see what you have going on these days!

-Rich

Female Festae.jpg
 
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