No, I see where the confusion lies. I meant that the only fish I have now is the Texas, I definitely wasn’t going to put anything small in there with him. If anything I was going to raise up some tank mates and add him when they were almost his size. I finally got enough room and have been blessed with no more rent, so I can reasonably have almost all of the aquariums that I’ve been wanting. The wet spot has four different types of Festae, so I was planning on ordering a couple and have them in separate aquariums but I’m trying to figure out what tank mates. I can always move them if need be.
Festae questions
- Thread starter Brazzen1
- Start date
I’ve had them twice and both times it failed spectacularly in a 220g, both chicks slaughtered the males and this wackadoodle murdered everyone during the night while she protected her eggs. She always laid them vertically on the side of the overflows.
To me, Festae require an entire tank to themselves as adults, they are not fit to be housed with any other cichlids¨.(and especially if you want them to exhibit true colors)
These cichlids (as indcated by their isolation west of the Andes), are loners (excpet when paired.)
My males easily hit over 12¨, so a 6 ft tank for them would be minimal just for a pair.
and........Keeping them togther with a similar Mexican cichlid such as Herichthys is an exercise in futility, as they both are the dominent cichlid in their own geographic habitat, each species vying for territory in thelimits of a tiny glas box
Neither cichlid species are really community cichlid candidates.
I have kept both festae, and a number of those from the genus Herichthys and would not keep them in the same tank as mature adults.
These cichlids (as indcated by their isolation west of the Andes), are loners (excpet when paired.)
My males easily hit over 12¨, so a 6 ft tank for them would be minimal just for a pair.
and........Keeping them togther with a similar Mexican cichlid such as Herichthys is an exercise in futility, as they both are the dominent cichlid in their own geographic habitat, each species vying for territory in thelimits of a tiny glas box
Neither cichlid species are really community cichlid candidates.
I have kept both festae, and a number of those from the genus Herichthys and would not keep them in the same tank as mature adults.
I was thinking of buying a 220 or building my own plywood one about 350, now I don’t know since I’m hearing that solo is the way to go.
I only have a few pics of when they were young as my phone broke way back and never saved to Google drive. I've only kept that location species.
To me a 220 would be perfect for just an adult pair, a 350 even better with some large west of Andes Characins such as Brycon, or Bryconamericus as dither fish.
Some of these tetras reach over 12¨, and are fast enough to avoid festae in larger tanks.
I have used these type larger Characins with predatory loner cichlids, and Gobies in my Panamanian tanks.
This is a juvie Brycon, as adult they can almost reach 8 lbs.
Although these Characins are large, they don´t compete directly for the same territory
Some of these tetras reach over 12¨, and are fast enough to avoid festae in larger tanks.
I have used these type larger Characins with predatory loner cichlids, and Gobies in my Panamanian tanks.
This is a juvie Brycon, as adult they can almost reach 8 lbs.
Although these Characins are large, they don´t compete directly for the same territory
A 220 would be ok for a pair if you had something that occupy the top portion. A 180 gallon would suffice unless a school of larger silver dollars were to be used as dithers.
Brycons would be nice but I would do a larger tank in length with them.
