Festae- Quality VS Trash!!

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flowerpower said:
I've found that convict breeders rarely refer to themselves as convict breeders. Lol.

Festae deserve all the popularity they get, and more. If only they were as available as convicts over this side.

I'm surprised no one has started a web forum devoted to festae. Kinda like the ones you see for Frontosa or even Oscars. There are certainly enough people out there whose interest in cichlids goes no further than this one species.


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That's funny Ed:) I never thought about anyone stating they're a convict breeder... I think in reality, most everyone who has bred fish before, started with convicts. So I guess that would make for a lot more convict breeders;)
 
Freshwaterpredators said:
That's funny Ed:) I never thought about anyone stating they're a convict breeder... I think in reality, most everyone who has bred fish before, started with convicts. So I guess that would make for a lot more convict breeders;)
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Yeah, but think about when convicts first came into the hobby decades ago before everyone ruined them with bad breeding programs. Look at how terrible most aquarium strain convicts look compared to their wild counterparts now. Same with oscars, jags, firemouths, etc.
The only things saving festae from the same fate for now are the fact that they're hard to breed and that a lot of the guys that are breeding them actually care. Otherwise I'd bet we would have a ton of terrible looking festae in our LFSs right in the tanks with HITH ridden oscars and common plecos.


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I have been reading this thread without leaving any comments. But I did remove all of my Festae and tossed them in a ditch...J/K;) I have no problem with my Festae. This has been informative especially after the clean up. I didn't know that there were so many genetic disorders in the Festae currently in circulation. But I guess as with all other species we all have to be mindful of these things when we breed, collect, and purchase fish. I recently ran across a person with a nice breeding pair of Festae. The offspring of the pair ranged from some with very extended mouths, drab coloration, and sloping heads to those with vivid coloration and bulky bodies. He was selling them all at the same price so I guess this is an example of the problem being related in this thread. In the end we all have to keep what pleases us but at the same time remembering how our actions can affect the species in the hobby.
 
aclockworkorange said:
Yeah, but think about when convicts first came into the hobby decades ago before everyone ruined them with bad breeding programs. Look at how terrible most aquarium strain convicts look compared to their wild counterparts now. Same with oscars, jags, firemouths, etc.
The only things saving festae from the same fate for now are the fact that they're hard to breed and that a lot of the guys that are breeding them actually care. Otherwise I'd bet we would have a ton of terrible looking festae in our LFSs right in the tanks with HITH ridden oscars and common plecos.


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That is very true..And im glad that there are people out there who are breeding festae that do take pride and care about what happens. That is the pupose of this thread, to bring awareness of whats happening and hopefully start going in a positive direction with the festae in the hobby.
 
Freshwaterpredators said:
Good point. I am not trying to come to an ultimate conclusion more so bring awareness that there is a difference in quality with festae just like any other cichlids. These are not characteristics based off personal aesthetic preference. and overall yes, people will and should keep whatever fish makes them happy. I am not trying to tell anyone in particular that the festae they have is trash. but to bring awareness to people who have been in or just started the hobby that just because your fish has tons of color doesnt make it a quality fish!! To someone inexperienced including myself when i first started just saw the color and was amazed and went out searching for festae. then came across mayans lol IMO its very similiar to Midas and Midevils. to someone who takes pride and joy in buying and raising pure and healthy strains do take offense to people ranting and raving about some LFS midas that they bought when in fact it is a midevil. I know your midas came from a Jeff Rapps strain and you chose that over the unknown of some lfs midas. that i what im getting at. i know a few hobbiests who do take pride in collecting and breeding festae. When they see these festae getting passed around that should have been culled, does tend to get to them. what would you rather have?

Trash- are festae with mouths that slope downward, over developed hump on their back, lack of bars, long sloping faces. and thats just a few that come to mind not to mention any birth defects or deformities.

Quality- are festae with strong mouths which are for eating snails, shrimp etc, high body profile with mass not sunken stomachs, stong solid bars, Nice head profiles, in turn spawn quality fry, not this stuff that dies off before 3"
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Make it easier.

IF you want GOOD quality festae...don't buy a FRY, buy a reasonably ESTABLISHED one? no?
 
Freshwaterpredators said:
That's funny Ed:) I never thought about anyone stating they're a convict breeder... I think in reality, most everyone who has bred fish before, started with convicts. So I guess that would make for a lot more convict breeders;)
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Ha,thats funny because i have bred alot of fish but i have never bred a convict. LOL
 
Jay88 said:
Make it easier.

IF you want GOOD quality festae...don't buy a FRY, buy a reasonably ESTABLISHED one? no?
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well yes, if you want to be 100% sure to get quality. But with larger more reasonably established festae comes a higher price, plus shipping can be higher too. If your looking to get quantity then fry is the best bang for your buck. And I say to do your research before buying anything online. If your buying fry less than an inch then there are possibilities of obtaining deformities amongst the group which can tend to be overlooked. Fry over an inch is a lot easier to recognize the deformitiea and prevent them fron being sold. Of course nobody's perfect, of the hundreds of fry I've shipped, i know of at least two that were deformed which slipped by me. So if you want fry then research the parents and ask questions to ensure what your buying is quality. Otherwise buy the larger ones to be 100% and pay higher prices....
 
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