Festae questions.

[mbunafishkeeper]

i got 6 1-2" F1 festae 4 days ago, i have a couple of questions for you guys and ill be posting pics in photo lounge later. they are in a 3ft tank for now, growing out. im going to get a pair and a 150G for them later

1. dithers, now i am having a little trouble with there aggression, not to bad at the mo, a few split fins and chasing etc. if i get some dithers will the festae go for each other as much as they do now?? or will the dithers take some of the aggression away from the festae towards each other. and if so, what dithers??

2. the most aggressive of them all, i think male but still a bit to small to tell has some really nice blue's and reds on his fins etc but he has small black spectles on his fins and his tail. will they go away as he matures???

3. what is there growth rate like, i heard 1/2" a month, but surely they grow a bit quiker as juvies?

thanks

Howard

 

[convict94]

you'll find that untill they get a little bigger they will grow moderatly fast 3/4" a month...use some tiger barbs, giant danios, or even some guppies. i'm not sure about the black speckles but i'm sure he will grow out of them...good luck with finding a pair

 

[mbunafishkeeper]

ok cool thanks ive made the thread in the photo lounge now, u can take a look if ya want

 

[fishguts]

i have 5 one big female in a 180 and 4-3.5-4 inchers in a 125. i tried the 4 in a 30 long to grow a little and they wanted to kill each other so i moved them to the 125 with bigger fish and they do not bother each other at all. i got 2 that paired up with 4 small ones so im sure you will with 6.

 

[mbunafishkeeper]

yeh, so u saying i need to upgrade, lol i am gunna get a 150 ASAP but i gotta persuade my dad to let me first i have a 100g but thats full and i have no itention of getting rid of the inhabitants so they will have to wait for a while, will putting dithers in reduce there aggression towards each other????

 

[fishguts]

yeh, so u saying i need to upgrade, lol i am gunna get a 150 ASAP but i gotta persuade my dad to let me first i have a 100g but thats full and i have no itention of getting rid of the inhabitants so they will have to wait for a while, will putting dithers in reduce there aggression towards each other????

if you put some larger fish in there it may help but if you go with smaller ones the festa will see them as passive and keep attacking each other (imo).
not sure what you have in your 100 gallon but if you can take a couple bigger fish that wont eat your festa and use them then thats what id do.

 

[thefishguy7]

Oh great, I started more confusion on dithers. As Bderick stated, a dither used to draw out shy fish. You are most likely looking for target fish, or "distracter." I'd recommend giant danios or larger species of tetra. You can use tinfoils, but they may outgrow your tank too quickly before the upgrade...

Festae juvies grow insanely slow, sometimes not even 1/2" a month.

 

[mbunafishkeeper]

ok i asked the LFS too get me in some giant danios and see how they goo...

 

[bolty]

30 tiger barbs did it for me

 

[fishluvr12]

I tried tiger barbs&they ended up dead in 1 day.Good luck!