So I have been seriously considering trying to get a pair of festae (red terrors?) There is a store nearby that has about thirty juvies which I believe he said were f1. He is asking 6.99 a piece and they are all 1.5-2". However they don't look anything like what I expected. I realize as juvies they probably look a lot different than adults. I am wondering if anyone here has pics of their festae at 2" for me to look at and compare. Also I need info on proper care for a pair. Size of tank, temps, substrate, decorations, ideal ph etc. I am considering getting 4-6 and growing them out until they pair up and then returning the rest. I was also considering trading in my evil Midevil/ flowerhorn creature (whatever he is) and setting them up in the 56 gallon column until I need to upgrade if I even need to upgrade... Which brings me to my final questions, what is the expected adult size of a male and female? And ultimately would the 56 work for the pair or would I need to graduate them to a larger tank in the future? And how quickly would that occur? Thanks for all your help!
festae questions
- Thread starter Fishbrains
- Start date
^^^ yup yup. not only that, the answer is no. a 56g will not be efficient to properly hous a pair for life. they dont pair out normally till around 4.5-6" making the 56g a lil tight. i would recommend at least a 6' tank- 125g as a min proper house for long term... here are a couple pics of festae at 2-3" your 56g would be fine to grow them out til around 3-4" which could take anywhere from 2-6 months lol
Yeah, a 56g won't do them for life, they grow too big for that, as in if it's a standard 56g (4'x18"x15" I think) then they'd have barely enough room to even turn around.
Here's mine at about 1.5 inches. Ish.
Here's mine at about 1.5 inches. Ish.
i still wonder why they are called Red Terrors... Have tried several times keeping them. Shiest, more timid Cichlids I have ever had.
Always gave them up. I do not understand the hype, seriously.
Always gave them up. I do not understand the hype, seriously.
Mine practically salute me everytime i walk in my room... Ready to eat!!
But here are mine f1s at 1.5- 2 inch
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
But here are mine f1s at 1.5- 2 inch
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
Yeah lol, well I heard that the female gets really aggressive with the males and will kill and eat them... but then again so do every other cichlid really, 'cept it's mostly the reverse. >_> Also heard that there are individuals that are just crazy, but then again exceptions to the rule doesn't make the rules either. XD
Mine currently lives with a bunch of baby cichlids + an electric yellow, very tame lol. Though I think it did kill one of its guppy friends. :/
As the others have mentioned, a 56 gallon is just too small for a pair of Festae. Routine water changes, quality food, and proper space will help you grow them out a lot faster too. But if you seriously doubt that you will be making a tank upgrade in the future for a Festae pair, you may want to consider another cichlid species that will be appropriate for that size tank. There are also a ton of threads on Festae on this forum. Search through them and you will get a lot of info, pictures, and personal experiences from multiple members. Post pics before you buy them if you decide to pull the trigger. Your store may be offering Mayans instead of Festae. Mayans are great cichlids too. But many times people unfamiliar with the species confuse them with Festae. Red Terror is a common name that both Mayans and Festae share but they are two distinct species. To limit your chances of purchasing the wrong fish, buy from a reputable vendor or hobbyist that sells Festae and not Red Terrors. Most people who keep, breed, and sell Festae will not refer to them as Red Terrors.