Festae tank mate ideas...

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Dispatch273

Dispatch273

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jul 22, 2011
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I'm looking for ideas for my 150. Right now I have 3 Festae, a pair of GTs, some JD growouts, 3 bichir and 2 ABN plecos. I know it's overstocked. Once my fish room is set up, hopefully in the next couple of weeks, I plan to only have the two larger festae in the tank along with the bichir. Are there any geophagus that would be happy in my tank? The two festae that will be staying in that tank are not very aggressive. They only pick on the GTs and are happy to leave everyone else alone. I'm sure that could change when they are breeding but the geos could always be moved or I can put a divider in. Also if anyone thinks that putting geos in with my festae is just a really bad idea please chime in. Other ideas for peaceful tankmates are more than welcome too.
 
Dispatch273 said:
I like alfitrons and abalios. Any other suggestions?

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Click to expand...

G eos-Brokopondos, Neambi, Megasema all biggger assertive Geos
Hypselecara coryphanoides
Heros sp. Inridae
Caquetia kraussi
Hoplarchus
Crenicichla
ExCichlasoma ornatum & atromaculatum which are Festaes 2 closest relatives w/ very similiar traits.

I've kept all these w/ festae, but separate festae pairs when bonded and ready to spawn.
From DJ/MC Decker
 
Good luck, my festae pair had a 220g to themselves and the male still killed the female. A friend had one of my spare females in his 180g and she killed several large cichlids (texas and midas) before being rehomed.

How big are your festae? My limited experience with the species says that around the 8"+ mark they get pretty damn nasty (even by cichlid standards!) and I wouldn't dream of keeping anything placid like Geophagus with them even in a tank far larger than yours. IMO if you're going to keep a pair then the 150g will be ok for them, probably, but have a divider handy and watch them closely whent hey get bigger...
 
They certainly aren't timid, but are still placid compared to something like a festae. Just compare the mouth structure, one is built for lip locking and eating fish, the other is made for sifting substrate. In a large tank keeping young festae (or a single adult) with other fish may work well, but I think your advice of seperating them once bonded shouldn't be ignored. IMO the OP needs to decide if he wants a pair of festae or a single festae with some other fish, because I don't think you can have both in a 150g.

Perhaps the shipment that came to New Zealand were all super-aggressive (they did come from Germany! :P ) but by the time my male got to 11" and the female to 8" they were pretty much intolerant of anything else in 'their' 220g tank (which had a 180x75cm footprint)...
 
We original post mentions new FISH ROOM being set up and eventually having ONLY the Festae in that tank after it is. I have 20 tanks and I have tried several species as tankmates/dither for my festae. The grow slow and I've housed all species mentioned w/ them up until they bond and ready to spawn. Every fish/pair are different. I have one pair that spawns every month and I've NEVER had to separate them, however I have another adult pair that I ALWAYS wind up separating in between spawns.

From DJ/MC Decker
 
This is something I have wanted to try for a while. Obviously if its not working them I'll take the geos out. I have a divider already made for the tank so that isn't an issue. My male is almost 8"and the female is not much smaller than him. They have shown no aggressiveness towards each other but I'm well aware how quickly that can change. I'm really not trying to go into this blind and I will have an extra tank or two if the geos need to be moved. Now I just need to decide what geos to get :D

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