How aggreive are True Red Terrors really?

[Zathamos]

I have heard so many varying opinions on True Red Terrors (festae cichlids), I want to get it straightened out once and for all.

I have a new world cichlid tank that i am considering adding a red terror to. How 'bad' are these guys really and how big will they max out at? My cichlid stock consists of a GT, EBJD, Severum, Acara, Firemouth. Everyone does fine other than the acara and firemouth fighting once in a while. Nobody is close to full grown, Gt is biggest at 3 1/2 to 4." I love the look of the Festae's but dont want to add something to this tank that is just going to bully everything or kill everything. I have heard they can get to 8" from one person while another says they get to be 14-18". One person says they are somewhere in between a GT and Salvini aggression wise, another says they are a true bully more in the red devil, midas, jaguar, dovii class of aggression. One person even said they are less aggressive than GTs, which I find hard to believe as most people classify them as a mid-sized bruiser. I dont want to add something that is going to cause real problems, hence no Texas, Midas, Red devil in my tank. The GT seems like #1 in the hierarchy, which is good, i figured he would be and that he may act as a big peacekeeper keeping aggression to a minimum. How bad are these True Red Terror's really? If they are as bad or worse than Texas' and Devils, no way will I add him.

If not a red terror, what might be a good cichlid with some redish/yellowish coloring that might fit in with my stock? Ranibow cichlid? I heard Red Ceibals need 3-4 months of cooler water, so thats a no. What else is there in this color scheme that is new world and not out of his mind crazy aggressive?

BTW, 125 gallon 72x18x24. Other than the cichlids I have 1 senegal bichir, 2 pictus, and 6 rainbowfish as dithers.

 

[ragin_cajun]

Never having owned one, I'd put a Red Terror up there with a Texas. Not quite as rough as a grown Midas/Red Devil. A healthy male Red Terror should grow to 12 inches or more. I don't think it'd be a good choice for your tank if you want to keep all the fish that are already in it. If you want to have just a Festae or two, 125 would be OK, although 18 inches wide would bother me. I have the same size tank, and I wish everyday it was wider

 

[Jc1119]

I wouldn't try it with that stock either. I had far less fish in an 8' 300 and eventually had to remove fish.

Our female is around 10-11" and the make was a solid 13". On par with Midas/devils/texas aggression wise.


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[duanes]

This male is @1ft in the pic.

 

[Zathamos]

I wouldn't try it with that stock either. I had far less fish in an 8' 300 and eventually had to remove fish.

Our female is around 10-11" and the make was a solid 13". On par with Midas/devils/texas aggression wise.


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Gotta believe what the guy with a red terror as his profile picture says LOL

 

[PaleAle]

I raised a juve male Festae to around 7". I kept him with other Americans & Africans & had to remove him cause he would kill anyone he didn't like & those he did like we're ruled with an iron fist. After i put him in his own tank he became shy & you would hardly ever see him so I sold him off. These guys are serious fish & tank mates should be chosen wisely. Your GT will not stand a chance against a Festae. GTs are great fish & if you leave your tank as is you could end up with a Beautiful calm tank boss.

 

[Zathamos]

This male is @1ft in the pic.

Beautiful fish. So the females actually turn out a lot brighter red then the males then, interesting. Female being brighter is rare in cichlids, only other I know of is the convicts. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Looks like he is trying to bite the female in one picture, really shows the size difference.

 

[Jc1119]

I raised a juve male Festae to around 7". I kept him with other Americans & Africans & had to remove him cause he would kill anyone he didn't like & those he did like we're ruled with an iron fist. After i put him in his own tank he became shy & you would hardly ever see him so I sold him off. These guys are serious fish & tank mates should be chosen wisely. Your GT will not stand a chance against a Festae. GTs are great fish & if you leave your tank as is you could end up with a Beautiful calm tank boss.

At 3.5" our Rivulatus terrorized our avatar Festae to the point of ich, isolation and eventually rehoming the gt....

This was in a 300 gallon. Small Festae often get pushed around by other species. At 10-12" things are a bit different but it really depends on the individual.



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[PaleAle]

At 3.5" our Rivulatus terrorized our avatar Festae to the point of ich, isolation and eventually rehoming the gt....

This was in a 300 gallon. Small Festae often get pushed around by other species. At 10-12" things are a bit different but it really depends on the individual.



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My guy was housed with same size GT & the GT never even tried to take the Festae on. By the time he was 5" he was well & truly in charge & when he hit 7" he was nasty as. At one time I put a 9" Devil in with him & had to take the Devil back to the shop before he was killed. I do miss my Festae though so I have recently put 4 juvies in a 5x2x2 all for themselves.

 

[duanes]

In many new world cichlids the females have darker patterns, or brighter more electric colors, especially when ready to spawn.
And yes the male did kill the female, even with a divider only she could pass thru. She would constantly go back into his area for more abuse, until he finally did her in.

Beautiful fish. So the females actually turn out a lot brighter red then the males then, interesting. Female being brighter is rare in cichlids, only other I know of is the convicts. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Looks like he is trying to bite the female in one picture, really shows the size difference.