I am setting up a 200 or 240 gallon tank with a festae pair and a lot of silver dollars. I am adding a lot of rocks, driftwood and plants(fake most likely) for hiding spots. My question is, has anyone had success keeping small cichlids with large predatory cichlids like festae? If so what kind and do you have any recommendations? I realize that there is a chance it might not work regardless and any smaller fish might become expensive snacks.
Keeping small cichlids with large cichlids
- Thread starter Ryan144
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- cichlid dither festae target fish
I have Kribs with larger cichlids, but the biggest tankmate is a Dempsey.
I’m pretty sure the festae would eat any of the dwarf ones, and anything large enough not to get eaten would be a competitor to be killed.
Even the silver dollars may find themselves at risk.
I’m pretty sure the festae would eat any of the dwarf ones, and anything large enough not to get eaten would be a competitor to be killed.
Even the silver dollars may find themselves at risk.
It'll be hard as, of course, each fish has a different personality. I would attempt to keep cichlids that can reach the same size as a single festae.
A breeding pair will take over an entire tank unless you have a fully structured 8ft tank, I would just leave the pair and the silver dollars as festae are brutes especially in breeding mode. I've had a dominant female beat up my males in a group of 8 in a 6ft tank.
As mentioned, maybe a single festae with other robust mates and even that can be iffy. I had a large female chase and bully my Oscar but left my geophagus and severums alone.
A breeding pair will take over an entire tank unless you have a fully structured 8ft tank, I would just leave the pair and the silver dollars as festae are brutes especially in breeding mode. I've had a dominant female beat up my males in a group of 8 in a 6ft tank.
As mentioned, maybe a single festae with other robust mates and even that can be iffy. I had a large female chase and bully my Oscar but left my geophagus and severums alone.
I’ve had quite a few pairs of festae over the years but in general it typically ended the same with just the pair. This witch nearly wiped the entire tank throughout the night on their third spawn. This 240g(7ft) had this pair of festae, a group of Cryptoheros spilurus, and a large school of Psalidodon anisitsi which I was down to 4 of them when I woke up. I then tried a large group of 15 4”Sahyadria denisonii( I hated it as I like to at least stick to the same continent) but they were slowly getting picked off which led me to move the remaining 11 fish. Cryptoheros panamenis worked for a while but I believe it was simply down having the hardscape set up to where the group could hide from the festae, but they eventually came out too. There are quite a few combinations that will work but from experience festae isn’t one of them. I would run it the way you’re planning.
I currently have a large group of Vieja melanura, Cryptoheros cutteri and panamenis growouts throughout the years and they get along splendidly. I also have a group of 10 Oscura heterospila, Amatitlania nanolutea, and huge school of Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis. So with the right combination it can indeed work but you’ll need to choose a less aggressive fish like festae.
I currently have a large group of Vieja melanura, Cryptoheros cutteri and panamenis growouts throughout the years and they get along splendidly. I also have a group of 10 Oscura heterospila, Amatitlania nanolutea, and huge school of Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis. So with the right combination it can indeed work but you’ll need to choose a less aggressive fish like festae.
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