RTMxFestae pair

[RampageRR]

I picked these guys up from a friend several months ago, just 2 little guys at 1 to 1.5". Seems like I lucked out and ended up with a male and a female. Female's probably 3.5 to 4" now, male is still tiny at around 2.5-2.75".

She laid eggs last week for the first time, but she ended up eating them all a day or two later. No biggie, I doubt the male's even big enough to fertilize them yet anyways. Anyways, here's some pics since I haven't seen many of this particular hybrid.

 

[RampageRR]

Couple of cell phone pics from water change day. The male has finally caught up in size and is starting to get a hump on his head. They just laid eggs again a week or so ago but the female ate them all once again. I guess I could pull them next time to see if they're viable, but I'm not that worried about it at the moment.

 

[Nilsafeller]

Wonder what size genetics they'll have

 

[RampageRR]

Wonder what size genetics they'll have

They're super slow growers so far, so they seem to favor the festae there. I think both species have the same overall max size range so that may not really change much. My guess would be 12-13" for the male and 10-11" female at fully grown sizes, but we'll see. They're over 2 years old now I believe and only 6.5-7 inches at most.

 

[Nilsafeller]

Well mota get upto 12 -14? Depending on many factors.... but festae get much larger

 

[RampageRR]

Well mota get upto 12 -14? Depending on many factors.... but festae get much larger

I'd love for that to be the case here. I've always heard of a 16"+ max size for festae but I've never seen it myself. I had a pair around 3 years old and the male was about 12". I don't know that he had another 4+" of growth at that age.

 

[RD.]

Lucked out? What is the plan to do if they produce viable fry? I have nothing against hybrids, but only if they produce something that results in being more magnificent than the original species. Not seeing it here.
Good luck.

 

[RampageRR]

Lucked out? What is the plan to do if they produce viable fry? I have nothing against hybrids, but only if they produce something that results in being more magnificent than the original species. Not seeing it here.
Good luck.

"Lucked out" just from the standpoint of being able to see what both sexes would look like when grown out. I don't have any plans to actually raise fry to do anything with them, but if they did, most likely they'd become feeders for my serrasalmus manueli - that's if they actually lasted long enough to hatch with the pleco squad hanging around those pots.

They aren't any better looking than pure festae, that's for sure. But one positive in their favor is they're much more interactive with me. The male is constantly gill flaring and running back and forth at the front glass where my festae pair would just do their own thing and totally ignore outside of the tank.

 

[RD.]

All good, just curious. Good point about being interactive, even so your past festae pair sure were beauties.

 

[RD.]

I'd love for that to be the case here. I've always heard of a 16"+ max size for festae but I've never seen it myself. I had a pair around 3 years old and the male was about 12". I don't know that he had another 4+" of growth at that age.

Wild fish, but just for reference as far as maximum sizes. I have also never seen one in captivity that has been documented over 15", but then again most people don't seem to keep them for a decade, or more.

I posted the following topic several yrs ago, the fish in question was measured by a biologist in the field (Ecuador), and it was recorded as being 50 cm, which is just a hair under 19 3/4 inches.

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/20-inch-ex-cichlasoma-festae.515375/