Opinions on Red terrors(Festa's cichlid)

[Matt Nace]

Anyone ever kept them?

The LFS that has knowledge says they are not as aweful as the internet says..no worse than Jacks..green terrors and like. Depending of course on the fish and it's tank size, tanks' inhabitants.

I cant believe how stunning they are. But..I cant ignore so many posts readings on the net about how they beat the hell out of most tank mates.

Anyone have any exp with these guys?

My tank is full of very small cichlids.
The inhabitants right now are:
2 Jack Dempsey
1 Salvini
2 Parrot Cichlids
2 Fire mouthes
4 convicts
2 Jewel cichlids

Thanks!

 

[SinisterKisses]

How big is the tank? Impossible to say without knowing that key piece of information.

 

[Matt Nace]

sorry. six foot, 120 gallon

 

[big54bob]

I think you are full with all the fish you have.

I like Mayans better then festaes for some reason. I find that male Mayans are more colorful then male festaes.

 

[Matt Nace]

I think you are full with all the fish you have.

I like Mayans better then festaes for some reason. I find that male Mayans are more colorful then male festaes.

Not sure what a "Mayan" is. Do you have the scientific name? Or a link.

Right now my tank is what it is. I see myself unpairing the fish if they become to aggresive and if someone is not working out I will be moving them to either a differant tank or the pet store.

Here is a Festaes

 

[big54bob]

Cichlasoma urophthalmus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Matt Nace]

I google that name and they are awesome also.

I wonder how common they are in stores.

Thanks for the info!

 

[BadRedTerror]

I owned a Female Festae's (RedTerror) for over 8years and had quite an expierence with this little beauty!At first when i baught her,she was shy and afraid of all my other fish.2 years into maturity she started taking over territory by killing almost all my fish minus my(8"pleco and 2 convicts).The convicts could fend for themselves because they can be aggressive as well.55gal tank
Dont get me wrong.I loved having her until they day she passed.And i dont want to discourage you from owning one.(The Red Terror is not a begginners)For the most part they do not like any other species of fish but can live with some.Ever since she died i baught one male and one female Golden saum (Green Terror) and am impressed with these guys as well.

I also own an African jewel that has a Aurotus as a tankmate(30gal).They have been living for 2 years together and always beat each other up without to much harm done.Quite entertaining to watch.

<==========Check out the picture of my male (Clive)

 

[Matt Nace]

Badredterror--....what else was with you red terror in your tank that was killed off?

 

[BadRedTerror]

Well when she matured,she killed: clown loach,firemouth,tiger loach,and two dempseys.But that was more than 4 years ago.

My new South American set-up:
2 Gold Saums (Green Terros) one male, one female
1 pictus catfish
1 common pleco
6 sarpae tetras
3 marble mollies
1 Gold dojo (asia,melasia provence)

 

[Matt Nace]

I forgot to update this..I bought the red Terror.

The Salvini does not like him. Everyone else has said hello but the Sal is the one who goes after him. So they have their own little areas they play in.

 

[BadRedTerror]

Do you know if its a male/female? The males can be quite the lookers when the red terror reaches adulthood.The males are also bigger in size and normally have flashy red/orangish coloring.

Good luck for your new arrival!

-BadRedTerror

 

[Matt Nace]

Do you know if its a male/female? The males can be quite the lookers when the red terror reaches adulthood.The males are also bigger in size and normally have flashy red/orangish coloring.

Good luck for your new arrival!

-BadRedTerror

Sorry i never replied to this. I am not certain if it is male or female.

Currently the Salvini is the King. Nobody messes with him and he is striking in appreance. I have to get some pics.

The red terror and the larger parrot seem to battle in the morning and end up ignorring one another at night. The Terror also stays to the right side of the tank. The Sal wont allow him to be in the middle usually, unless he goes around the back. When I feed..it don't matter as it is a frenzy.

 

[Matt Nace]

Update to the Red Terror. He and the parrot bicker the most. The Salvini still rules the tank. The parrot's mouth is bit up from he and the terror locking jaws..although the parrot seems to head butt more than lock jaws, as his mouth dont move like that.

I can't believe how bossy this parrot is. Cracks me up as he circles like a hawk at the top and the terror unde rhim with his gills flaming.

The Red terror and Salvini and one parrot are clearly out growing the others. The first two having huge appetites.