For those who were waiting...
- Thread starter Orion
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Great lookin' fish all around, Big O 
I've often been intrigued by festivums, but have stayed away to this point because of what I've read about their shyness. Because I've always had rainbows in the tank, I thought the two wouldn't be a good mix (i.e., the rainbows would be too boisterous for the festivums to be truly happy).
On top of that, I've further complicated things by adding some very active Columbian Tetras to the mix -- I worry enough about my apistos hanging in there, I'd never want another shy-ish fish to worry about...
Based on your experiences with them, am I right to stay away until my tank settles down (i.e., I stop keeping rainbows and other boisterous fish), or is there any chance it would work (and that doesn't even begin to consider whether the apistos and festivums would pay any negative attention to each other or not...)?
I've often been intrigued by festivums, but have stayed away to this point because of what I've read about their shyness. Because I've always had rainbows in the tank, I thought the two wouldn't be a good mix (i.e., the rainbows would be too boisterous for the festivums to be truly happy).
On top of that, I've further complicated things by adding some very active Columbian Tetras to the mix -- I worry enough about my apistos hanging in there, I'd never want another shy-ish fish to worry about...
Based on your experiences with them, am I right to stay away until my tank settles down (i.e., I stop keeping rainbows and other boisterous fish), or is there any chance it would work (and that doesn't even begin to consider whether the apistos and festivums would pay any negative attention to each other or not...)?
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<---- full of noobie goodness
No, I don't have any gold sevs, though I almost bought one last week You know how at these pet adoption places they put the critters story along with it to 'guilt' you into wanting it? Well I was at Knoxville and they had a 3.5" gold sev with only one eye and they wrote on the tank that even though he only had one eye that he still had lots of love to give! lol I'm such a sucker. I really did almost bring the fella home. It was a very nice looking fish, even if it wanted to play pirate.
Jeff - I would not add the festivums with active fish just like you said. At least not any juvies. I don't know how well adults would fare as mine are still young, but I would think it would be along the same lines. I love mine though. When I had my dorsigera in with them they pesstered the crap out of the festies and I didn't get to see them much as they prefered to hide. But as soon as I moved the acara's out of the tank, they took right over and are more than happy to lounge about the tank where ever they please. I actualy have them in with a (hopefull pair) of apisto's, and no problems. The festivums are mid-top level guys and the apisto's rarely venture from the more dense growth of the bottom, so they really don't interact with each other much other than at feeding time, and then it's just a competition to get food. So far I think they are a great fish, and deffintaly one of the more oddly shaped cichlids. I personaly like the 'triangle' look they got going on.
I started with 6 festivums, but I'm pretty sure I lost two due to the nature of the dorsigera. Since I moved those guys out the four that are left have been fat and happy (knock on wood).
Are you ready for this Matt? I aint got no mo' african's. None. Nadda. I got rid of the last a while back, and actualy so far have resisted the urge. Don't scream to loud
No, I don't have any gold sevs, though I almost bought one last week
You know how at these pet adoption places they put the critters story along with it to 'guilt' you into wanting it? Well I was at Knoxville and they had a 3.5" gold sev with only one eye and they wrote on the tank that even though he only had one eye that he still had lots of love to give! lol I'm such a sucker. I really did almost bring the fella home. It was a very nice looking fish, even if it wanted to play pirate.Jeff - I would not add the festivums with active fish just like you said. At least not any juvies. I don't know how well adults would fare as mine are still young, but I would think it would be along the same lines. I love mine though. When I had my dorsigera in with them they pesstered the crap out of the festies and I didn't get to see them much as they prefered to hide. But as soon as I moved the acara's out of the tank, they took right over and are more than happy to lounge about the tank where ever they please. I actualy have them in with a (hopefull pair) of apisto's, and no problems. The festivums are mid-top level guys and the apisto's rarely venture from the more dense growth of the bottom, so they really don't interact with each other much other than at feeding time, and then it's just a competition to get food. So far I think they are a great fish, and deffintaly one of the more oddly shaped cichlids. I personaly like the 'triangle' look they got going on.
I started with 6 festivums, but I'm pretty sure I lost two due to the nature of the dorsigera. Since I moved those guys out the four that are left have been fat and happy (knock on wood).
Are you ready for this Matt? I aint got no mo' african's. None. Nadda. I got rid of the last a while back, and actualy so far have resisted the urge. Don't scream to loud
Yeah, breaks mine too to be honest. It wasn't planned, it just happened that way. It started when I got the heros from Pure, and just snowballed from there. Then I had the want to get back into planted tanks, and soft water plants and rift cichlids just don't mix well.
And I'm pondering setting up a SW tank in the next few months. Just need to educate the wife a bit on what we will, and will not be able to do. That way I won't be out several hundered bucks just to have her disapointed. (she want's seahorses. shesh.)
But hey, at least I'm still keeping cichlids, even if they are from the wrong continent Just think of it as a little vacation. "I'll be back."
And I'm pondering setting up a SW tank in the next few months. Just need to educate the wife a bit on what we will, and will not be able to do. That way I won't be out several hundered bucks just to have her disapointed. (she want's seahorses. shesh.)
But hey, at least I'm still keeping cichlids, even if they are from the wrong continent
Just think of it as a little vacation. "I'll be back."
Generaly speaking I would say no Jeff, unless it was a pretty good sized tank. A pair of each (and depending on species of apisto) might be ok in a 4 foot tank, but I wouldn't try it in anything less personaly. But then agian I like to play it on the safe side too. For one, they both will want to occupy the same general area of the tank, so your going to need enough teritory.
Not impossible at all IMHO. But it would take some carefull planning of teritories, and a willingness to fail if all doesn't go well.
Not impossible at all IMHO. But it would take some carefull planning of teritories, and a willingness to fail if all doesn't go well.
I better not show my wife those festivum pics...she'll want me to ditch my other cichlids and get a bunch of those! They are really cute, like pretty much everyone else has mentioned, lol. If I had 10 tanks, I'm sure they'd wiggle their way into one of them, but the efasciatus would be higher-up on the list for me.
Nice pics!
BV
Nice pics!
BV
I hear ya Jeff. This is the first apistos I've had the pleasure of keeping as well. I have a male and female A. aggassizi in my 65 gallon, and I started with 6. I don't think any other fish had anything to do with the 4 being 'taken out'. I believe it was the male apisto's own work. I never saw the dorsigera activly persue them when I had them, but often watched the male do this. IMHO, the dorsigera had more bark than bite, and the apisto was all bite. At the end of the day, it would mostly depend on where each decided to breed. Ideally if you could convince each to breed on opposite sides of the tank, then all should be fine. This way you lessen the chances of them running into each other while brooding. The dorsigera may be a small fish, but they are not a bit shy to rub fins with fish 4 times their size when it comes to feeding or defending a teritory.
From what I've read BV the festivums are some pretty docile cichlids. And from what I've seen I totaly agree with this. But, as long as there isn't other fish activly chaseing them they are more than happy to be out in the tank. I've often heard people say these are a good 'wet pet' for smaller tanks. They do seem to have lots of personality.
What more can be said about the heros. You can't go wrong with them. Like a small puppy with fins. It's such a shame that they aren't more popular and can be difficult to find. I almost turned Pure down last year when he said he had some. I'm very glad I didn't.
From what I've read BV the festivums are some pretty docile cichlids. And from what I've seen I totaly agree with this. But, as long as there isn't other fish activly chaseing them they are more than happy to be out in the tank. I've often heard people say these are a good 'wet pet' for smaller tanks. They do seem to have lots of personality.
What more can be said about the heros. You can't go wrong with them.
Like a small puppy with fins. It's such a shame that they aren't more popular and can be difficult to find. I almost turned Pure down last year when he said he had some. I'm very glad I didn't.
Here is a recent photo of the 65 gallon:
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/aquatic-plants/46508-65-gallon-updated.html#post447724
http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/aquatic-plants/46508-65-gallon-updated.html#post447724
I was actually in search of A. agassizii, but didn't find them and came home with the A. sp. Mamore instead.
They're not showing too much territory-defending yet. Actually, I'm worried that they're getting enough food -- my little female comes out and I usually see her eating at least one or two pieces of food, but the male is a little skittish and hides most of the time...
I'm wondering if I did the right thing by putting them with the mix of tankmates that I did. I think they'll be ok, though -- they seem to have their run of the caves across the tank, and that doesn't even consider the new flower pot cave I put in there for them...
They're not showing too much territory-defending yet. Actually, I'm worried that they're getting enough food -- my little female comes out and I usually see her eating at least one or two pieces of food, but the male is a little skittish and hides most of the time...
I'm wondering if I did the right thing by putting them with the mix of tankmates that I did. I think they'll be ok, though -- they seem to have their run of the caves across the tank, and that doesn't even consider the new flower pot cave I put in there for them...