Please Suggest An Alternative To Cichlasoma Festae

[mishmash]

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Hi all, I currently have a planted aquarium which is home to a community of fish and runs with CO2 injection and EI method plant ferts etc.

I am having reasonable success but one of my great loves is cichlids. I have kept mbuna before, and had a species only Julidochromis Marlieri tank whilst living abroad. I also have strong affection for shell dwellers and some of the smaller Tanganyikan species such as Altolamprologus Calvus.

However, what REALLY caught my eye was a pair of Red Terrors. (I can almost HEAR the groans already, lol, but hear me out )

Now I know for a fact that my 80x45x55cm tank is too small for these beauties, but I am trying to find an alternative. Something that has intense colouration, that will pair, and breed. It would be nice if there could be other fish in the tank too, but that is not essential. I am thinking South American might be best as my water parameters and maintenance suits best. (Water out the tap is pH 7, kH 3 and gH 8 but with my planted substrate the pH tends to drop to around 6.4). And I would LOVE to be able to incorporate my love for planted / biotope aquaria with my choice of fish.

It may be that by upgrading to a 100 x 45 x 45 tank I can open up many more possibilities, so please, when making your suggestions, include fish that would be suited to those slightly larger dimensions as swapping out to say a Rio180 is not out of the question (I would probably go for open top (with covers if need be) Optiwhite with hanging pendants of some sort).

Looking forward to getting some suggestions and inspiration. If you have any links to your own tanks that you feel would be of interest, again, fire away.[/size][/font]

 

[Wills]

Hi the main problem with most cichlids and plants is that cichlids dig and clear areas to breed in so I think there is probably a middle point in the planting that you need to accept in a way.

Ill be honest with you Festae are pretty unique the only thing I can think of that comes close ish that is a more manageable size is the Yellow Convict, Cryptoheros Nanoleutus this might have changed family but search that name and it will come up. But compatability with plants would not be excellent something to consider.

There are not many stripey dwarfs if I can think of... some of the Apistos are nice in a similar way to Festae ish Apisto Panduro females are black and yellow which could be similar if you squint a bit lol. They are better with plants as well

Actually no got it! ivanacara adoketa check them out pretty rare and hard to get but not impossible a couple of breeders in the UK so possible to get. But supperficially slightly similar with their stripes.

Wills

 

[minnnt]

Apistogramma Agassizi 'Fire Red' would be the best option I reckon. You could have a normal stocking with these fish too.

The other option would be Red Jewel Cichlids, but they're nuts when breeding.

 

[mattlee]

cichlasoma ornatum are a very close fish to festae. stunning colouration when bigger and happy that cant be matched. the only thing is they are harder to find than festaes.....