Doing a bit of research on Festivum Cichlids Combo

[a1wonder]

I'm just wondering if a few Festivum (3) would get along well with Silver Dollars (5). The tank size is a 90 gal and I'd be looking at also putting in the tank for sure 4 Spotted Raphs and a kissing gouramis.

I'm looking at keeping a fairly calm tank and I've been told that these guys are fairly peaceful for a cichlid.

Thanks

 

[DannyBoy17]

That would work out fine, SD's are so peaceful, great for Cichlid tanks. I would say add a couple more Spotted Raphs, as they love to be in decent sized groups.

--Dan

 

[a1wonder]

God do I love the raphs I made a special order for 8 but four of them got accidently sold by a new employee so I told everything they had left and placed another order in.

Is three about right for the amount of Festivum for a small school? (that the number I read being bounced around on a couple of sites, I'm not interested in breeding them but I just want to make sure I don't end up with another scared out of it's mind fish).

 

[Dwarfs]

Looks good, althouh I'd say to have just four raphaels, because most of the other fish get to about 8" (Kissing gourami around 10", maybe 12", SDs at 8", festivums 6" or so)

 

[a1wonder]

Should mention that I've gotten the Kissing gourami from a lady at my moms work whos tank broke the fish is about 5 inchs and is most likely 3 or 4 years old and lived most of it's life in a 20 gal fish tank.

We seem to be on the right page reguarding the other fish though. I was thinking of keeping it around these levels and bringing the raphy count up to 6 (might be another 4 months or so before I get these fish in if possible at all).

Thanks for all the help I think I'll be placing an order for Festivum as soon I get home from university.

Cheers and thanks again.

 

[Dwarfs]

Oh, it was stunted

 

[DannyBoy17]

Looks good, althouh I'd say to have just four raphaels, because most of the other fish get to about 8" (Kissing gourami around 10", maybe 12", SDs at 8", festivums 6" or so)

They wont eat the Raphs silly! Raphs are like plecos, can be kept with larger fish.

--Dan

 

[swampcat]

I have three festivums in a tank with 2 angels, 2 rams, 1 keyhole, 1 bristlenose pleco and a blue acara. My festivums hide and are rarely seen. If you whatch tank from distance they come out. As soon as you come near tank they turn a dark color and hide, and well at that. You would not see them at all if you weren't looking for them. Otherwise a very pretty peacful fish.

 

[Ben]

I have three festivums in a tank with 2 angels, 2 rams, 1 keyhole, 1 bristlenose pleco and a blue acara. My festivums hide and are rarely seen. If you whatch tank from distance they come out. As soon as you come near tank they turn a dark color and hide, and well at that. You would not see them at all if you weren't looking for them. Otherwise a very pretty peacful fish.

hmm,really because mine areare really really active and sometimes interact with me,they also come to the front of the tank when im there
theyre really great fish

DD

 

[Dwarfs]

Looks good, althouh I'd say to have just four raphaels, because most of the other fish get to about 8" (Kissing gourami around 10", maybe 12", SDs at 8", festivums 6" or so)

They wont eat the Raphs silly! Raphs are like plecos, can be kept with larger fish.

--Dan

I know that! I don't want a1wonder to have problems with his/her water quality with so many big fish in there

 

[a1wonder]

You shouldn't worry to much about water qual. at my house, I have mass amounts of filteration because SD fins for some strange reason start to degrade and become riped up if the bio load is to high. I usually end up doing 2 10% water changes weekly at least. Honestly I think going to discus might be easier in the long run.

My major reason for asking is that Festivum are cichlids and cichlids are known to be quite aggressive little buggers. The last thing the SD need is to be harassed also the Kissing gourami got a bit of an attuitude (reminds me a bit of my DPs).

As for the kissing gourami, yes I know it was shunted, if it was under my care it wouldn't have happened but I just got the fish less than three months ago from a person that like to keep pretty things.

 

[swampcat]

I have heard it said before on this forum and an other that silver dollars are sensitive. I have had them for years. I presently have two that are 9 years old. one thats 5 another 3 years old.

I have found them to be one of the easiest fish of all to raise. I have found them to be the least effected by ammonia spikes and the like. The waters they orginate from is poor quality. Do you have well water maybe thats hard and alkalai. They like soft acidic PH-6.5 tops.

My silver dollars have been kept with some mean and nasty fish and have never been bothered by any of them. I have had them with breeding convicts with no problems.

The only fish that gave my silver dollars a tuff time was a red devil , which I found to be impossible to be with any other fish . But you can find sucsses stories with devils and other fish?