festivum

[longhorn13]

ok, another potential resident for my next tank. i've read conflicting reports (hmm, imagine that) about if they are compatable with planted tanks. one said they love lots of plants, and another said that they'll dig them all up. anyone have any personal experience with them?

 

[Vip]

I have had 3 before and they did attack the plants but they didnt uproot them, most of the time they did leave them alone, they are a mid agressive cichlid and like to ffight back they can take on convicts IME but over all are peaceful and a great fish

 

[longhorn13]

would you recommend them kept in groups or alone?

 

[Vip]

I would recomend at least 3 but they do fine by them selfs. Post pics when you get some.

 

[longhorn13]

i gotta get a digital camera first too

any tankmate recommendations?

 

[Vip]

hmmm, there is ALOT of fish they can be put with, look in my gallery all those fish were with my ones, except for the oscars. what are you planing on?

 

[longhorn13]

well, i wanted to add a few porthole catfish. could i go with one festivum, two firemouths and the portholes, or would they fight (the festivum and firemouths)

 

[longhorn13]

ok, which seems better (with any of these groups i'd be adding a small shoal of portholes)

1. 3 festivums
2. 1 festivum, 2 firemouths
3. 1 festivum, 1 severum

 

[myenigmaself]

I've heard of festivus, but not festivum. Is that a holiday?
A festivus for the rest-of-us
.
Sorry, couldn't resist

 

[longhorn13]

I've heard of festivus, but not festivum. Is that a holiday?
A festivus for the rest-of-us

LOL!

from what i've seen, festivus is from the scientific name and festivum is just the common name. although i've also read that getting a true mesonauta festivus is pretty rare, most lfs' have the mesonauta guyanae.

 

[swampcat]

I have three festivums in a tank with angels and blue rams. They are extremely shy. Have plastic plants with wood tree stumps. The festivums swim around tank when you watch from a far distance. As soon as someone comes close to tank they turn a dark shade of color and hide in plants or behind stumps. They hide so well most people can not find them and if you don't know their, there in the first place you would never see them. Tank looks as though there is only the angels and rams.

I really liked the way they look and thought they were really cool, but was pretty disappointed that their never seen , unless you watch from a distance. In the fish store their was about twenty stuffed in a 20 gallon long with nowhere to hide. Had no idea I would very rarely see them again!!!

 

[Vip]

thats strange, mine were never ever shy are you sure you have the flag cichlids? mine were always comeing upto me and fighting with the sevs and convicts.

 

[swampcat]

The festivum I have is the one at the page below.


CLICK HERE

 

[longhorn13]

VIP, any recommendations on that list of options?

 

[longhorn13]

well, i finally got the tank set up, now just a couple weeks for cycling and i'll be ready to introduce my festivums! they've got about 4 or 5 nice looking ones at the lfs, so hopefully they don't sell in the next couple weeks or i'll be SOL. well, they did say that if they sold, they'd get some more in. they also still have the nice green sev, but i'm still not sure if i want to do 1 festivum and that sev or a couple festivums. the wait is almost over though!