Ex Cichlasoma Festae

[Alex Odesit]

14 years ago, was a last time I kept Red Terror, breeding pair. One of my favorite SA. Beautiful but very aggressive, I am sure most aware of it. I finally free up some space and got 2 juv of wild fish from Ecuador.
As of now I only want to keep one male, I hope from these two 5 cm guys I got lucky and end up with one. The reason I want only male is that I am going to place him in 220 gal with few other large cichlids and I don't want pair who will definitely have an idea to breed and bring the terror to the other tankmates. It is very well may happen with even single moody male, but I'll watch close. Once I had to let go all rowdy fish from similar sized tank because of the Festae pair.
Here some pictures from new arrival and picture of the pair from past that I mention above.
Alex

[Alex Odesit]

OLD PAIR

[Alex Odesit]

now 2 month after, move from 29 to 90 gal and in few month will go to 220 gal, 6 ft tank.
Angry individual

[Paulo José Alves]

Hi Alex

It´s frustrating like young festae are very similar to Urophthalmus. Nice fish,very red. Agressive.

All The Best
Paulo José

[Bas Pels]

It is certainly frustrating if you think you acquired uropthalmus, and come home with festae (obviously, I cherish uropthalmus much more than festae)

However, I never saw uropthamus with the squares festae normally show - so with squares, beware its festae.

[Alex Odesit]

Hi Alex

It´s frustrating like young festae are very similar to Urophthalmus. Nice fish,very red. Agressive.

All The Best
Paulo José

Hi Paulo,
I had my share of disappointments back in 90's when few times during several month came home from various LFS believing that I bought true Red Terror, later realizing that it's not. But I finally learn my lesson (though it took a lot longer that it would today with all the info and pictures all over the Internet). Back than I only have books with very few pictures, one of the book actually had picture Urophthalmus called Festae.
Many generic and higher class LFS today still mistake these 2 fish, mostly for URO benefit, selling as a Festae for considerably more money.
Now days I can unmistakably see who is who, using various signs for distinction even for very young fish. Including the size of the eye spot in the upper portion of the tail fin base (with very rare exceptions, I saw Uro with similarly located and sized ocelatus spot). Y-bar formed between second and third vertical band in older Festae, and some more . Using these method together it's hard to make a mistake.
Disclaimer for Bas: I like Mayan cichlid too, but in this particular time I want and like Festae alot more, ha ha ha

[Alex Odesit]

Few pictures of my larger Festae. I believe it is a male.
These speckling looks great on dark multicolored body especially when sun rays hit the tank.
Alex

[zenins]

Beautiful, thanks for sharing

[Alex Odesit]

Thanks mate:)

[Wooden_Reefer]

Is there a hobby breeder for C Festae in SoCal?

Thanks

[Alex Odesit]

Here some latest pictures. Both Festae grow considerably in 220 gal, still far from the top dog, ex C.Pearsei who can be seeing at one of the picture.
I had Festae's many times in the past, but never found the ones with such dark color for male. Brown/Redish almost, with very pronounced speckling..
Remind me unknown at the time sp cichlid from Colombia I think, if i recall correctly, that we had CRC topic few years back and were debating if this is C.Ornatum or Gephyrum, or just a Festae..

Alex