# Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stunning



## Antipofish (28 Jun 2012)

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. 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.


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## BigTom (29 Jun 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

Well the obvious suggestion here is _Apistogramma_. You could probably get a trio/small group in a tank that size, and have dithers as well. Lots of personality, the odd bit of aggression and parental care of fry means they're always up to something. Lots of species to choose from, especially if you're willing to order from breeders/importers.

If you can find them, I'd also love to keep _Biotecus_ one day.

You might just about get away with a pair of _Cryptoheros nanoluteus_ in a tank that size... need somewhat harder water params being from Central America though.

Or, as a bit of a curveball, _Betta macrostoma_? Breeding males are possibly the best looking fish I've ever seen.


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## Antipofish (29 Jun 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

Thanks BigTom, I i will give the ones you mentioned (except Apistos) a look up.  I have decided against Apistos as they are too small.  I really want something mid way between them and the Festae in terms of size.  Sadly Apistos tend to get lost in there on their own and you ( or I should say "I" ) then tend to stock on lots of other fish to retain interest and movement, which defeats the object of my vision for the tank at the moment.  

Thanks for the suggestions and I will look those others up for sure


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## dw1305 (29 Jun 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

Hi all,
The Rostricht (red) forms of _Apistogramma agassizii & A. cacatuoides_ are available from a lot of LFS. The domestic form of _Apistogramma macmasteri_ (usually sold as _A. viejita_), some forms of A."Pebas", _A._ "Papagei" or the Rostricht form of _A. hongsloi_ are all _Apistogramma _spp. with a large amount of red.

A. _macmasteri & hongsloi_ should be easy to find, A. "Pebas" possible, but A. "Papagei" is more rarely commercially available. If you could find A. "Papagei", it is temperamentally definitely a "cichlid" and extremely colourful.

Have a look here: <http://apisto.sites.no/fish.aspx?fishIndexID=2295&gruppeID=1>, all of TomC's site is great. <http://apisto.sites.no/>

Sorry seen your post: 
The other option would be _Hemichromis_, but they are very good parents, which means that few other fish last long in the tank with them. You would want the fish sold as _H. lifalili_, rather than the even more aggressive  _H. bimaculatus_.

cheers Darrel


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## Antipofish (3 Jul 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*



			
				BigTom said:
			
		

> Well the obvious suggestion here is _Apistogramma_. You could probably get a trio/small group in a tank that size, and have dithers as well. Lots of personality, the odd bit of aggression and parental care of fry means they're always up to something. Lots of species to choose from, especially if you're willing to order from breeders/importers.
> 
> If you can find them, I'd also love to keep _Biotecus_ one day.
> 
> ...



Tom
Those Cryptoheros nanoluteus are BEAUTIFUL !!! Where would I need to go to get some  ?  Im not going to rush out and just buy them. Im the sort who will do a LOT of research in terms of fish husbandry and appropriate tank setup too, but I imagine they are quite a specialist species.  Do you belong to some cichlid club or forums ? I cannot imagine many people who are just "general" fish people knowing about those beauties


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## BigTom (3 Jul 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

They're not a fish I've kept myself. Your best bet is asking over on the British Cichlid Association forum, and maybe Seriously Fish as well.

Darrel's _Hemichromis_ suggestion is also well worth looking into, I'd forgotten about them.


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## Antipofish (3 Jul 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*



			
				BigTom said:
			
		

> They're not a fish I've kept myself. Your best bet is asking over on the British Cichlid Association forum, and maybe Seriously Fish as well.
> 
> Darrel's _Hemichromis_ suggestion is also well worth looking into, I'd forgotten about them.



Hi, Is Hemichromis Lifalilli the proper name for the Jewel Cichlid ?  Red ?


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## BigTom (3 Jul 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

Yup. http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/he ... -lifalili/


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## Antipofish (3 Jul 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

OK nice suggestion.  They are pretty fish, and I believe excellent parents.  May consider them but I do tend to go for something a bit more out of the ordinary.  I really am quite taken with the nanoluteus.   Love putting threads on like this as you learn about so many more fish...  Just wish there was a dwarf variety of the Cichlasoma Festae, lol.


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## dw1305 (5 Jul 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

Hi all,
There was some-one on the BCA forum selling young _Cryptoheros nanoluteus_, I can give you a contact number if you are still keen on them. I don't think they are that problematic to keep (they are meant to be the most difficult to keep of the CA species), but I think they will be quite expensive to buy. They are hard water fish and quite fierce, so would need a target fish/dither, Green Swordtails are the normal choice, but people can probably suggest some other options, _Astyanax mexicanus_ Mexican Tetra? not sure they are available, some of the more unusual CA live-bearers etc.

cheers Darrel


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## Antipofish (5 Jul 2012)

*Re: Anything smaller than Cichlasoma Festae but just as Stun*

Yes please Darrel.  That would be great, perhaps you can PM the info to me ?  I tried joining the BCA forum but am not getting the activation emails (either to my email or junkmail).  Bit frustrating.


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