TROPICAL FISH

 Home
 What's New
 About
 Preface
 Introduction
 Fish Anatomy
 Water Chemistry
 The Aquarium
 Plant Care
 Plant Species
 Food
 Disease
 Biotope Aquaria
   Ecosystems
   Country Database
 Fish Species
   Catfish
   Characins
   Cichlids
   Cyprinds
   Killifish
   Labyrinth Fish
   Livebearers
   Loaches
   Others
   Perches
   Rainbowfish
 Non-fish Species
 Breeding Fish
 Aquarium Photos
 Languages
   Chinese
   Finnish
   Japanese
 Bibliography
 Links
 Resources
 Rainforests
 Books
 Site Map
 Mongabay Sites
   Kids site
   Travel Tips
 News
 Contact




Cichlids / South America / Red Terror

Red Terror, Festa's Cichlid
"Cichlasoma" festae | Pictures

Synonyms: Heros festae
Physical description: An elongated cichlid with a sloping forehead. The body color varies greatly depending on the sex and age of the fish. Adult males have a light green to iridescent green body with six to eight light blue to black, transverse stripes. The belly is rosy pink as is the throat. The dorsal fin is bright blue and the last few rays are violet. The anal and caudal fins are violet-pink in color, and the pelvic fin is sky blue. The colors may vary depending on the population. As if males were not colorful enough, females, in their spawning dress, are bright fire red. The body is marked with six to eight, transverse stripes. The fins are also bright red, and the dorsal fins has a large black spot. The front rays of the dorsal in are black. A black marking runs from the forehead to the eye. At non-breeding times, the female is still quite captivating with a sliver-red body color and red fins, with the alternating black stripes.
Size/Length: Males to 20" (50 cm), females not larger than 12" (30 cm).
Similar species: " Cichlasoma" uropthalmus of Central America.
Habitat: Found along shore areas of rivers. South America; Western Ecuador, on the Pacific slope.
S: bottom
Aquarium: For adult fish a tank greater than 48" (122 cm) is recommended. Young fish can be easily kept in a 48" (122 cm) tank with a capacity of 55 gallons (209 L), although with age, larger tanks are required. The tank should be large and roomy with open swimming areas. Provide plenty of hiding places with stable rock structures and caves. This fish dig and will uproot plants. Regular partial water changes must be performed every 2-3 weeks.
Water chemistry: pH 6-8 (7.0), dH 2-18 (8), 77-84°F (25-29°C)
Social behavior: An extremely pugnacious and territorial fish. The Red Terror can only be combined with other large, robust fish. The Red Terror can be combined in pairs. Incompatible pairings may end in the death of the weaker of the fish. To avoid this problem, raise a group of juveniles until a strong pair forms. Nuclear family.
Suggested companions: Larger Cichlasomines ( C. labiatum, C. managuense, C. octofasciatus, C. cyanoguttatus, ect), Crenicichla, Cichla species, Arawana, Pimelodids, Loricarids, Piranha, Silver Dollars.
FOOD: Live; earthworms, fish, crickets, other large insects, shrimp, snails; pellets; tablets; chopped meat
SEX: Males are larger. Females retain the juvenile coloring of a bright red body color with alternating black bands. Sexual dichromatism occurs at 4-5" (10-13 cm).
Breeding techniques: This cichlid is a crave brooder and lays its egg in caves and in sheltered areas. Several large pits are dug in the gravel before the eggs are laid. Up to 3000 eggs, that are larger than most other "Cichlasoma" eggs are laid. The female cares and guards the eggs while the male guards the territory. After 3 days, the eggs begin to hatch. The young are aided by the father, who pulls the egg shells off of them. The fry are then transferred by the female to the large, previously-dug pits. After 5-6 days, the young can swim on their own, although the parents still guard them carefully. Start feeding with Artemia nauplii, water fleas, fine dry food, and Cyclops.
Breeding potential: 7. The Red Terror is a fairly difficult fish to breed because its size and problems with pairings.
Remarks: If the tank is not large enough, the Red Terror will stop growing.
Difficulty of care: 7. The Red Terror is a hardy, but aggressive cichlid whose diet must be supplemented with live foods. The Red Terror requires a large tank because of the size that it can attain.

Recent articles about fish

Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.

Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.



Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.

How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.








what's new | tropical fish home | rainforests | news | search | about | contact



Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2006

The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me.