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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.
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