# Red Terror Tankmates and Tank Size



## Cook.MN

Never kept an RT before but this beautiful fish is one that I would like to. So wondering what other possible species could be housed with a RT and what size of a tank should they at least be in.

Also any success stories of what other members have kept with RTs in "X" tank would be nice as well.

Also wanted to add that this is for 1 RT, looking to house 1 RT + tankmate(s). Would a GT or two be possible? I kinda like the idea of a "Terror" tank.


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## TheFishGuy

Large large large. Red terrors, especiaslly males get HUGE 16" ish... And will not tollorate tank mates...

I have a male in a 1500. He still causes problems....


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## Cook.MN

TheFishGuy said:


> Large large large. Red terrors, especiaslly males get HUGE 16" ish... And will not tollorate tank mates...
> 
> I have a male in a 1500. He still causes problems....


Wow, that's insane! Such a pretty fish too


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## RDP

I tried keeping my juvinile RT in a 125 with other larger fish and it worked for a while, but eventually it began to pick on the other (larger) fish and I had to put it in a tank all by itself. Right now it is about 6-7" long and if it gets too big for the 75 it is in now I'll have to move it to a larger tank. This one was picking on my 10" JD and 13-14" oscar before I moved it and a it was only 4-5" long at that point.


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## oldcatfish

I agree with The Fish Guy 100 percent on this one, though I've never owned a 1500g tank!
If you want to keep them long term, get at least a 125g (but larger would be better)...and get at least 6 as juveniles. Once you have a pair, have caves that only the smaller female can fit into. Even better would be a divider with a hole cut out---only large enough for the female to pass through.

Red Terrors are, in my experience, one of the most aggressive cichlid species available. And they get large. I think that they make Red Devils/Midas look pretty tame in comparison. Definitely not for the average hobbyist.


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## TheFishGuy

I'm thinking about breeding mine soon, I've got t free up a large enough tank first. When I attempt to breed him I'm going to use egg crate as a divider, siliconed into place to prevent any incidents since the female will be on loan. They will spawn through the egg crate without a hole for her to get through... A lot of times they will lay the eggs directly on the egg crate and both parents will still care for the fry...


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## oldcatfish

That's true...and it is the safest way to breed them. But you do miss the interaction. I prefer the divider with the hole...but that's just me.

Just out of curiosity have you ever bred Festae?
Mine were absolutely insane when protecting their fry. Tip....never reach your hand anywhere in or above water without a barrier between them and you!


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## TheFishGuy

I have not done festae, but have done other heavey hitters like jaguar, midas, oscars. All of wich is insanity to try and put your hand in the tank... I just want to do the festae for the B.A.P. program in my local club


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## jgentry

oldcatfish said:



> I agree with The Fish Guy 100 percent on this one, though I've never owned a 1500g tank!
> If you want to keep them long term, get at least a 125g (but larger would be better)...and get at least 6 as juveniles. Once you have a pair, have caves that only the smaller female can fit into. Even better would be a divider with a hole cut out---only large enough for the female to pass through.
> 
> Red Terrors are, in my experience, one of the most aggressive cichlid species available. And they get large. I think that they make Red Devils/Midas look pretty tame in comparison. Definitely not for the average hobbyist.


I have to disagree a little bit with most of the super aggressive claims. Large males are definately aggressive fish but many of the females are shy and not that bad compared to some of the larger CA fish. Usually the females are the ones people want if they are not wanting a pair so that works out well. They are much smaller then the males, more colorful and a good bit less aggressive. At least out of the 2 females that I have owned this has been true. On the other hand I have never owned a labiatus that could be kept with tankmates as an adults.

Every fish is a little different though. With SA/CA cichlids it is often a bit of trial and error with getting compatable fish in a mixed communty. Personally I think in a large tank you would have a decent chance of a GT and RT coexisting if you have a female RT and start out with the GT a little bigger then the RT.


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## TheFishGuy

Size matters..... I've got fish together that "normal" people would never attempt to keep in the same confines...


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## jgentry

TheFishGuy said:


> Size matters..... I've got fish together that "normal" people would never attempt to keep in the same confines...


Abosultely. When I said large tank I was thinking 6ft minimum to have a chance for them to work with really an 8ft tank being ideal. 150+ gallons for sure.


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## oldcatfish

I agree with the each cichlid is an individual thing. Also, I haven't kept Festae for years, so the ones available may be a bit more mellow. F0 and F1 fish tend to be much more aggressive than line bred fish. The ones I had (male or female) were quite aggressive though---much more than any Red Devil/Midas than I've ever had. I've never had any Red Devil or Midas that was a pure strain though.


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## TheFishGuy

Yeah, wild caught anything tends to be a bit more "crazy" than aquarium bred. I've got a wild caught male managuense that's about 10" who gets in the face of a 22" giant goramy... And wins... :lol:


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## oldcatfish

I've found that most FO/ wild caught fish have the following traits...

---More nervous to movement outside of the tank.
---More picky with foods.
---Much more territorial with other fish.
---More protective of young.


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## TheFishGuy

LOL Two posts in a row the old catfish has defined my posts! Thank you sir, sometimes I'm a bit vauge...

You realize that FO is not a term at all... And F1 really only refers to the very first spawn of a wild caught pair. Subsequent spawns should not be labeled F1... They're just fry... The whole "F" thing really annoys importers and breeders LOL Just thought I'd share  The only "F" term, like I said is "F1" refering to the very first spawn. There's no such thing as F2,3,4,5,6 or F0 :lol:


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## Toby_H

Actuallyâ€¦ lol

Filial is a labeling system commonly used in scientific experimentsâ€¦ F0 is not used as this would describe the base specimen which is described in full, not by Filial. F1 is the first generation born under experimental conditions, F2 is second generation born under experimental conditions, so on and so onâ€¦

In our case, we are suggesting that being kept in aquariums is our â€œexperimental conditionsâ€


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## TheFishGuy

Festae.... We were talking about festae... Besides, I started it knowing full well there'd be some sort of response like yours :lol:


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## Toby_H

I meant to say... festae are very very pretty fish... 

So Cook... are you still considering keeping Festae/ have you made any desicions about what environment you may be able to provide for them?

I had a younf adult female for a short time. She was a beautiful fish. She didn't cause any problems but was in a very large tank with other large fish. She was rehomed before problems could occur.


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## oldcatfish

No, actually...I didn't know that. I've always seen F0 and wild caught to referring to the same thing, with F1 being spawn with both wild caught parents...and F2 used to describe a spawn with 1 wild parent.


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## TheFishGuy

Spawn with one wild parent is just a spawn... nothing more nothing less... nothing special...


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## Toby_H

You mean it wouldn't be het for wild?

lol... sorry.. had to... Pun off of mendelian genetics...


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## oldcatfish

Actually, with one wild parent, it would be a bit special (maybe not in name). The more varied the genetic stock, the stronger the offspring tend to be---that's true with any animal.

Line bred animals display certain traits, such as a desirable color---but they also are much more prone to genetic diseases.


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## Toby_H

I agree with you OldCatFish... in that including wild blood into any breeding line is an asset, even if it's only from one side. And if I had offspring for sale that had one Wild and one Tank Bred parent, I would boast that they have one wild parent...

Personally I think we would be better off simply saying what a fish is as opposed to trying to make short hand for everything... Short hand has it's place, but it can also be over applied to the point of just being lazy...

But now when we talk wild caught fish, I think it makes a big difference if they are wild caught juvis or wild caught adults. Wild caught fish are the product of generation after generation of "survival of the fittest"... but wild caught adults are the fittest of their brood who are the product of generation after generation of survival of the fittest...

Our Cichlids have hundreds of fry at a time, and genetically speaking, an exceptionally small percent are designed to survive. And life in the Amazon (or elsewhere in nature) is what selects the fittest to make themselves available to continue... but snagging up 2 month old Juvis denies them this selctive process....

But what I meant to say was... festae are very very pretty fish...

So Cook... are you still considering keeping Festae/ have you made any desicions about what environment you may be able to provide for them?


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## TheFishGuy

:lol: :lol:


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## aFinFan

Red terror is hard to mix but here are a maybes if your tank is big enough,cichlasoma trimaculatum,cichlasoma umbriferum be careful with this one as it is the nastiest fish in the hobby in my opinion,maybe the synspilum as well big but not that aggressive *** also seen terrors mixed with flowerhorns,purple rose queen,and jaguars but i really do not reccommend the hybrids good luck to you


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