# Amphilophus festae?



## RORRET DER (Apr 23, 2013)

Hello, I would like to know if anyone could positively ID him/her. He/She is approximately 2 1/2 inches. Also, any idea on the sex/age?
Thanks in advance!


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## SmellinFishy (Mar 17, 2013)

Is that ich all over your fish?..


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

SmellinFishy said:


> Is that ich all over your fish?..


Yes, the fish is infected with ich.


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Yes, "exCichlasoma" festae and yes the fish is badly infected with ich and needs to be treated with something like malachite green.


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## RORRET DER (Apr 23, 2013)

No ich ... it's sand lol. I thought the same thing when I introduced the first cichlid (behind him) he's clean now. Thanks so much for your help!


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## Azedenkae (Apr 19, 2012)

Lol. But yes that's an ExCichlasoma festae.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

thats not sand. its ich!


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Well it for sure looks bad. The fins are kind of shortend and the colour not good. For me its so bad I can not tell what it is. Amphilophus festae are as hard as nails as are most that look similar and I for sure hope it does OK. The darkend eye is a very bad sine of a cichlid under a lot of stress.

Erm Amphilophus festae are SA and soft water cichlid, no way should they be kept with coral sand that can do this.

But again they can stand all sorts of abuse and come out shining and healthy.

Tend to kill all tank mates of caurse. :wink:

All the best James


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## RORRET DER (Apr 23, 2013)

24Tropheus said:


> Well it for sure looks bad. The fins are kind of shortend and the colour not good. For me its so bad I can not tell what it is. Amphilophus festae are as hard as nails as are most that look similar and I for sure hope it does OK. The darkend eye is a very bad sine of a cichlid under a lot of stress.
> 
> Erm Amphilophus festae are SA and soft water cichlid, no way should they be kept with coral sand that can do this.
> 
> ...


Thanks james,

I picked it up at one of my LFS and they were all in pretty bad shape(stress). I'm glad I did as he/she is doing much better now. If feels good when you care for something and watch it grow. It is not shy and gladly comes up to the glass to greet family! The tank and mates are doing well (no ich..and hopefully not anytime soon). Would you recommend gravel as a more suitable substrate? I just want to make it as comfortable/natural as possible. Any idea on the sex? Is it too soon to tell? The color changed as well, it has a little red/orange near the tail, a few specs of a beautiful blue near face and body and the lines are much darker.

I currently have:55 gallon-emperror 400-live plants(ferns/I think "tall anubias")- a lare piece of driftwood with several cutouts for access-several Lg/Sm pieces of "lava rock"-Petco King Powerhead-225.
Thanks again everyone for all you help!


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Unless it turns out to be uropthalmus (false red terror) I think your on a loser keeping it with Mbuna in a 55g.
Even if it is uropthalmus its going to be big and bold and nasty, though not as big and nasty as festae and just a chance that could work.

Lets assume its festae. A 55g is only big enough to keep just one as a pet fish long term. Yep gravel or pool filter sand and soft water (no lava rock but less scratchy bolder type rocks) best for those.

Kind of a hard choice you have to make I think.
Do you like this guy enough to give the tank over to him plus maybe a big plec catfish or do you want a Mbuna community? You realy can not do both well in a 55g. 90-125g (for a good time a 75g can do) good for a pair of festae or uropthalmus (after growing on about 6 and letting them decide which to pair with (usualy biggest female plus biggest male but not always) depending on how well they get on. Tank deviders ready as they often fall out and the female needs protection. 55g fine as a pet single.

Yep way to early to sex for me.

All the best James


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

What was I thinking? Y bar on fourhead plus spot before caudal being small and limmited to the top. Should be festae not uropthalmus.
Pitty uropthalmus easier to keep in hard water with mbuna and/or coral sand substrate for a while.

All the best James


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