All fish / Cichlidae

Red Terror Cichlid

Mesoheros festae

Also known as red terror, festae cichlid, festivum terror, guayas cichlid, cichlasoma festae, heros festae, red terror cichlid, festa cichlid, シクラソマ・フェスタエ, 红魔鬼, 红老虎

This large Central-South American style cichlid has a deep body with dark vertical bars on an orange to red background, and breeding females turn the brightest red. It is kept by keepers of big monster cichlids for its striking colour and bold, interactive personality.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

35 cm

Temperature

24 to 30 °C

pH

6.5 to 8

Smallest tank

500 litres

Keep as

Single specimen or a bonded pair

Diet

Carnivore: cichlid pellets, prawns, mussel, fish fillet, earthworms and some vegetable matter

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Pacific slope rivers of western Ecuador and northern Peru (Guayas and Esmeraldas basins)

Breeding

It is an open-substrate spawner that lays eggs on a cleaned flat stone, with both parents guarding eggs and fry fiercely. Spawning is easy in a large tank once a compatible pair forms, but males can kill unready partners, so a divider is often used.

Good to know

One of the most aggressive cichlids, reaching over 35 cm in males, so only very large tanks with robust tankmates or none are suitable. Females are often confused with other barred cichlids sold under trade names.