Can Fly River Rainbowfish and Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) Live Together?

Fly River Rainbowfish is a peaceful species (2/10), while Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) is highly aggressive (10/10). This notable difference means Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) may occasionally assert dominance over Fly River Rainbowfish.

Large aggression gap (8 points) between Fly River Rainbowfish and Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) increases stress risk for the more peaceful fish.

Fly River Rainbowfish and Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) both frequent the Middle (Open Water) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: Fly River Rainbowfish is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

To improve the chances of a peaceful coexistence in this community tank: Provide a significantly larger tank (at least 50% more volume than the minimum) to allow both Fly River Rainbowfish and Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) to establish separate territories. Add plenty of line-of-sight breaks using driftwood, rocks, and dense planting to reduce territorial confrontations. A larger aquarium with ample hiding spots can help diffuse aggression and give the less dominant fish space to retreat.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 25°C and 28°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 26.5°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 4–15 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house Fly River Rainbowfish and Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) together, plan for an aquarium of at least 450 litres with a minimum length of 150 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Because this pairing requires extra vigilance, include plenty of hiding spots — caves, driftwood, and dense plant clusters — so the less dominant fish can retreat when needed.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Plants - Densely covered, Plants - lighly covered, Sand (Sifters), Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding), Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels). Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Note a potential conflict in setup requirements: Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) is a plant destroyer, which conflicts with Fly River Rainbowfish's requirement for live plants. Compromise where possible or prioritise the more critical need.

Both species do well with moderate (standard) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

This pairing usually fails when the tank is treated like a standard mixed community and the caution flags are ignored. Fly River Rainbowfish and Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) need extra room, more cover, and closer observation during the first few weeks so small aggression, feeding, or territory issues do not snowball into a long-term problem.