My most recent pair, well, at first, success! They spawned! But then they ate the eggs. Things went downhill from there. I got home from work one day, went into the basement, and OMG... white flesh was hanging from the side of the female! DAMMIT! I immediately move the male to my vieja community tank, and I add some salt to the female's tank. I chill in the basement rest of the night to be sure the female is stable, and the male is getting along in the community tank. After watching for hours, everything's good. I go to bed.
Next day, I come down... male's dead. DAMMIT! But the female is alive. So I keep treating the tank over the following days... and weeks, with water changes and a little salt.
Finally, the females wound begins to heal. She's never going to look quite the same, but at least the red has returned to her wound. I decide I'll keep her anyway... she survived a massive beat down from the male, but seemed on her way to a full recovery.
Last week, I go into the basement to feed my fish after coming in from work. Female dead.
DAMMIT!
I still have several young adult festae that are looking really good and coming into their own... I almost got rid of these too... I'll see how they come along. But based on their fate, I think this is my last dance with festae. We'll see. I hope you find a male, man!
-Rich
