Festivum Cichlid (Mesonauta festivus) Care Guide

A peaceful South American cichlid with a distinctive diagonal black stripe from mouth to dorsal fin, giving it a flag-like appearance.

Overview

Mesonauta festivus is a species in the family Cichlidae. A peaceful South American cichlid with a distinctive diagonal black stripe from mouth to dorsal fin, giving it a flag-like appearance. Gets along well in community tanks with similarly sized peaceful fish. Prefers heavily planted tanks with driftwood.

Taxonomy

Family: Cichlidae
Genus: Mesonauta
Scientific name: Mesonauta festivus
Other names: Flag Cichlid, Festive Cichlid
Origin: South America

Habitat

Widely distributed across the Amazon basin and adjacent drainages of Brazil, Bolivia and Peru, with a separate population in the Río Paraguay. Inhabits slow backwaters and flooded forest pools with dense vegetation; often co-occurs with angelfish.

Tank requirements

Minimum tank volume: 200 L
Temperature: 24-28 °C
pH: 6-7.5
GH: 2-12 °dGH
Water flow: low
Adult size: 12-15 cm
Lifespan: 8-12 years
Difficulty: intermediate

Diet

Classified as omnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.

Compatibility

Temperament: peaceful
Swimming level: middle
Compatible tank mates: Angelfish, Severum, Corydoras, Large Tetras
Avoid with: Aggressive Cichlids, Small Fish

Breeding

Breeding strategy: substrate-spawner
Breeding difficulty: intermediate