Species Profile
Festivum Cichlid
Mesonauta festivus
Also known as: Flag Cichlid
Cichlidspeaceful
Adult size
6″
Minimum tank
55 gal
Temperature
75–82°F
pH
6–7.5
Schooling
Group of 6+
Water level
mid
Grows from juvenile
Typically sold at ~2″ and reaches 6″ over ~1 year. Plan tank size for the adult, not the fish at purchase.Diet
Flake, pellets, frozen, veggies
Notes
Tall silvery body with a diagonal black stripe through the eye. One of the few cichlids that schools and is peaceful enough for community tanks with discus and angels. Eats plants — keep with tough plants only.
Photo: Citron / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0