TankBud

Flag cichlid

Mesonauta festivus

Also known as Festivum cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Flag cichlid (Mesonauta festivus)
Citron · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
5.9 in
15 cm
Minimum tank
37 gal
140 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Substrate spawner · Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
South America

Overview

The flag cichlid is a peaceful South American cichlid for the middle of a planted tank. It is easy to keep.

Did you know

Flag cichlids often rest at an angle, tilted nose-down among vertical plant stems and roots. The dark diagonal stripe lines up with those stems and breaks the fish's outline. A nervous flag cichlid will tuck into the plants and all but disappear.

Caring for the flag cichlid

Give a flag cichlid at least 37 gal (140 L), planted with tall plants and driftwood to help it feel secure. The plants and wood break up sight lines. Leave some open water as well, and keep the flow gentle. It swims mostly in the middle of the tank.

Give it soft water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed quality pellets, flake and frozen foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp, with some vegetable matter.

The flag cichlid is calm and somewhat shy for a cichlid. It does well in a group or as a pair. It mixes well with peaceful larger tetras and similar gentle tank mates.

Flag cichlids are substrate spawners that form pairs and guard their eggs and fry. Both parents tend the brood, but they can be tricky to breed in the aquarium.

Good to know

Mesonauta festivus is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae. Its body is tall and laterally compressed. A dark diagonal band runs from the snout through the eye to the top of the tail.

In the wild

Flag cichlids come from slow, soft waters across South America, including flooded forest edges and quiet river margins. These are thick with plants and submerged wood, and the water is soft, slightly acidic and often shaded.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The flag cichlid is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a flag cichlid need?

A flag cichlid needs at least 37 gal (140 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a flag cichlid need?

A flag cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a flag cichlid eat?

A flag cichlid eats quality pellets, flake and frozen foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp, along with some vegetable matter.

How big does a flag cichlid get?

An adult flag cichlid reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).

How does a flag cichlid breed?

Flag cichlids are substrate spawners that form pairs, and both parents guard the eggs and fry. They can be tricky to breed in the aquarium.

Related species