Guyana festivum
Mesonauta guyanae
Also known as Guyanae flag cichlid, Guyana flag cichlid
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 5.5–7.2
- Adult size
- 4.3 in
- 11 cm
- Minimum tank
- 32 gal
- 120 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Substrate spawner · Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Guiana Shield rivers
Overview
The Guyana festivum is a peaceful but shy cichlid, the smallest of the flag cichlids, and it favors the middle of the tank. It is best kept with a little experience.
Did you know
The Guyana festivum reached the hobby for years hidden in shipments of the common festivum, which it closely resembles. It was only later recognized and named as a separate Guiana Shield species.
Caring for the Guyana festivum
Give a Guyana festivum pair at least 32 gal (120 L), with room among the planting. Use driftwood and tall plants for vertical cover, a dark substrate and some leaf litter to tint the water. It likes to hang near plant stems and roots, and it settles best when it feels secure.
Keep the water soft and acidic to neutral, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.2. Give it gentle, well-filtered flow rather than strong current. Feed a varied diet of flake and pellet with frozen daphnia and brine shrimp, plus some vegetable matter.
Keep it singly or as a pair rather than in a crowd of its own kind. Choose calm, similar-sized tank mates, since boisterous fish leave it hiding and off its food. Very small fish or shrimp may be taken.
It is a substrate-spawning, biparental cichlid that lays its eggs on a firm surface, often a broad leaf. Breeding is of moderate difficulty.
Good to know
Mesonauta guyanae is a member of the family Cichlidae, an oval, laterally flattened cichlid with a pointed snout. A dark band runs across its body. It is one of several closely related flag cichlids spread across South America.
In the wild
The Guyana festivum comes from the blackwater and clearwater rivers of the Guiana Shield. There, soft, acidic, tannin-stained water runs past submerged wood, roots and plant stems.
Common questions
What size tank does a Guyana festivum need?
A Guyana festivum needs at least 32 gal (120 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Guyana festivum need?
A Guyana festivum is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.5–7.2.
What does a Guyana festivum eat?
A Guyana festivum eats a varied diet of flake and pellet with frozen daphnia and brine shrimp, plus some vegetable matter. It may also take very small fish or shrimp.
How big does a Guyana festivum get?
An adult Guyana festivum reaches about 4.3 in (11 cm).
How does a Guyana festivum breed?
The Guyana festivum is a biparental substrate spawner that lays its eggs on a firm surface, often a broad leaf. Breeding is of moderate difficulty.
Related species
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