Mesonauta festivus

Mesonauta festivus, the Festivum or Flag Cichlid, is one of the most elegant South American cichlids in the hobby. Native to the Bolivian and Peruvian Amazon and associated floodplain lagoons, it inhabits slow, heavily vegetated waters rich in tannins. Its most distinctive feature is the bold diagonal black stripe running from the mouth to the tip of the dorsal fin, combined with a reddish-orange iris. Festivums are peaceful fish that cohabit exceptionally well with discus and angelfish due to similar water parameter requirements. They appreciate dense planting and dimmer lighting.