Festivum Flag Cichlid 6 cm

Species – Mesonauta festivus
Common Name – Flag Cichlid
Origin – South America; Amazon basin near to Iquitos, northern Peru.
Diet – Omnivore
PH Range – 6 – 7
Temperature – Tropical 24–28°c
Breed Type – Egg layer
Maximum Size: Grows to approximately 20cm
Sex – Un-sexed

The body of the Flag Cichlid is an angular oval shape and is strongly compressed laterally with pointed anal and dorsal fins. These are good-sized fish that can grow to a length of 8″ (20 cm) in captivity, though they are only about 6″ (15 cm) in the wild. They have a life span of 7 – 10 years.

The most distinguishing characteristic of these fish is a black band that runs from the mouth, through the eye at an angle upward to the top of the very back of the dorsal fin. There are at least 6 or more color varieties and patterning stemming from different locations, all of which include this black strip. They can be yellow above that line and white/silver below. Another variety is brown on top white/silver on the bottom and the fins are striped in light yellow and brown. Still another variety has 7 irregular brown vertical bars that run the entire length of the body ending in an “8th” bar as a spot on the caudal fin