Cichlid Profiles - Festivum

[robertprice]

The Festivum is one of the oldest fish ever kept by aquarists, dating back to 1908, It's Latin name, Mesonauta festivus means festive middle sailor, referring to the fish's handsome appearance and tendency to stay in the middle levels of the water. They are great companion fish for Angelfish. They come from the Amazon, live in 73-82 degree moderately hard water, at pH 6.5 to 7.5. They get 5-6 inches long, but rare indivudals grow over 8 inches in captivity. Females are genrally slightly smaller but hey can only be sexed by venting. They need a 25 gallon tank for one, or a community 55 gallon.

The color pattern is complex, and the most noticeable feature is the dark thick diagonal stripe that extends from the rear of the dorsal fin through the eye to the mouth. The eye is red. There are 7 vertical faint brown body stripes. The base color above the stripe is dark brown, and below is silvery green-yellow. Most of the fins are tinged with yellow. The Festivum has a pointy head and a deep square body with the Dorsal, Ventral and **** fins long and pointed and extending back horizontally. (See Images of Festivum.)

They are peaceful omnivores which eat most foods. They will eat guppy sized fish though. They are also social and like to live in small groups. They are prone to jumping when scared, so should be in a covered tank.

[stevem]

where u the first to keep them? HAha
1908 prettyimpressive

[robertprice]

I wasn't the first to keep them, but they were the first live fish I ever saw. My fathe, who probably was one of ther first to keep them in the USA had them when I was born, sometime during the Eisenhower administration.

[stevem]

my first was oscars and demseys
that was about late 60's

[robertprice]

The first fish I remember were Angelifsh and Oscars in my father's tanks in the med 1950's.

[stevem]

i also remeber one tank with oscars, demseys and severums. the other tank with angels.
my dad had 2 29 gal slate bottom tanks.
at 86 years old he still has about 7 or 8
from a 100 gal to a 5 gal.

[stevem]

comment on your first fish

[robertprice]

Geez, I'm really dating myself. I remember Metaframe slate bottom tanks! I remember Festivum and Oscars from whe I was about 5. I also remember my father did not believe in heaters and the fish always got Ich. I think we had 2 thirty gallon tanks and one 10.

[stevem]

mine where also meterframes
2-29 gals
and my dad used to shut off everything at night, heaters filters, lights everything
all on a timer
we also had an old piston pump, which my dad still has.
but doesn't use.

[robertprice]

My father at least kept the pumps and filters going at night. He never got a piston pump, and the vibrating diaphragm pumps back then wre very noisy. There wasn't even good fish food back then- just some junk called Long Life.