so tell me about festivums

wolf13

wolf13

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Mar 13, 2007
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I'm still trying to figure out what the heck to do for a upper level centerpiece fish (I am a little skeptical of angels, and while i like the looks of rams, the bottom of the tank is going to be crowded already), and festivums seem to get mentioned on occasion, but i can't find much solid info on em. the main thing is, are they compatible with medium tetra's like cardinals and bloodfins (greenfires actually), and how well do they do in warmer water 80-84? I have seen a number of posts recommending them with rams and discus, but many of the info sheets for them indicated mid 70's. I know theres supposed to be about 5 species that are commonly called festivum (festivium, guyanae (and cf's) and insignis), but are there any differences besides coloration and location between them as far as temperament, habitat etc?

and..anyone have places where can i find em for sale besides live aquaria in the us (and of course aquabid)?
 
Festivum wouldn't be compatible with your small tetras. Unlike angels that can be raised with small fish and not eat them, festivum are more likely to as neons are their natural food. Festivum do NOT require mid 70s. They are tropical and 78-80 is fine. 84 is probably not a good idea. Why whould you want to keep them in 80-84? There is only ONE festivum.

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile53.html

http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Mesonauta_festivus.html

http://www.geocities.com/napavalley/5491/mesonauta.html (tells about the true festivum and what isn't)
Why are you skeptical of angels?
 
No neons, just the cardianls and greenfires right now, so anything under what, 2.5, 3? is too small? Ok, perhaps I should have said multiple Mesonauta sold under the name festivum, are there any behevorial or habit differnces between them, for instance, one site claimed insignius is primarly a bug eater (i've been poking through sites all afternoon including those you mentioned, and getting more and more confused)? reason for the temp inquiry is that potential future tankmates include discus and rams, as well as the current pleco's I have besides the tetra's.

as far as angels go, I don't trust them since the MIGHT not eat your tetra's if they grow up with them, but it sounds like you can't add any after they grow up, and in the end, you don't know what they will do. hence why i've been looking for alternatives as a top level centerpiece fish.
 
any center piece fish you choose that is a cichlid may eat any small neons/fish..raised with them or not.
IME angels can and sometimes will eat small tank mates they are raised in..especially any that are close to their wild roots. they will attempt to try and eat anything they think they can fit in their mouths.

flags(Festivum)
actually there are 4 festivums:
Mesonauta festivus
Mesonauta guyanae
Mesonauta cf guyanae (rio cobra)
Mesonauta cf guyanae(rio tapajos)
all 4 are distinct and all 4 referred to as Festivum/Flag
there is also a Mesonauta insignis (looks very simillar to the others but different
 
wolf13 said:
No neons, just the cardianls and greenfires right now, so anything under what, 2.5, 3? is too small? Ok, perhaps I should have said multiple Mesonauta sold under the name festivum, are there any behevorial or habit differnces between them, for instance, one site claimed insignius is primarly a bug eater (i've been poking through sites all afternoon including those you mentioned, and getting more and more confused)? reason for the temp inquiry is that potential future tankmates include discus and rams, as well as the current pleco's I have besides the tetra's.

as far as angels go, I don't trust them since the MIGHT not eat your tetra's if they grow up with them, but it sounds like you can't add any after they grow up, and in the end, you don't know what they will do. hence why i've been looking for alternatives as a top level centerpiece fish.
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Angels will NOT eat any small fish that they are raised with. I've done it many times over the past 35 years. It's only when subadult or adults are put in a tank with them that they will. Festivum most probably will though.

Nothing other than rams and angels can really tolerate the higher temps that I know of, but there's really no need to keep them at super high temps unless you want to breed them. Keeping discus and rams at 80-82 where other fish are comfortable will work as well.
 
Nolapete said:
Angels will NOT eat any small fish that they are raised with. I've done it many times over the past 35 years. It's only when subadult or adults are put in a tank with them that they will. Festivum most probably will though.

Nothing other than rams and angels can really tolerate the higher temps that I know of, but there's really no need to keep them at super high temps unless you want to breed them. Keeping discus and rams at 80-82 where other fish are comfortable will work as well.
Click to expand...

I doubt that statement can be held true in 100% of all instances.

It may be your experience but it is not true in all/many cases.

I have kept angels for over 30 years. I currently keep and breed Domestic
Scalare.

I am working Wild Peruvian Scalare into the domestic scalare and am attempting F1 wild Peruvian Scalare.

I can say in 100% of my tanks where I have attempted community tanks. that the angels have eaten some of the smaller species ..to include Otocinclus. Danios and Neon tetras.(if they fit in their mouths they will attempt to eat smaller fish.)
they do leave larger tetra species alone they chase and nip at Black neons and have left cardinal tetras alone. the survial rate can be increased if you place adult sized in with the young angels
yes in these tanks dime sized angels were raised with young neons, danios, otocinclus, black neons and cardinals.
 
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