Parental Care of the Festivum Cichlid

Beautiful moments from @caminhosdesconhecidos ❤️ in Brazil ????????

???? Parental Care of the Festivum Cichlid — Nature’s Gentle Guardians ????

Few fish show such touching family care as the Mesonauta festivus.
When breeding begins, these elegant cichlids become devoted parents — calm, alert, and deeply protective. ????????

After a careful cleaning of a flat leaf or stone, the female lays up to 200–300 eggs, which the male immediately fertilizes. Both parents fan fresh water over the clutch and guard it day and night. ????????

Within 3–4 days, the fry hatch, and the parents move them gently to small pits in the substrate or onto other safe surfaces.
The fry stay close, guided by subtle fin movements and body signals — a fascinating display of fish intelligence and cooperation. ????✨

Once the young start swimming freely, the adults continue to guard and even “herd” them together for protection. This calm yet dedicated parental behavior makes Mesonauta festivus one of the most peaceful and caring cichlids in the aquarium world. ????????

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