Can Australian Smelt and Festivum Live Together?

Australian Smelt is a peaceful species (1/10), while Festivum is generally mild-mannered (4/10). This modest difference means Festivum may occasionally assert dominance over Australian Smelt.

Australian Smelt and Festivum both frequent the Top (Surface) and Middle (Open Water) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: Australian Smelt is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

To improve the chances of a peaceful coexistence in this community tank: Provide a significantly larger tank (at least 50% more volume than the minimum) to allow both Australian Smelt and Festivum to establish separate territories. Add plenty of line-of-sight breaks using driftwood, rocks, and dense planting to reduce territorial confrontations.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 24°C and 24°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 24.0°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 6.5 and 7.2. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 5–12 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house Australian Smelt and Festivum together, plan for an aquarium of at least 150 litres with a minimum length of 90 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Because this pairing requires extra vigilance, include plenty of hiding spots — caves, driftwood, and dense plant clusters — so the less dominant fish can retreat when needed.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Plants - lighly covered, Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels), Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding), Plants - Floating. Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Note a potential conflict in setup requirements: Festivum is a plant destroyer, which conflicts with Australian Smelt's requirement for live plants. Compromise where possible or prioritise the more critical need.

Both species do well with moderate (standard) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

This pairing usually fails when the tank is treated like a standard mixed community and the caution flags are ignored. Australian Smelt and Festivum need extra room, more cover, and closer observation during the first few weeks so small aggression, feeding, or territory issues do not snowball into a long-term problem.