Vieja zonatus and regani

[ragin_cajun]

If you disagree with the minimum acceptable tank size, you should tell us what you think it should be so people can use that information in their decision making process.

Ok. I'll go with what Duanes said. 300 gallon and above is what you need.

 

[xraycer]

The Oscar in a 75 gallon was only an example my Oscar is in a hundred fifty gallon with a couple of small tank mates that being said I'm not understanding why this is becoming so difficult minimum tank requirements are spoken of all the time on this website so again I will ask anyone that has kept the species mentioned would they care to elaborate on what they feel would be suitable tank size requirements

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I've seen full grown oscars and viejas (14"+) and I personally would not keep them in anything smaller than 180....and that's maybe 2 fish maximum. So, I would say that that is the bare minimum.

 

[viejafish]

The width of the tank determines the minimum size tank to keep one full grown fish. A full grown male Vieja is about 14 inch, so the minimum size tank for a single Vieja is 75 gal which has a width of 18 inch. A 55 gal is too narrow for a full grown Vieja. However, Vieja is a bad candidate to be kept as a wet pet because Viejas are timid fish that are best to be kept in a group. After meeting the minimum width requirement, the length of the tank determines the number of full grown fish that can be kept. You need a minimum of 6 ft 125 gal tank to keep more than one full grown Viejas.

 

[Quo Vadis]

Have you considered Heterospila? They stay smaller, are milder, and in my limited experience is less spooky than my much bigger synspilum. That said, have you looked into Sunfish as wet pets? They don't need heaters, can be gorgeous (pumpkinseed, longears) and get very tame. They also can mix well with cichlids if you want to go that route. In my very mixed "grow out" tank the fish that are the most interactive with me if I stick my hands in the water and play with them are the Oscars (Crassipinnis, one normal one) all the various sunfish (pseed, bluegill, rock bass, green sunfish), the baby red ceibals (have to move them to an I heated tank now that winter is coming), a flier cichlid, sajica, and, weirdly, a lone yellow lab. All these will almost let me pet them and will gather around my hand and inspect it.

 

[jaws7777]

The width of the tank determines the minimum size tank to keep one full grown fish. A full grown male Vieja is about 14 inch, so the minimum size tank for a single Vieja is 75 gal which has a width of 18 inch. A 55 gal is too narrow for a full grown Vieja. However, Vieja is a bad candidate to be kept as a wet pet because Viejas are timid fish that are best to be kept in a group. After meeting the minimum width requirement, the length of the tank determines the number of full grown fish that can be kept. You need a minimum of 6 ft 125 gal tank to keep more than one full grown Viejas.

Have you considered Heterospila? They stay smaller, are milder, and in my limited experience is less spooky than my much bigger synspilum. That said, have you looked into Sunfish as wet pets? They don't need heaters, can be gorgeous (pumpkinseed, longears) and get very tame. They also can mix well with cichlids if you want to go that route. In my very mixed "grow out" tank the fish that are the most interactive with me if I stick my hands in the water and play with them are the Oscars (Crassipinnis, one normal one) all the various sunfish (pseed, bluegill, rock bass, green sunfish), the baby red ceibals (have to move them to an I heated tank now that winter is coming), a flier cichlid, sajica, and, weirdly, a lone yellow lab. All these will almost let me pet them and will gather around my hand and inspect it.

Thanks for the info guys...yes I do like sajica too.
If I were to go with a 125 would it help if there were large clown loaches and silver dollars in with either of the vieja mentioned ? How many vieja would best suit this set up if they do require being with other vieja's ?

Thanks for the info guys and excuse my ignorance I've never kept these fish before

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[RD.]

The width of the tank determines the minimum size tank to keep one full grown fish.

Using that logic a 50 gallon tank would be more than enough for a full grown male. (36x18x19")

That would probably fly if you asked the same question on a SE Asia forum, where flowerhorn breeders keep 12"+ fish in tanks the size of shoe boxes. Using those types of standards the minimum tank size becomes the min size one can cram a fish into without it becoming stunted, or deformed. Now we are really getting into the true meaning of minimum.



Jaws, your response just brought this discussion full circle for me. You never were looking for an answer from those with hands on experience with this genus, you were seeking someone that would tell you it's ok to do what you were already planning to do. Now that you found that one person, you're good to go buddy! And by all means add a school of clown loaches, and school of SD's, and maybe a foot long common pleco as well. Then go out and get yourself a "group" of vieja, and sit back and enjoy your new comm tank.


Vive la différence!

 

[xraycer]

Using that logic a 50 gallon tank would be more than enough for a full grown male. (36x18x19")

That would probably fly if you asked the same question on a SE Asia forum, where flowerhorn breeders keep 12"+ fish in tanks the size of shoe boxes. Using those types of standards the minimum tank size becomes the min size one can cram a fish into without it becoming stunted, or deformed. Now we are really getting into the true meaning of minimum.



Jaws, your response just brought this discussion full circle for me. You never were looking for an answer from those with hands on experience with this genus, you were seeking someone that would tell you it's ok to do what you were already planning to do. Now that you found that one person, you're good to go buddy! And by all means add a school of clown loaches, and school of SD's, and maybe a foot long common pleco as well. Then go out and get yourself a "group" of vieja, and sit back and enjoy your new comm tank.


Vive la différence!

Nailed it on the head!

 

[Quo Vadis]

Why don't you just do a single smaller Vieja, like Regani or Heterospila (or both and be prepared that you may have to intervene if they don't get along). Those two only get 9-12in and I think two would be perfectly fine bioload wise in a 125g, but just having two of them I think the main issue will be aggression. Then depending on if you did one or two, have some variable number of smaller cichlids like Sajica, flier cichlid, thorichthys, etc., and if you wanted to have a bit of variety a couple sunfish. Don't go with big dithers if you want to avoid adding more bioload, so I'd say no SDs or clown loaches.

 

[Mythic Figment]

Using that logic a 50 gallon tank would be more than enough for a full grown male. (36x18x19")

That would probably fly if you asked the same question on a SE Asia forum, where flowerhorn breeders keep 12"+ fish in tanks the size of shoe boxes. Using those types of standards the minimum tank size becomes the min size one can cram a fish into without it becoming stunted, or deformed. Now we are really getting into the true meaning of minimum.

This just further proves my point that the term "minimum" is strictly opinion. Everyone has different opinions and most people think theirs' is the right one. However, I tend to agree with you more on this topic than not. If it makes you feel any better, I have given up on my idea of keeping Vieja in anything smaller than a 180+. This conversation has made me think on fish size versus tank size a lot more than I have in the past.


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[xraycer]

This just further proves my point that the term "minimum" is strictly opinion. Everyone has different opinions and most people think theirs' is the right one. However, I tend to agree with you more on this topic than not. If it makes you feel any better, I have given up on my idea of keeping Vieja in anything smaller than a 180+. This conversation has made me think on fish size versus tank size a lot more than I have in the past.


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You're right, there are plenty of opinions on an off the net, but when well seasoned, highly knowledgeable members like RD and Duanes give advices, you should listen.