Can Veija Cichlids live SOLO?

[dwsdarius]

Veija cichlids are very aggressive just like some of your more common American cichlids like Amphilophus, but I rarely see them living in solo tanks! I've kept vieja synspilum before and it was very aggressive....how do you think it would do in a tank alone? I know it takes them much longer to grow as well; but I think 1 Veija with maybe some silver dollars would look awesome in my 75 gallon tank! what do you think?

 

[tiger15]

Your experience with Sysnspillum is not typical. Veija species temperament are only mildly (synspillum) to moderately (Zonatas and Argentea) aggressive. Because of their mellow temparament, Veija species are often kept in a group. The reason you don't see Vieja species kept solo is because they lack the aggressiveness to interact with the owner, and keeping Vieja solo would make them even more skittish. Synspillum is the shyest of all and don't seem to be able to grow out of shyness with age and size. When I approach my CA/SA tank, I have to approach slowly so as not to frighten my Veija species to jump up and they are the largest, 10-14 inch fish, in the tank.

 

[jeaninel]

My synspillum was never shy. He was always at the front of the glass watching my every move when I was in the room. I would put my face to the glass at one end of his tank and he would rush down. Then I would go to the other end of the tank and he would follow me. This is just my experience and I realize every fish is different but I found mine to be very interactive.

I have an Argentea and a Black Belt now and neither one of those are shy either.

 

[ehh]

Ive seen a few kept as solo fish and they were all pretty fun fish.

The fish doesn't necessarily have to be aggressive for it to be interactive.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I don't like to see these cichlids or any other for that matter,kept solo as a so called wet pet.
It seems like a very dull existence for an intelligent fish like a cichlid.
Veija should not be all that aggressive if they have enough tank space.If they are aggressive then they need more space.
I have kept them as a small group before, 1 male 3 females. They shared the tank with a group of meeki, I had no issues.
In the wild veija will live in groups while they are young and then pair off to mate as they mature.They do not live solitary lives.

 

[xraycer]

Veija cichlids are very aggressive just like some of your more common American cichlids like Amphilophus, but I rarely see them living in solo tanks! I've kept vieja synspilum before and it was very aggressive....how do you think it would do in a tank alone? I know it takes them much longer to grow as well; but I think 1 Veija with maybe some silver dollars would look awesome in my 75 gallon tank! what do you think?

For a 75, I would nix silver dollars, and recommend a Regani. Popular Viejas like synspilum and black belts gets too big for a 75.

 

[viejafish]

Most people keep highly aggressive cichlid as a wet pet, not necessarily as a choice but they got stuck with a beast that won't tolerate tankmates. Vieja are not known to be bold and won't attack the owner, but will interact with the owner for food. My 14 inch V. fenestratus in the avator is the largest fish in a mixed African American tank. He is mellow and don't bully smaller tankmates, so there is no need to keep him solo and won't do well solo because of his timid personality.

 

[duanes]

I have kept argentea, regani, maculacauda, and zonatus solo, mostly because they became too aggressive to be kept with anything else in a 150 gal.
They do quite well alone, and will become very interactive once they settle in.
I gave the regani to a friend who put it in a 220, and it promptly killed his red devil and carpintus.
I also agree, a 75 is a bit small for to keep most Vieja long term, but if water changes are frequent, and large, and filtration adequate, a solo individual could work.

 

[ehh]

I don't like to see these cichlids or any other for that matter,kept solo as a so called wet pet.
It seems like a very dull existence for an intelligent fish like a cichlid.
Veija should not be all that aggressive if they have enough tank space.If they are aggressive then they need more space.
I have kept them as a small group before, 1 male 3 females. They shared the tank with a group of meeki, I had no issues.
In the wild veija will live in groups while they are young and then pair off to mate as they mature.They do not live solitary lives.

Unthinking so better option than stuffing a couple large cichlids into a 75 gallon.
Somewhere here recently took all the vieja out of his 200 gallon because the community wasn't working out.
They may not live lonely lives in the wild but they also don't live with other fish in cramped quarters in the wild.
It's give and take in an aquarium. And in a tank like a 75, a solo fish is the best option.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Choosing a smaller species would have been the best option.