With vieja, herichthys, and a few others in a 210 gallon how would the compatibility be do you guys think?
Thoughts on Red Tiger Motaguense cohabitation?
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210g 6 foot? Seems a bit short in length with just the RTM, vieja, and hericthys + other 10-12" cichlids (I'm assuming)
Can give it a shot... It's difficult to advise on mixing large aggressive species like this, because it's going to come down to the individual fish. But on average, motaguense are mean s.o.b's. Adult alpha male may not want to share even a 210 gallon. And depending what type of vieja you have, they might not either. If you do attempt it I would have dividers and refugee tanks on hand.
I’d try it, but I agree on the Motas. I think, aside from a few of the Dovii I’ve kept, the Motas are the meanest on average. I’ve had reasonably calm Dovii as well as a few insane ones, but I’ve never had a Mota that wasn’t an absolute psycho all the time. That’s a lot of space though, maybe they figure it out together. I wouldn’t start with the Mota though, from what I’ve seen from them once they set up shop they aren’t very interested in sharing with new additions.
I think long term you will run into trouble.
I also think it's easy to look at a 6 or 7 foot tank and think it's quite spacious, especially when cichlids are added as juveniles.
You did not specify what species of Veija or heritchthys. Both groups of fish have large often aggressive members. If you have a carpintis these can grow around 12 inches and can be mean. One of the most common Veija is probably melanura. Males of melanura can reach lengths around 16 inches and are big thick bodied fish.
Add these to whatever other fish you have plus a territorial parachromis and that tank can start to look mighty cramped.
Your free to try it but I predict it won't last 6 months.
I also think it's easy to look at a 6 or 7 foot tank and think it's quite spacious, especially when cichlids are added as juveniles.
You did not specify what species of Veija or heritchthys. Both groups of fish have large often aggressive members. If you have a carpintis these can grow around 12 inches and can be mean. One of the most common Veija is probably melanura. Males of melanura can reach lengths around 16 inches and are big thick bodied fish.
Add these to whatever other fish you have plus a territorial parachromis and that tank can start to look mighty cramped.
Your free to try it but I predict it won't last 6 months.
I agree with the above. I actually just gave my 7 inch male RTM away. I couldn't even sell him because everyone in my community seems to know how aggressive they are. I had him since he was about 4 inches. I've owned a lot of aggressive cichlids over the past few years and only a full grown male texas (carpintis) was ever this aggressive. My tank had multiple caves and hiding areas and my RTM policed all of them. No fish was allowed in the bottom third of the tank. He killed anything that wasn't at least 5 inches in size and everything else was nipped at. I really wish I could have kept him because I know he would have grown to be a beauty but I don't have the tank space to dedicate to just one fish lol
7'x2'2'. And I'll probably be sizing up in a few years as well.
It's a female, about 4" right now. I do have other tanks and half of my 100 gallon sump free for fish that need refuge. Supposedly she's been gentle with similarly sized Central Americans so far.
Right now I have synspila, argentia, and maculicauda for vieja. They're all around 10". My herichthys are pearsei and bocourti, but are still growing out in my 90 gallon and I have multiples to get the smaller of the sexes.
I have some other cichlids in my 210 to keep it filled while my grow outs grow. True green terror, oscar, rotkiel and banded severums, orange saum, nicaraguense, and a jack dempsey that range in size from 4"-10" and my vieja haven't had issues with them.
Good that it's a longer tank and since it's a female RTM, stick with female cichlid co-habitants. Pairs just make the tank that much smaller for the rest. I would try the all female cichlid route in a tank that long.
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