adding vieja to oscar tank

[loneshark]

I have 55 gallon 4 foot tank. my oscar js about 8" and I added a vieja which is about 10" to the tank but the oscar went at him bad for like a minute and took some scales off the vieja.
the vieja is a female.

I have now put vieja in a different tank.

what is the best way I could add her to the tank successfully?
typically my oscar leaves the smaller cichlids alone (even when added new) like green terror and texas around 2" even.

this vieja is bigger than him so I thought should be fine but it's the total opposite the oscar annihilated the vieja

 

[BadGaskets]

You're not going to get this to work. Especially not in a 55 gallon. None of the fish you listed will do well as adults in a 55 gallon, especially not mixed together. Even if you get them to get along right now, it won't be that way a year from now.

 

[Deadeye]

Welcome to the forum!
As mentioned, any one of those fish will need at least a 6 foot tank to be comfortable alone, let alone with other fish.
It’s natural for them to ignore smaller fish, as they are not competition (but are potential meals). Once a fish its size comes along, it is a perceived threat, especially in so small a territory.

 

[loneshark]

Makes sense.

anyways, if in case the tank is big enough, are there any better ways to introduce new same size american cichlids to the tank?
like in africans, I always added new fish in numbers and when lights are off which always worked.

what if it's big american cichlid ? and just one? if the tank is say 8 foot

 

[tlindsey]

Makes sense.

anyways, if in case the tank is big enough, are there any better ways to introduce new same size american cichlids to the tank?
like in africans, I always added new fish in numbers and when lights are off which always worked.

what if it's big american cichlid ? and just one? if the tank is say 8 foot

Welcome to the forum. Even in a 8 foot aquarium you have to pick only suitable tankmates all species of cichlids are different in many ways for example territorial aggressive, and from different regions of the world from rivers or lakes. The Oscar has claimed the 55 gallon as it's territory so most likely will kill the vieja cichlid. If the aquarium was large enough the tables would turn because the more aggressive Vieja would mature and probably kill the Oscar.

 

[koltsixx]

I agree with tlindsey . A Vieja or any of fish that used to be grouped in that Genus(many now are grouped in separate genera, ie: Chuco, Cincelichthys, Isthmoheros, Kihnichthys, Maskaheros, Oscura and Paraneetroplus.) would probably not make for a compatible tankmate for an Oscar.

 

[loneshark]

thank you for the input guys.

I'll rehome the vieja.

 

[duanes]

Beyond the territorial limits of your tiny tank (there is not really enough space in it for single adult oscar)
The water parameter preferences of both species are quite different.
Oscars come from the soft, lower pH waters of South America.
Vieja come from the hard, high pH waters of Central (north) America.