Argentea WetPet?

[PhelansFish]

Hello, i am considering buying a 12 inch argentea to put in a tank by himself with some plecos. I was wondering if the can be wet pet like meaning interactive with their owners? Do the kinda swim around and pay no attention to you? I know each fish has their own personality but what are your experiences?
Thanks

 

[xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx]

I used to have a 10" Male Argentea, and he never paid attention to me unless I got too close to the tank then he would go crazy trying to attack me.

 

[Rodders02]

Ive never owned Argentea so correct me if I'm wrong but I've sort of got the impression that they're more of a big show fish for a semi aggressive community tank.

 

[neutrino]

The one argentea I knew up close wasn't mine but belonged to someone I knew and it was very interactive, definitely a wet pet, even with me and I wasn't around that much. So, not an expert on them, but maybe it depends on the individual fish.

 

[duanes]

I have kept argentea as solo fish, and find they can become very interactive and will recognize you if kept no lower than chest level, when kept alone. If kept in a low tank, they seem to perceive shadows as a sign of predator (in nature I believe birds are one of their major enemies.

In fact I don't find them to be a good community fish at all, mine always tried to kill all other tankmates in anything of 150 gallons or smaller. I find unless you have 250 gallons or larger they are very aggressive.

The above male started killing all other cichlids at about 7", although it ignored fish such as live bearers.

 

[mikem691]

I'm growing out one now as a wet pet. Hes about 4" and is just as interactive as a Lyonsi and a midevil I used to have.

 

[PhelansFish]

Thanks guys for your inputs!

 

[smitty03281964]

Argentina's are great to have and are not skittish of shadows and people.

 

[ragin_cajun]

I have 2 I've grown from 1 inch to their current 6-8 inches. They're in a 540 with a bunch of other Vieja, a Midas. They are very "differnet" from all the other fish in the tank. They don't interact with other fish the same as all the other fish in the tank. They are very much to themselves, they like quick violent strikes and then go back to hovering over the bottom looking for something.

They're very mean, and other fish know it. The only time they pay any attention to me is when every other fish in the tank rushes to the top for food.

they'd be a great wet pet, but only because they look amazing in a tank under lights.

 

[Jdreal21]

Mine is the same at about 5 inches can't put it anywhere except my 220 or solo because it has a problem with other fish even 3 times its size. When I'm siphoning the gravel it likes to follow me looking for things in the gravel pretty neat but in the 200 he does his own thing when he was on a 75 split he would come out and charge me at the glass but in my opinion not community fish they do best by themselves