How to keep Viejas together

[the animal guy]

Syn, argentea, Blackbelt, Bifa, and Breidhori..
What is the smallest size tank they will live in peace with?

I have a Syn, Argen, Breid, and maybe a bifa & BB in the future if all is cool.. They are around 7" now & fine together in a 140g with some smaller cichlids.
it's ok now But Im asking for the future. They are territorial but not hurting anyone..

Man they are beautiful..

Need your experience on keeping these together.. Thank you thank you thank you thank you

 

[trace]

I have had good luck so far but the biggest in the bunch is 6.5". At the moment they are in an overstocked tank until pairs form. I don't like the look of crowded tanks so as soon as pairs form I will sell of the rest. I have syns, bb, fens, zo, and harwegi in that tank and argentea in with my festae.


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[trace]

Sorry I forgot to answer the question if you are just keeping one male per species a 240 is about as small as I would go and for pairs 8x4 is probably pushing it. Good luck.


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[Chrisplosion]

Look at Sam's tank, he has like a ton a Vieja in a 195g tank.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Look at Sam's tank, he has like a ton a Vieja in a 195g tank.

1 fish per gallon.


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[Modest_Man]

Look at Sam's tank, he has like a ton a Vieja in a 195g tank.

Only way you're going to do it. My argentea killed a similar sized female synspilum (both 10"+) in a 360 gallon tank, when there were only about 5 fish in the tank.

 

[the animal guy]

Only way you're going to do it. My argentea killed a similar sized female synspilum (both 10"+) in a 360 gallon tank, when there were only about 5 fish in the tank.

So overstock the tank??

 

[the animal guy]

Look at Sam's tank, he has like a ton a Vieja in a 195g tank.

where can i see Sam's vieja/ptheraps tank?

 

[Chrisplosion]

Search Vancouver_98683 threads

 

[notho2000]

I keep a 180G heavily stocked and they manage to get along with limited issues. The odd time, a fish will take a beating (a few scales missing, split fins) but for the most part will recover on its own in the tank. I have in the 180G:
6 P. bifasciatus
6 P. sp. 'Coatzacoalcos'
6 V. synspilum
1 H. bocourti
2 P. hartwegi
2 P. fenestratus sp. 'Catemaco'
3 C. godmanni
These fish are pretty much full grown ranging from 8" to 14". There are regular spawnings but needless to say, the young don't survive very long if left in there. The "downside" is that the fish are not behaving as they would be in nature, the "upside" is that you can maintain them in quite a successful way without them killing one another. You will need very good filtration with lots of water changes (50% twice a week is my regimen). Another trick is to have a strong current (powerheads) which tends to distract them from one another and hence quell aggression. Also keep the temperature in the low to mid 70's to further reduce aggression. Here's a few pics of this tank: