Mixing Vieja, life expectancy in a 150?

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BEERSWIMMER

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 25, 2011
24
5
3
Northern Michigan
I have 3 baby(1.5-2") Viejas coming tomorrow. 1ea of snysilum, bifasciatus, and maculicauda. They are going into a 150 gallon 6'x18"x28" tank that is fairly well decorated with logs, rocks, and plastic plants. There are 3 foot long plecos and 4 3" clown loaches in it right now. How long do you think that they'll be OK together in there? I plan on keeping them in there until they either outgrow it, or start fighting too much. Hoping to make it a year.



Terrible pic of my tank from last year with a few different fish
IMG_20111226_231235.jpg
 
They all can live peacefully I had 6 grown ones in a 200 gallon. Had two alphas in two groups lol they always fought but never badly just crossing paths
 
yeah it really depends on the individual fish's temperament, but i'd say theres a good chance of them being able to live together in there for good. I think you will have better luck if you add some other target cichlids that are tough like convicts, to distract the viejas from each other. A school of silver dollars or tinfoil barbs wouldnt hurt either. just make sure you have adequate filtration and a 150 should be more than enough to handle the bioload. I would get rid of the plecos however if I were you
 
Imo no it will not work long term, as you don't know the sex you could have two pair up and kill the third or if there all male I would expect by the time they reach about the 8 inch mark you will be left with a bifasciatus or maculicauda, my 2 1/2 year old biffa would give any midas a run for the money on the aggression front. Mixed vieja community can work with very large tanks but even then you will probably have to swap and change fish about to make it work
 
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I'd agree with a couple of you, it is all based on the sex of the fish when they mature. It is possible you may end up with a pair. I would add some smaller cichlids like convicts or a smaller Hemichromis species if you're not worried about mixing different continent cichlids lol
 
They can and will interbreed so you're best of sticking to one sex if mixing. Also, I'd remove two plecos. Your pushing your load with those three along with the three cichlids as they grow.
 
Where did you purchase them?
 
I did give away 2 plecos to a guy I work with. The fish were bought on Ebay, arrived healthy. They were looking for food withing minutes! So far they are doing great, eating like crazy. I'll be doing weekly water changes.

I'll be keeping an eye on these as they grow, watching for aggression. I can't wait to start seeing some color on them!
 
Hope it works....here is an idea...what till they settle in and own the tank,then as others have suggested try a few smaller growing cichlids, or 3 silver dollars,or bigger barbs,or rainbow fish
 
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