Solo argentea in a cichlid community?
- Thread starter Sinister-Kisses
- Start date
SK - just MHO, but I think that you will be greatly disappointed with a single Argentea in that tank. Stunning fish, but personality wise nothing at all like the larger cichlids, including midas, that you are familiar with. I suspect that in a tank that size, as a single specimen fish tank, it will spend most of its time hiding, and when it is out & about, it will be very flighty when there is movement around the tank. Good luck with your decision.
Hmm...that's disappointing. I'd never heard/read that about them. Well, nothing is forever...they've been a species that I've wanted to keep ever since I discovered them forever ago and they're already ordered now, so I'll see what happens as they mature and if it turns out like you suspect, then I can see about finding another home for it and go back to my tried and true Midas. At least then I'll have kept an argentea and can die happy lol. Thanks for the feedback!
Unlike Oscars and Midas that have been in the hobby for almost a century, and sort of become as domesticated as a fish can be.
M. argentea only showed up in the hobby in the late 80s, and early 90s, and even then...due to their wild, lonerish and untrusting disposition, have not developed into the anthopamorhic familiarity, and doglike tameness that oscars, midas and some other more common cichlids have.
Perhaps they are too innately intelligent to trust humans, too rebellious to develop "Stockholm Syndrome.
It was first only scientifically described in 1991
Not saying they couldn't, if raised in a one person in a no other fish environment, but it may be highly unlikely.
So I believe what RD says is right on the money.
Of the dozen or so I have kept over a couple decades, none have come close to a golden retriever attitude.
I do find them to be one of the most beautiful and my favorite species to keep (albeit as a single species to a tank).
But my expectations for them being a "pet" are quite low.
M. argentea only showed up in the hobby in the late 80s, and early 90s, and even then...due to their wild, lonerish and untrusting disposition, have not developed into the anthopamorhic familiarity, and doglike tameness that oscars, midas and some other more common cichlids have.
Perhaps they are too innately intelligent to trust humans, too rebellious to develop "Stockholm Syndrome.
It was first only scientifically described in 1991
Not saying they couldn't, if raised in a one person in a no other fish environment, but it may be highly unlikely.
So I believe what RD says is right on the money.
Of the dozen or so I have kept over a couple decades, none have come close to a golden retriever attitude.
I do find them to be one of the most beautiful and my favorite species to keep (albeit as a single species to a tank).
But my expectations for them being a "pet" are quite low.
Fair enough. I'll stick with the plan and see how it plays out...they are stunning, and I won't be totally crushed my solo argentea doesn't have the personality of my midas, I've kept plenty of other cichlid species that don't have that attitude so it's not a deal breaker. If said argentea is overly skittish and just hides all the time, however, probably will change things up but we'll see 
I agree with those on argentea aggression, size and personality. I've kept several vieja species over the last 30 years and none as aggressive as argentea. I found the only fish mine tolerated was small convict types, a rather large pleco and leporinus fasciatus. This was in a 300 gallon tank. I assume it was a male being 14 inches. He came to the glass like other big cichlids but he just wasn't the same as keeping big amphs etc. Growing up he murdered the other vieja in the tank. Which was synspilum and bifasciatus.
However I do think they're one of the unique and nice looking vieja. Everything we do in this hobby is about preferences. Obviously looking after and providing the best home for our fish is the goal, be it a solo vieja argentea or try a cohabitation.
However I do think they're one of the unique and nice looking vieja. Everything we do in this hobby is about preferences. Obviously looking after and providing the best home for our fish is the goal, be it a solo vieja argentea or try a cohabitation.
Hi, new here. SK, you replied to a post of mine about my Argentea and tankmates on C-F. I just wanted to add my observations so far. My solo juvie is almost 4" in a 180 alone at the moment (maybe always alone from everything I read), and I can say it's a fairly outgoing fish. It doesn't hide, comes to see me, tracks my finger and follows me along the glass, shimmies for food/get my attention. Isn't shy of my wife or two younger spastic kids. I'm very pleased so far. Not at all to discredit RD above, I have just this single experience to share and it's early days. I can see wariness in the way it approaches eating - kind of checks out the food, circles it, slowly decides to eat. Even when I give worms from my compost farm (I know it's more vegetarian, but I also kept Synspilum, and they were not wary in eating and went nuts for live food). So maybe this wariness is a larger sign of things to come. Hope not! Good luck with yours!
Thanks for that! Supposed to be arriving today...still waiting. Patience is not my strong point lol.
Ive kept pearsei for years and they need space. This is my current boy who is only about 12" at the moment in my 8' x 24" footprint 300 gallon. My last one that I had past of old age at around 10 years old was 16" and thick. Made this tank look small!
I really dont suggest a pearsei unless you are dealing with a 180 gallon minimum, but bigger is better, and that's just for a solo fish!
I really dont suggest a pearsei unless you are dealing with a 180 gallon minimum, but bigger is better, and that's just for a solo fish!
