Vieja Questions

[duanes]

In a 400gal+ tank, you may actually be able to keep argentea and regani.
I have never been able to keep them in a community in 200 gal tanks or under, after they mature.

 

[Gourami Swami]

A Vieja community in a 400gal would be awesome, they are some of my favorite fish and I have always wanted to do a huge community of them.
However, going back to the initial issue, I would not trust the vieja to not bother the geophagus. Your issue with the Oscars was that they were being conflictual with the geophagus: Vieja are definitely a worse choice if you thought your Oscars were too aggressive. If you remove the geophagus, then by all means, go for it. But if your looking for fish that will be peaceful and leave your geos alone, I definitely would not recommend a bunch of Viejas.

 

[FriedFlowerHornFillet]

Zonatus is one of my bucket list fish. I've always wanted one but everyone I know and have heard of that keeps them insist that they're pretty mean.
Gorgeous though.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Op, have you maybe just had experience of overly aggressive oscars?Or were they perhaps in a smaller tank?
Compared to many c/a cichlids more often than not they are much more live and let live. Having said that there are always the exceptions.
If you like oscars and your tank is a good size,I see no reason not to try again.

 

[George Fertern]

Here I think I I'll try the vieja melanura as that's what seem to be the most docile. How does 5 sound? I think I might try some other cichlids like a pearsei. I tried dambas before but they were bad stock and 5 out of the six died. I was thinking of trying a school of them again. But nothing is final until the tank is up and running

 

[rajzynger]

My Synspilum was a gentle giant. Best fish I have ever owned.He was everyone's favorite whole lot of color and personality and he never bit other fish back not even when they would bite him some how he was still the tank bouncer though-he pushed with his head and would pin them until they calmed down and then he would let them go
R.I.P. Meatloaf!

My synspilum was also my tank mediator. I had him for 12 years and he never fought anyone but was also the one that broke up anything else happening . As soon as he passed it was total chaos for a while. I see synspilum as potential to be aggressive but usually choose not to be.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Here I think I I'll try the vieja melanura as that's what seem to be the most docile. How does 5 sound? I think I might try some other cichlids like a pearsei. I tried dambas before but they were bad stock and 5 out of the six died. I was thinking of trying a school of them again. But nothing is final until the tank is up and running

Have you considered a harem of melanura?1 male and 4 females may work well.
I have housed many cichlids this way and in a large suitably furnished tank you can get good results and a very impressive display.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

I kept this group together for about 2 years.

I had two males and three females. I ended up just keeping a pair along with a group of thorichthys meeki.
It was only really the two males that started to become aggressive with each other.Looking back if I had only removed one of the males I think it would of worked just fine.

 

[George Fertern]

I kept this group together for about 2 years.
View attachment 1254798
I had two males and three females. I ended up just keeping a pair along with a group of thorichthys meeki.
It was only really the two males that started to become aggressive with each other.Looking back if I had only removed one of the males I think it would of worked just fine.

Yeah it would either be a harem or all females. I just don't know if I should go with a male seeing as they might get big.

 

[mr cichlid]

Y'all overlooking the obvious. Vieja can be aggressive or passive even the gentle giant pearsi gets rough and tough at times...here's my suggestion; get nice group young mixture species if you like letting them work out dominance and territory then add bunch of smaller fish. Despite the Vieja being rowdy at times they have a small mouth and tall body enabling smaller fish to easily elude them in tanks with open water and strategically-placed cover. I'd get something contrasting in color for instance if you make zonata center piece get some ridiculously bright red jewels or if you go pearsi get some yellow lab (the africans not my favorite yellow labriden cichlid which would be my center piece fish if going somewhat community) or Argentina a school of jet black bull head cats...think out of the box. It's been decades but im starting to have a soft spot for nicarguensis and salvini. Imagine how much color they'd be with synspillian or maculacada, excuse my spelling. Or, how bout xingu- 1 pike, handful hemichromis elongatus and monster pair Argentina