1) Can they be kept with severums and uarus?
2) How aggressive are they?
3) How big do they get?
4) Are they the same thing as red-headed cichlids?
5) Do all cichlids of this species look like this, or are these better-looking specimens than most?
What do you guys know about these cichlids?
- Thread starter TheEelKing
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1) Can they be kept with severums and uarus?
2) How aggressive are they?
3) How big do they get?
4) Are they the same thing as red-headed cichlids?
5) Do all cichlids of this species look like this, or are these better-looking specimens than most?
These are Vieja species (probably melanura as the title of the video states), often called "red head cichlids".
They can be kept with those you mention, although similar shaped fish often can be competitors, and be aggressive. Severums or Uaru, which come from S America prefer softer water, these Vieja are from southern Mexico and northern Central America where water is generally mineral rich and hard.
In the video they are in brooding/spawning colors so their coloration in more intense than normal, although not excessively so.
They get rather large, up 15" so a large tank is needed, something over 150 gallons just for just a pair.
For a cichlid community tank, something around 300 gallons would be appropriate.
Below is a juvenile.
Depending on ancestral location catch point their coloration can vary a lot, some more dark with yellow, some from another river or lake more red.
They can be kept with those you mention, although similar shaped fish often can be competitors, and be aggressive. Severums or Uaru, which come from S America prefer softer water, these Vieja are from southern Mexico and northern Central America where water is generally mineral rich and hard.
In the video they are in brooding/spawning colors so their coloration in more intense than normal, although not excessively so.
They get rather large, up 15" so a large tank is needed, something over 150 gallons just for just a pair.
For a cichlid community tank, something around 300 gallons would be appropriate.
Below is a juvenile.
Depending on ancestral location catch point their coloration can vary a lot, some more dark with yellow, some from another river or lake more red.
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These are Vieja species (probably melanura as the title of the video states), often called "red head cichlids".
They can be kept with those you mention, although similar shaped fish often can be competitors, and be aggressive. Severums or Uaru, which come from S America prefer softer water, these Vieja are from southern Mexico and northern Central America where water is generally mineral rich and hard.
In the video they are in brooding/spawning colors so their coloration in more intense than normal, although not excessively so.
They get rather large, up 15" so a large tank is needed, something over 150 gallons just for just a pair.
For a cichlid community tank, something around 300 gallons would be appropriate.
Below is a juvenile.
Depending on ancestral location catch point their coloration can vary a lot, some more dark with yellow, some from another river or lake more red.
When you say "similar bodied fish can be competitors and aggressive", are you saying that there is a good possibility that these fish would attack my severums and uarus? Or do you mean generally speaking that fish of similar shapes will sometimes show aggression to one-another?
If I buy one of these cichlids, they will be going in my 300g with a clown knife, severums, clown loaches, bichirs, a datnoid, a blood-red parrot, and a leopard ctenopoma. I was thinking of getting a uaru, too, since I've kept them with severums with no problems at all.
I believe in a 300 gal you will "probably" be fine.
In a tank "half" that size I might be less optimistic, because Central American (Mexican) Cichlids tend to be much more territorial than their South American cousins, and any round, laterally compressed, similar shaped fish would be considered competition for space, breeding area, and food.
A 300 should have enough space.
In a tank "half" that size I might be less optimistic, because Central American (Mexican) Cichlids tend to be much more territorial than their South American cousins, and any round, laterally compressed, similar shaped fish would be considered competition for space, breeding area, and food.
A 300 should have enough space.
I only keep one gender of cichilds per tank. For instance, I have 3 male severums in my tank. If I add a uaru and/or a red-head cichlid, they would have to be male, too. So, I shouldn't have breeding aggression.
That said, you're telling me the vieja species in that video are more aggressive than severums? If you had to rate cichlids on a scale of 1-10 for aggression, where would you place severums and uarus on that scale and where would you place the cichlids in the video?
I find Uaru very low on the aggression scale (maybe 2) Severum 4, any Vieja somewhere 7-9, but again, it all depends on tank size, and alpha status (breeding aside) Central Americian cichlids have an entirely different general aggression level than South Americans.
In a 300 it could be a pussy cat, in a 125, a terror.
In a 300 it could be a pussy cat, in a 125, a terror.
Whoa! Those fish in that video are between 7 and 9 aggression compared to the severum at 4? If I got one of those, it might kill my whole tank off, the severums, the datnoid, the clown knife, bichirs...everything! Is that what you're telling me?
There is risk always when dealing with cichlid because their personality can vary greatly between individuals, but seems to me like duanes is saying that in a 300g there should be enough space for the melanurus to coexist with your fish, but you should exercise caution. I would agree with this, melanurus/synspilum are in general, probably the least aggressive vieja, other than maybe heterospilus. And would probably be a fine in your tank. A breeding pair might give you some trouble though- personally I would probably keep a lone specimen. I'd also ask what your water is like, these guys are CA and like water a bit harder, with higher pH, than the south American severum and uaru.
I would not mix any Vieja with Heros or Uaru, simply because Heros and Uaru tend to be non-confrontational with pushy fish and any aggression or dominance from the Vieja would probably stress them out. Not to mention the different water requirements.
A lot of combinations are possible in large tanks, but if you don’t have the space to try out risky combos, it’s best to be safe rather than sorry.
A lot of combinations are possible in large tanks, but if you don’t have the space to try out risky combos, it’s best to be safe rather than sorry.
If both species have different water requirements then I would not do it. Neither species will thrive if you can’t have the right hardness/softness or ph. IMO no point in worrying about aggression if the fish won’t be healthy living together in the long term.