These threads are never fun, but the learning process is part of fishkeeping for better or for worse, so I figured it was important enough to share.
About 3 weeks ago I bought a wild caught Vieja aregentea from Gage. Beautiful fish, but was particularly shy and took a bit to pellet train. A week into qt he started eating, so I put some other fish in with him and this really brought him out of his shell. I was worried about introducing him into the 300 since he was so shy, and being wild caught I knew that the adjustment to tank life could end up being a challenge. I moved around a bunch of the wood waited till lights out and introduced him to the big tank. Tank only has 5 small to medium cichlids, some silver dollars and some plecos. Didn't work. Next morning I found him pinned in one of the upper corners with most of his fins shredded so I pulled him out and put him back in qt.............time for a new strategy
My lfs had a beautiful 10.5" female jag, and the thought was maybe if I introduced both fish together my chances would improve. Qt'ed the jag for about a week and half and overall she was a super mellow fish, spending most of her time looking at the argentea through the side glass of her tank. Both fish were eating and "Oreo" the argentea had healed nicely, so I, and they, were ready......
Second part of the plan was to remove everything from the 300 and completely redo all the wood, rocks and plants and basically hit the rest button in the tank. All existing territories and hides were gone and a whole bunch of new ones were available, so upon introduction of the 2 new fish, nobody would have anything to defend so to speak. Waited till nighttime to do this and timed it so that I was finished the rescape just as it was lights out time. Got both the new fish and placed them in the tank and held my breath.......
Next day was interesting. The only major aggression was from "Brock" our midas which was the largest fish in the existing tank. Mostly a lot of gill flaring towards the jag, but no aggression towards the argentea at all. As a matter of fact, it seemed that none of the fish even noticed him, because they were so interested in the other very large newcomer. Everyone settled in, picked new hides and all fed together and seemed to be cool with each other. A bit of flaring still, but no lip locking or chasing at all.........
This lasted for 4 days......all fish happy and hangin out, usually together over one large piece of wood. Seemed like it worked and I was just about to start patting myself on the back......
Then I got up this morning to get my daughter ready for school and noticed the jag was the only fish out front. And most of her fins were shredded. Then I saw the huge gash on my Midas head with skin hanging off, and the gash on my freddy's side and the split fins on the argentea and I couldn't find the festae at all......and when I did, she was the worst of the bunch. Split fins, gashes on both sides and crammed so far under a piece of wood that I thought she was dead....about the time I found her, the jag did too and I witnessed the most aggression I've ever seen in any cichlid I've ever owned. She chased the festae relentlessly, lip locked the Midas, took another bite out of the freddy and even tried to take a piece of one of my L75's tail off. She completely snapped and even went after me when I tried to net her.......she's back in the qt tank in the garage till I figure out what I'm going to do with her......
So, the experiment failed miserably even though for a bit of time, it seemed like it might work. The good news is all the fish seem to be ok, even though they look like hell for the time being. All have come back out and are colored back up. The other good news is the rest of the fish were so traumatized by the experience I don't think they realize the argentea is even there, still. Everyone is back out front hangin out and eating. I salted the tank and now it's time to heal. And the last good news is a really love the rescape of the tank as do the fish, so I suppose it wasn't a total loss. I'll post up some pics soon, but for now i think the residents have been stressed enough so i'm gonna leave them be
Moral of the story? You just never know how it's gonna go with cichlids. I'm just glad I was home and awake in time to intervene, otherwise it could have gone a lot worse. I often see other forum members stock lists and am so impressed by how many large fish some of them seem to keep in smaller tanks than mine, but every fish is different and every fish combo has it's own unique dynamics I was most worried about the existing fish attacking the newcomers, but the exact opposite happened to me, with what seemed to be a very docile fish..........
Sorry so long, but I figured the experience was worth sharing. Oh yeah, anyone need a large psycho female jag? lol It appears she's going solo for awhile.........
About 3 weeks ago I bought a wild caught Vieja aregentea from Gage. Beautiful fish, but was particularly shy and took a bit to pellet train. A week into qt he started eating, so I put some other fish in with him and this really brought him out of his shell. I was worried about introducing him into the 300 since he was so shy, and being wild caught I knew that the adjustment to tank life could end up being a challenge. I moved around a bunch of the wood waited till lights out and introduced him to the big tank. Tank only has 5 small to medium cichlids, some silver dollars and some plecos. Didn't work. Next morning I found him pinned in one of the upper corners with most of his fins shredded so I pulled him out and put him back in qt.............time for a new strategy
My lfs had a beautiful 10.5" female jag, and the thought was maybe if I introduced both fish together my chances would improve. Qt'ed the jag for about a week and half and overall she was a super mellow fish, spending most of her time looking at the argentea through the side glass of her tank. Both fish were eating and "Oreo" the argentea had healed nicely, so I, and they, were ready......
Second part of the plan was to remove everything from the 300 and completely redo all the wood, rocks and plants and basically hit the rest button in the tank. All existing territories and hides were gone and a whole bunch of new ones were available, so upon introduction of the 2 new fish, nobody would have anything to defend so to speak. Waited till nighttime to do this and timed it so that I was finished the rescape just as it was lights out time. Got both the new fish and placed them in the tank and held my breath.......
Next day was interesting. The only major aggression was from "Brock" our midas which was the largest fish in the existing tank. Mostly a lot of gill flaring towards the jag, but no aggression towards the argentea at all. As a matter of fact, it seemed that none of the fish even noticed him, because they were so interested in the other very large newcomer. Everyone settled in, picked new hides and all fed together and seemed to be cool with each other. A bit of flaring still, but no lip locking or chasing at all.........
This lasted for 4 days......all fish happy and hangin out, usually together over one large piece of wood. Seemed like it worked and I was just about to start patting myself on the back......
Then I got up this morning to get my daughter ready for school and noticed the jag was the only fish out front. And most of her fins were shredded. Then I saw the huge gash on my Midas head with skin hanging off, and the gash on my freddy's side and the split fins on the argentea and I couldn't find the festae at all......and when I did, she was the worst of the bunch. Split fins, gashes on both sides and crammed so far under a piece of wood that I thought she was dead....about the time I found her, the jag did too and I witnessed the most aggression I've ever seen in any cichlid I've ever owned. She chased the festae relentlessly, lip locked the Midas, took another bite out of the freddy and even tried to take a piece of one of my L75's tail off. She completely snapped and even went after me when I tried to net her.......she's back in the qt tank in the garage till I figure out what I'm going to do with her......
So, the experiment failed miserably even though for a bit of time, it seemed like it might work. The good news is all the fish seem to be ok, even though they look like hell for the time being. All have come back out and are colored back up. The other good news is the rest of the fish were so traumatized by the experience I don't think they realize the argentea is even there, still. Everyone is back out front hangin out and eating. I salted the tank and now it's time to heal. And the last good news is a really love the rescape of the tank as do the fish, so I suppose it wasn't a total loss. I'll post up some pics soon, but for now i think the residents have been stressed enough so i'm gonna leave them be
Moral of the story? You just never know how it's gonna go with cichlids. I'm just glad I was home and awake in time to intervene, otherwise it could have gone a lot worse. I often see other forum members stock lists and am so impressed by how many large fish some of them seem to keep in smaller tanks than mine, but every fish is different and every fish combo has it's own unique dynamics I was most worried about the existing fish attacking the newcomers, but the exact opposite happened to me, with what seemed to be a very docile fish..........
Sorry so long, but I figured the experience was worth sharing. Oh yeah, anyone need a large psycho female jag? lol It appears she's going solo for awhile.........
lol Fortunately no casualties. 
