I was not into viejas, but the more I learn about them, their are truly a beautiful species, with good personality, I just started a vieja tank. So far a argentea, frustatus, black belt, and a heartwiggi. Your tank looks amazing thanks for the video.
Nice one. I only have one the Melanura. He actually grew the quickest out of anyone in the tank surprisingly. Already 10+ inches after 15 months from about 3. In my Central American tank he is the tank boss, still keeping the smaller red devils and Jag's at bay. Actually a pretty peaceful tank considering. They seem to know their place. Oh, the Synspilum and the Melanura are one and the same now apparently. The Synspilum was renamed to Melanura a while back after a DNA test so was reclassified as a Melanura. I think there may still be slight colour differences between the two though.
Great video love it, I have kept vieja For many years love the species but my experience was quite different with diet and Stocking I fed them tons of protein right from babies blood worms, Brine shrimp, Bug bites ,vibra bites, All different kinds of seachem cichlid flakes, And yes a mixture of vegetables as well my ratio was more probably 70-30 , And never had any bloat issues they had fantastic color never got sick. And if you start them all is juveniles in the same tank or at least all the same size you're Gonna have better luck With a community of them and in my experience the. Bifas and fenestratus Are 2 of the top meanest, breidhori Pretty mean as well , But this is just my experience with them. I'm not trying to argue with your video. I've just kept them for many years and that's how I did it with Very little issues.
Thanks, it's always good to hear other experiences. My synspilum would go weeks without eating because of the bloat, but Im sure it's other factors besides feedings that effect this
I bought a lot of mine from Cichlids Of The America's too. My only other sources are tangledup incichlids.com, wetspottropicalfish.com and imperialtropicals.com
Thanks for sharing your experience. Just wondering if you keep only males do you think that will make the aggression less? I know many people do that with peacocks and haps to avoiding aggression.
I find that with New World Cichlids males are more persistent with aggression in comparison to African cichlids; so I think even with all males you would still have fights and deaths. The only solutions for peace are to have species that don't look similar, have a very large aquarium or over stock the tank to divide aggression.
Alot of vieja species are moderate to fast growers. Ive owned just about all of them and are one of my fav fish in my fish room. Coalzas are fast growers and are more rare of the viejas
From my experience they grow slow especially compared to other central American cichlids like red devils and jaguars. My black belt did grow a bit faster but still not as fast as the others
@@dwsdarius my coalzas in my communities outgrew some parachomis and red 😈s species i had in there. They are usually the ones beating up everyone and deleting others as well so they are the ones I have separate more than others.
What's the name of that fish at 5:02?? I have 2 Viejas with my pink bellied side beck turtle, and a young dovii, so far they're doing pretty well... Wanted to add the Viejas to my discuss aquarium, but I don't think it's a good idea
Have you ever kept a leopard bush fish? I keep trying and 3 rd time and NO success. The fish that reside in the tank are still the same and still alive. But I’ve tried bettas in this tank gourami in this tank scarlet badis and now the leopard bush fish but they all keep dying in this tank. Every time I try to get a centerpiece they die. And this is the only soft water tank I have and it’s a low ph setup for low ph fish but they keep dying in this tank and I hate it !!
I've kept Leopard bush fish with my African cichlids with a pH of 7.6.and mine did well. Are you intentionally lowering your pH? It's recommended to just stick with the pH in your tap because they will provide the best consistency which is more important.
Shoot I've had my black belt since 1.5 inches, and within 3 months, it's every bit of 4.5 inches. Most chill cichlid in my central american tank. And yes, he's with other centrals in a 6ft tank.
Vieja Melanura and Vieja Synspilum are now considered the same species. DNA studies showed there were minimal differences. When two or more species get merge into one it's always the first name that gets used. In this case Vieja Melanura. Which is a shame because Vieja Synspilum is the more established name in the hobby.
Yes I've heard that the only reason why I separate them is because they look different as adults, Melanura usually displays more orange while synspilum usually gets more pink
They are terrible towards their own kind, I'm having success with keeping more females than males and keeping fish that aren't too similar like south american cichlids.
Your Vieja have always caught my eye, they really are very visually appealing fish.
They remind me of marine Angel fish, but they are jerks so they are not my favorite fish
I was not into viejas, but the more I learn about them, their are truly a beautiful species, with good personality, I just started a vieja tank. So far a argentea, frustatus, black belt, and a heartwiggi. Your tank looks amazing thanks for the video.
Thanks, that's awesome
Black belts were my favorite for a long time
Nice one. I only have one the Melanura. He actually grew the quickest out of anyone in the tank surprisingly. Already 10+ inches after 15 months from about 3. In my Central American tank he is the tank boss, still keeping the smaller red devils and Jag's at bay. Actually a pretty peaceful tank considering. They seem to know their place. Oh, the Synspilum and the Melanura are one and the same now apparently. The Synspilum was renamed to Melanura a while back after a DNA test so was reclassified as a Melanura. I think there may still be slight colour differences between the two though.
Wow, that's fast growth! I've kept over a dozen and they all take their time to mature.
Very cool DW.. I have a few Vieja and do like them alot.
They are great fish
Great video love it, I have kept vieja For many years love the species but my experience was quite different with diet and Stocking I fed them tons of protein right from babies blood worms, Brine shrimp, Bug bites ,vibra bites, All different kinds of seachem cichlid flakes, And yes a mixture of vegetables as well my ratio was more probably 70-30 , And never had any bloat issues they had fantastic color never got sick. And if you start them all is juveniles in the same tank or at least all the same size you're Gonna have better luck With a community of them and in my experience the. Bifas and fenestratus Are 2 of the top meanest, breidhori Pretty mean as well , But this is just my experience with them.
I'm not trying to argue with your video.
I've just kept them for many years and that's how I did it with Very little issues.
Thanks, it's always good to hear other experiences. My synspilum would go weeks without eating because of the bloat, but Im sure it's other factors besides feedings that effect this
Awesome video
Thank you
Brother i watched your video and bought 3 syn×bifa.
Can u tell what lighting are u using
😊😊
BTW Your vieja look beautiful.
Thanks, I use nicrew classic LEDs
very well said bro . 🤙🏼
Thank you
thanks for the great video. please, where do you buy your Vieja? I used to get them from Cichlids of the Americas but they shut down...
I bought a lot of mine from Cichlids Of The America's too. My only other sources are tangledup incichlids.com, wetspottropicalfish.com and imperialtropicals.com
Aye bro here’s a hook up, predatory fins.
Thanks for sharing your experience. Just wondering if you keep only males do you think that will make the aggression less? I know many people do that with peacocks and haps to avoiding aggression.
I find that with New World Cichlids males are more persistent with aggression in comparison to African cichlids; so I think even with all males you would still have fights and deaths. The only solutions for peace are to have species that don't look similar, have a very large aquarium or over stock the tank to divide aggression.
Alot of vieja species are moderate to fast growers. Ive owned just about all of them and are one of my fav fish in my fish room. Coalzas are fast growers and are more rare of the viejas
From my experience they grow slow especially compared to other central American cichlids like red devils and jaguars. My black belt did grow a bit faster but still not as fast as the others
@@dwsdarius my coalzas in my communities outgrew some parachomis and red 😈s species i had in there. They are usually the ones beating up everyone and deleting others as well so they are the ones I have separate more than others.
Please keep up the Viejas and central/southAmerican cichlid content
What kind of Viejas can I put with the Texas Cichlid in a big enough tank?
Flower horns will usually kill tankmates.
Just about all vieja have the same aggression level as texas cichlid so any would do
@@dwsdarius Thanks, beautiful fish btw
@@jcaquatica5820 thank you
Nice
Thanks
Just got Viejas just wondering what brand and type of food do you feed yours?
I mainly feed hikari sinking cichlid gold
What's the name of that fish at 5:02?? I have 2 Viejas with my pink bellied side beck turtle, and a young dovii, so far they're doing pretty well... Wanted to add the Viejas to my discuss aquarium, but I don't think it's a good idea
In the center? Thats a black chin tilapia. Yea a vieja might wreak havoc in a discus tank
I have 7 blood vieja in single and I feed optimum food and I change the sera food or hikari food is not taking and I try 3 days not feeding
I have 2 and one has beautiful bright blue spangles I'm told it's a Blue spot Synspilum
Yes those are great, I have yet to see them being sold in my area though
Which pellet do you feed them?
Hikari cichlid gold
Have you ever kept a leopard bush fish? I keep trying and 3 rd time and NO success. The fish that reside in the tank are still the same and still alive. But I’ve tried bettas in this tank gourami in this tank scarlet badis and now the leopard bush fish but they all keep dying in this tank. Every time I try to get a centerpiece they die. And this is the only soft water tank I have and it’s a low ph setup for low ph fish but they keep dying in this tank and I hate it !!
I've kept Leopard bush fish with my African cichlids with a pH of 7.6.and mine did well. Are you intentionally lowering your pH? It's recommended to just stick with the pH in your tap because they will provide the best consistency which is more important.
Shoot I've had my black belt since 1.5 inches, and within 3 months, it's every bit of 4.5 inches. Most chill cichlid in my central american tank. And yes, he's with other centrals in a 6ft tank.
Yes I'm surprised to hear how fast some of you guys are growing these fish out...mine always took the slow and steady route
@@dwsdarius yea mine is newer and is at the same size as my carpintis cichlid which I had for almost a year. Suspecting my carpintis is a female.
But I am a bit biased because I keep higher rankings.
Vieja Melanura and Vieja Synspilum are now considered the same species. DNA studies showed there were minimal differences.
When two or more species get merge into one it's always the first name that gets used. In this case Vieja Melanura. Which is a shame because Vieja Synspilum is the more established name in the hobby.
Yes I've heard that the only reason why I separate them is because they look different as adults, Melanura usually displays more orange while synspilum usually gets more pink
every time i've kept them, they get to a certain age and bam, kill everything in the tank.
They are terrible towards their own kind, I'm having success with keeping more females than males and keeping fish that aren't too similar like south american cichlids.
@@dwsdarius yeah my male tortured the female, sad af
I’m not having a good time keeping vieja cichlids
They do give me headaches with their constant aggression...when it gets too bad a throw off the routine with a rescape
@@dwsdariusgood tip