vieja zonatus beating up oscar need info

hi all

i went over the weekend and got a really great looking oscar +- the size of my vieja and jag

my jag has noploblem with the oscar but my vieja keeps biting it and attacks it

the oscar is in the top one size of the tank most of the time and when i woke up this morning it looks like the vieja has stoped with its attack

must i take the oscar back or will it get better and the vieja will eas up? vieja was allways easy did not bully any other fish before!

thank u

all in a 700L tank

 

honestly recon oscar will get killed, he can not live in the top corner. you can try taking vieja out the tank moving decore around and putting him back this can help sometimes, also try have no lights on in the tank, till they used to each other. find alot of fish get calmer with less light

 

You can try moving the decorations around so they have to claim territory again or you can buy some aquarium safe rocks and some aquarium silicone and make custom caves for them on the sides of the tank.

I'm guessing the Jag isn't bothering them because he is the only one with a hiding spot and because he grew up with the Vieja.Cichlids will either fight or hide if a new cichlid comes along that they aren't familiar with.

Also on another note your Jag looks like a male so he's going to get to around 60cm max size and allot more aggressive.The Oscar and Vieja aren't gonna stand a chance when he gets bigger.

 

will see must then take the oscar back and see if i can get something to go with my vieja and jag!
must say have not heard of people that there jags get 60cm in a aqarium only 2 about +-40cm!

 

Well the males max size is 60cm

It might take years,honestly i haven't done allot of reading on them.I wanted to keep one but stopped reading when it listed that they get to around 60cm and have to have a tank to themselves on many websites.

You might have more luck with bottom dwelling fish or low profile fish.

 

thanks will look around

 

Wes I recon that you take that Oscar back and get a flower horn friend for those two.

 

Hi. I agree with Reedfish. Get some dither fish. In my own tank I got 4 rather big tinfoil barbs and they do great with everyone. Should also say I did add some new members that was allot smaller than the GT or Jag and they have grown well and settled in with no problems... With any big cichlids its such a gamble you just never know. Since my female GT passed there is peace in my tank the Jag, GT, Sev, JD and everyone else can swim anywhere in the tank with no chasing at all. Sometime it almost looks like they play with each other? Go figure. But with no competition to reproduce I guess there is allot less stress in the tank? So what I'm trying to say is get some dithers first to draw some attention away and then try again? Also what's your tanks footprint? Could also be that there is not enough of it to claim multiple territories? Longer and wider tanks will always make for more territories than shorter tanks that's tall? But someone with more experience can jump in here?

 

thanks guys!

must say last night the vieja left the oscar alone, no attacks at all and the oscar is starting 2 swim around the tank now. will keep a close eye on both and see how it goes!

 

What did you do to attain the peace?

 

nothing as far as i know i think it was more of i was here first or just testing the oscar not sure but i am not getting my hopes up yet as this is still ca cichlids and any thing can happen!! but over this weekend i did see a other size to my vieja dam iets fast and can be one bad ass cichlid if it wants to be!

 

I must be honest that CA cichlids in a community type tank I have failed more than succeeded, these guys set up huge territories hints why they make such great wet pets responding to people outside of the tank and banging the glass cause you are in there turf. This to me mean that breaking line of site is best way to break up aggression, they are normally content that once intruder can not be seen he is gone. I find dither fish can work aswell if each cichlid has a hiding spot or two that they can claim, the dithers are mad fast and are cost effective as they going to loose at some point. Also I have found keep tank on cooler side 25C works to keep aggression down. I keep most of my fish in divided tanks just because it is far to much of a risk to try a community type. I have also tried packing a bare tank full, 20 fish in a 6 foot and this kinda worked as aggression was spread over all 20 fish and was normally short burst, but was not worth the admin 3 20% water changes a week and a death of 1 fish a month till I was down to 10 fish
it can be done it is possible, just keep in mind the jag especially is a pure preditor, it is a gaint cichlid and it is designed buy nature to kill, see in the states guys keep 1 male alone in a 5 foot, when they get near 30cm.

 

yes will land up getting a extra tank!lol

 

@

rednox
​

new tank always a great option lol i just wish my bank account agreed

 

The problem specifically with oscars is that they try and stand there ground and get beat down, and when they get attacked, they dont bail immediately and rather wait to get bitten before they run like hell.

 

lol!!!

ya budget always a problem top dog!!! hehe

 

it is possible thou, some pics i took in aquarium in Dubai


the tank thou was 3.5 meter long 2 meter wide and 1.5 meter deep, recon there are a 100 midas from 30cm up to 45cm 20 jags from 40cm up 60cm plus a few 40cm plus frontosa.

 

WOW that looks stunning!!

love the sign for no hands LOL!