vieja zonatus

[jaws7777]

Well this was just an epic fail ! Had the surgery last week and really wasnt paying attention to my tanks. This past weekend i noticed the pearsei and bichirs acting weird. Fins were all torn up. Watched for a while and these little zonatus were nipping at everyone including each other. I was completely shocked. The zonatus are between 2.5 and 3 inches and they had everyone on the run (9 inch beefy pearsei and bichirs between 8 to 12 inches) they chewed the tail down on a 12 inch lap.

Anyway i moved them out today. Gonna rehome 2 and keep the best looking

 

[utku982]

They are beautiful. May be its early to say but i think its possible them to be coatzacoalcos. Becouse i dont see any other dark place on body except the horizontal line. May be im right or not, but it doesnot change the fact that coatzacoalcos is a great speciemen too. Hope u dont get me wrong.

 

[jaws7777]

Took this vid this morning and by dinner time the smallest on had almost no tail and the middle sized was also beaten the crap out of. Rehome 2 to lfs and kept the largest who has been a maniac. Normally dont ney fish (my kids do they get a kick out of it) but inthink im gonna call the one i kept El Diablo lol

 

[ragin_cajun]

What kinda substrate is that?

 

[jaws7777]

Black gravel. Its all i had on hand

 

[jaws7777]

Liking the look with the darker substrate

 

[jaws7777]

Started with 11 now down to the one keeper. They are just to nasty even at this size to be kept with other cichlids. Probably not gonna keep him/her on the black substrate long term but i think it looks nice for now. Waters a little cloudy as i had just dosed with ridx

 

[isde02]

Started with 11 now down to the one keeper. They are just to nasty even at this size to be kept with other cichlids. Probably not gonna keep him/her on the black substrate long term but i think it looks nice for now. Waters a little cloudy as i had just dosed with ridxView attachment 1149501View attachment 1149502 View attachment 1149503View attachment 1149504

Looking good, what's the growth rate like?

 

[jaws7777]

Looking good, what's the growth rate like?

Thanks man. I would say average cichlid geowth. Fast than the other viejas ive kept though. Have a heterospilus that grows super slow and an argentea that was on the slow side too

 

[jaws7777]

Had to move him to a smaller tank for the next couple of weeks while we deal with moving. He isnt happy about it.