I purchased a vieja sinspilium last week but I can not find much information on them. They are omnivores as it likes to graze on the algae but how big do they get? How do you sex them? Any help would be great. It's about 6 inches and in a ninety gallon with a five inch JD and a 5 and a half inch Black Belt. 7 inch sun cat and five inch pleco
Vieja Sinspilium
- Thread starter scott
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Synspilum are great fish. Definantly one of my favorites. They are a large growing species with males able to reach over 14" and females typically reaching 10-11".
And yes they do eat a lot of plant matter. Spirulina and fresh plant matter should make up the bulk of their diet. There's no easy way to sex them, but males can usually be identified by having more pointed fins, a larger nuchal hump and larger size. But this is not really a good way (unless you have a large group to look at). The only definant way is to vent them, which can be difficult.
And yes they do eat a lot of plant matter. Spirulina and fresh plant matter should make up the bulk of their diet. There's no easy way to sex them, but males can usually be identified by having more pointed fins, a larger nuchal hump and larger size. But this is not really a good way (unless you have a large group to look at). The only definant way is to vent them, which can be difficult.
They are very similar in requirements to your Blackbelt. They are both Veija sp. (Maculicauda, Synspilum)-sp?
I believe the current scientific name is Vieja synspila. A favorite fish of mine. I have two breeding pairs (don't save the fry most of the time), but occasionally raise a few to trade or just add back into the gene pool. Mine like Tetra Color Bits, Wardley's Shrimp Pellets, San Francisco freeze-dried plankton, Hikari algae wafers, and the occasional piece of lettuce.
Yours should be OK in your 90 for a while, but eventually you'll want to move the whole crew into a 125 or 240 for best effect.
Good luck.
Yours should be OK in your 90 for a while, but eventually you'll want to move the whole crew into a 125 or 240 for best effect.
Good luck.
sumpinfishy- i have seen the black belt classified as vieja and a cichlasoma. After seeing the two fish together I can see the vieja. It seems like a funny question but can these two fish mate? It seems like they are really close "friends". I have never had a mating pair of fish. Can two separate species mate?
Of coarse they "can" mate, but it doesn't normally happen in the wild. This is how we have Flowerhorns and many other hybrids from peoples' "community" cichlid tanks. It's not normally promoted by serious aquarists, but it does happen sometimes when different (even completely different) species get an (un)natural urge.
I, too, have seen Blackbelts classified as Cichlasoma, but I believe the Veija is correct. They change fish classifications around so often (it seems) that it's almost impossible to keep politically correct with their names.
I know one thing....my Blackbelt has alot of fun personality and is great to look at. One thing I have seen more than on any other fish is the way my Blackbelt changes colors to suit his moods. He can go from a pail grey - to very dark - to extremely bright colors. He has several colors most of the time (grey, black, red, yellow, and blue- all at one time!) That is his most common color, and what he "wears" when happiest!
I, too, have seen Blackbelts classified as Cichlasoma, but I believe the Veija is correct. They change fish classifications around so often (it seems) that it's almost impossible to keep politically correct with their names.
I know one thing....my Blackbelt has alot of fun personality and is great to look at. One thing I have seen more than on any other fish is the way my Blackbelt changes colors to suit his moods. He can go from a pail grey - to very dark - to extremely bright colors. He has several colors most of the time (grey, black, red, yellow, and blue- all at one time!) That is his most common color, and what he "wears" when happiest!
Mine changes colors dramatically too. He (or she) is normally blue\gold with red in the tail and dorsal fin and black stripes. When he (or she) is mad it will turn an ashen gray and only the black stripes will show. The reason I ask about mating is that the synspilium will turn horizontal and shake back and forth. I have read that this is a common mating "show" for male cichlids. In addition they are never more than four or five inches apart and they are working together on a hole in the corner of the tank. All of this and the synspilium has only been in the tank about six days. I am not trying to force any conditions and am not trying to make any thing unnatural happen but its not like I have a spare 100 gallon tank lying around to separate them. Should I try to prevent this or am I just a victim of circumstance.... and lack of knowledge?
Should I try to prevent this or am I just a victim of circumstance.... and lack of knowledge?
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