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Vieja heterospilum |
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| Marbled Vieja |
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Size: Possibly over 10" |
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Origin: The Usumacinta area of South Mexico |
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Temperament: This species is very peaceful for a large cichlid. Even less aggressive than Synspilum and Bifasciatus. Best tankmates may be other peaceful Viejas, Thorichthys, and Astatheros. |
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Minimum Tank Size: Due to their smaller size, when compared to many Viejas, a tank as small as 55g may be suitable. Of course, a 75g or larger tank will be better though. |
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Availability: These guys can be somewhat difficult to locate, but can be found if importers and quality breeders are checked. |
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May Be Confused With: The Heterospilum really has a look of is own, and is not likely to be misidentified by someone who has seen the species before. |
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Other Information and My Experiances
Vieja heterospilum is a rare species in the United States, and will always turn heads when it is entered into an fish show or turns up in a large display tank at a fish store. Their amazing golden yellow, hot pink, and lime green colors, coupled with the black blotching and spotting, make a truely unique fish. Another attractive feature of this species is their incredibly mild temper. This makes the Marbled Veija a very desirable addition to any large fish community. Keeping them with more aggressive species such as Buttikoferi, Labiatus, and even Synspilum can be a serious mistake, resulting in the death of the Heterospilum. This was the case with one of my large Heterospilum when he was reintroduced into the 500g community after a few days in a smaller tank.
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