Oaxaca vieja
Vieja zonata
Also known as Zonatum cichlid, Oaxaca cichlid
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–84°F (24–29°C)
- pH
- 7.0–8.2
- Adult size
- 9.8 in (25 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 132 gal (500 L)
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- Tankmates with caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Origin
- Tehuantepec basins, Oaxaca, Mexico
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
A large grazing vieja that is rarely exported, so most keepers meet it through specialist channels or not at all. Care is standard for the genus: a very large tank, stone and wood to define territory, and a diet with real vegetable content, since a protein-only diet causes problems in this group. A pair will claim a wide area to spawn. Choose tankmates that can hold their own.
In the wild
Vieja zonata holds rivers of the Tehuantepec slope in Oaxaca, southern Mexico, in warm, moderately hard water. Keep it at 24 to 29 degrees Celsius and pH 7.0 to 8.2, with stone, open floor and a tank measured in hundreds of liters rather than tens.
Good to know
Vieja zonata reaches about 25 centimeters and is the isthmus endemic of its genus, belted in charcoal bars over olive-gold. It is a substrate spawner with biparental care. The genus is largely herbivorous, which is why vegetable content in the diet is a care requirement rather than a preference.
Did you know
It rules the skinny waist of Mexico; where the continent narrows, this vieja is the local government.
Common questions
What size tank does an Oaxaca vieja need?
An Oaxaca vieja needs at least 132 gal (500 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH do Oaxaca vieja need?
Oaxaca vieja are comfortable at 75–84°F (24–29°C) with a pH of 7.0–8.2.
How big do Oaxaca vieja get?
An adult Oaxaca vieja reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- Imperial Tropicals Freshwater fish and inverts bred at a Florida hatchery
- The Wet Spot Tropical Fish Large selection of quarantined tropical freshwater fish, with live arrival guarantee and Next Day Air flat rate shipping to all US locations
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
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