Apistogramma Viejita Gold

The Viejita cichlid (Apistogramma viejita) thrives on a varied diet that includes both prepared and live foods. While high-quality flake or pellet food can serve as the staple of their diet, it's crucial to supplement this with more nutritious options to meet their protein needs. Regularly offer live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, and mosquito larvae. These protein-rich foods help maintain their health, enhance their natural coloration, and stimulate natural foraging behaviors.

It's also beneficial to occasionally provide vegetable matter in the form of blanched spinach or spirulina flakes, which help round out their diet and promote overall vitality. Feed them small amounts two to three times daily, ensuring that all food is consumed within a few minutes to prevent water contamination.

Viejitas require a well-planted tank with both open swimming areas and densely vegetated regions for hiding. Plants such as Amazon swords, Java moss, and Cryptocoryne are ideal for creating these secure zones. These cichlids feel most comfortable in a naturalistic setup that mimics their wild habitat, with soft, slightly acidic water and plenty of leaf litter or driftwood to soften the water further and provide more hiding spots.

Given their small size and peaceful temperament, Viejitas are suitable for community tanks, provided that they are housed with other non-aggressive species. However, they are best kept in a harem system, with one male and 3-4 females, to mimic their natural social structure and reduce stress. The minimum tank size should be around 60 liters (~16 gallons) for a small group, but a larger tank is preferable for long-term care and to accommodate their territorial behaviors during breeding.