Vieja zonata

Vieja zonata is distributed across the Coatzacoalcos and Papaloapan river drainages of Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico. It is readily identified by its bold black vertical bars on a greenish-gold body — one of the more distinctly patterned Vieja species. Compared to other members of the genus it is somewhat less aggressive and less destructive of plants, making it a more accommodating option for a large Central American community tank. It thrives in moderately hard, neutral to slightly alkaline water with a herbivore-biased diet.