65 gallon need help stocking

[kjlife]

So im getting my tank set up again really want a green terror.
Just cant figure out what to have as a tank mate or should it be kept alone
Other chiclids? Dithers like bleeding hearts? Catfish or cories?
Let me know what you think

 

[TheFishNerd]

A full grown terror will probably need a tank that size to himself. Anything that will fit in his mouth will get eaten and anything else will most likely get attacked until it is killed. It earns the name "Terror" from what I have heard. 75 gallon is the absolute minimum if you want to add dithers but it really depends on who you ask. If you do decide to add other fish definitely no other cichlids. A small pleco you might be able to get away with but a few individuals will kill those too no matter how big it is. Tank size might also be an issue for most plecos. Your best bet would be keeping it alone.

 

[kjlife]

Alright kind of what i was thinking theres a 40 gallon sump also for dilution if that matters

 

[kjlife]

Also i hear growth rate is painfully slow is one concern i have tank looking empty for a year or more

 

[TheFishNerd]

The sump would help with waste but it's more the small space causing aggression for a full grown terror. It depends on the individual but I've heard of them growing about an inch every two months so not too slow for a fish. The better you feed them the faster they will grow. In most cases young terrors can have tank mates when they outgrow the space they snap and kill all their tankmates in a smaller space.

 

[duanes]

I agree, its not simply gallons of water, it's mostly about territorial footprint.
I have 12 Andinoacara coerleopuntatus (close cousins to G.T.s (but smaller)) in a 180 gal tank, and the alpha male has taken over half the tank.
It chases all other fish (the other Andinoacaras, and 2 Roeboides tetras) out of its territory, only breaking off chase after about 4 ft of length.
Below, a video of him defending his territory, he is only about half the size, of an adult G.T. (Andinoacara rivulatus).
Andinoacara coerleo

 

[kjlife]

so the ones you have are acaras rigth ?

 

[kjlife]

Ive always also liked geophagus types too so maybe i should drop down to a smaller breed of those seems like i alway end up with a community tank of sorts, or maybe i should just go for the single fish this time, hard to decide

 

[duanes]

so the ones you have are acaras rigth ?

They are acaras, but not the standard "blue acaras" (Andinoacara pulcher).
They are Andinoacara coerleopunctatus, from Panama, there are 9 species of Andinoacara's, and all are generically called Acaras.
And I agree, for a 65 gal tank, you'd be better off trying something smaller, especially if you want more than 1 fish in the tank.
A pair of blue acaras (A pulcher) would be a better choice (IMO) than a G.T., for a small tank, ro a group of Mikrogeophagus ramerizi, with small dithers.
Another choice might be the Gymnogeophagus group, with Buenos Aires tetras as dithers, for that size tank.
Below Gymnogeophagus sp. Paso Pache

and Gymnogeophagus quilero, below, the male in the foreground.

 

[kjlife]

They are acaras, but not the standard "blue acaras" (Andinoacara pulcher).
They are Andinoacara coerleopunctatus, from Panama, there are 9 species of Andinoacara's, and all are generically called Acaras.
And I agree, for a 65 gal tank, you'd be better off trying something smaller, especially if you want more than 1 fish in the tank.
A pair of blue acaras (A pulcher) would be a better choice (IMO) than a G.T., for a small tank, ro a group of Mikrogeophagus ramerizi, with small dithers.
Another choice might be the Gymnogeophagus group, with Buenos Aires tetras as dithers, for that size tank.
Below Gymnogeophagus sp. Paso Pache

and Gymnogeophagus quilero, below, the male in the foreground.

Yea at this point im torn between just 1 fish or a group i do like the looks of those guys as well. the idea of one big fish does sound nice but in the back of my head i keep thinking it will be to boring or something i dont know