A new member of MFK asking 4 tips

[McLovin'89]

Hello, I just joined MFK and I heard you guys know your fish!

I have two Green Terror Cichlids, juvie males both about 3"-3.5" hard to tell 'cause they won't sit still; and one pleco. They are currently in a 30 gal. I know this is bad, they are chasing each other a bit but I will be picking up a 90 gal sat march 6. I would like to get another fish because I heard that they'll buddy-up if I do so, which fish should i get? Also, any other tips on diet or tank decorations, or anything else would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[FSM]

I think you would be better off replacing one of the males with a female.

 

[TheCanuck]

Hello, I just joined MFK and I heard you guys know your fish!

I have two Green Terror Cichlids, juvie males both about 3"-3.5" hard to tell 'cause they won't sit still; and one pleco. They are currently in a 30 gal. I know this is bad, they are chasing each other a bit but I will be picking up a 90 gal sat march 6. I would like to get another fish because I heard that they'll buddy-up if I do so, which fish should i get? Also, any other tips on diet or tank decorations, or anything else would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Well when ever i wanted to house to male cichlids in one tank together i useally use target fish. I would get a handful 8 or so of tiger barbs. The terrors will chase them but never catch them. They will give your tank movement too.

 

[Dylz]

make that 3 females

 

[TTTT]

Giant Danios would also be good.

 

[MATTCB]

Welcome to MFK. When you say they will buddy-up are you talking about the GT's? In my experience as they grow the might dislike each other more, putting more fish in the 90 would be fine either some other cichlids like uaru, severum, salvini or geo's just to name a very few or some dither fish (tin foil barbs, silver dollars, catfish, ect....). Get the fish on a good pellet for their staple diet like Hikari or NLS and decorate the tank so it looks good to you just realize the fish will get alot bigger than they are now and need plenty of room to swim. Good luck and show some pics of your 90 when you get it set up.

 

[impjd]

Hi McLovin'89, I have been keeping and breeding Green Terrors for over 10 years, and you are getting good advice on the dither fish---giant danios and rainbows do well, as do tnifoil barbs. However, you can keep more GTs in a good sized tank in my experience.

I currently have 7 mature and several immature GTs in a 125g along with a mature gold severum and a few other fish, without any aggression problems (problems with keeping the water clean, yes!).

I don't recommend you try such a heavy stocking level, but the hype about GTs is just that; they are not terribly aggressive as cichlids go. I have found that two will certainly fight, and 3 may end up as 2 when the smallest is ganged up on, but 5 or more will happily coexist in a tank with plenty of floor space and rockwork/driftwood to divide that floor space into smaller 'territories'.

Mine even breed in this display tank, and that little female chases all the males to one end until the free-swimming fry have all been removed by me or by one of her stealthy tankmates!


Good luck, and enjoy those beauties as they mature.

 

[MATTCB]

impjd......you have the nicest collection of terrors I have ever seen, well done and thanks for the pics

 

[impjd]

thanks for the kind words, MATTCB!

 

[cichlid2006]

Hi McLovin'89, I have been keeping and breeding Green Terrors for over 10 years, and you are getting good advice on the dither fish---giant danios and rainbows do well, as do tnifoil barbs. However, you can keep more GTs in a good sized tank in my experience.

I currently have 7 mature and several immature GTs in a 125g along with a mature gold severum and a few other fish, without any aggression problems (problems with keeping the water clean, yes!).
I don't recommend you try such a heavy stocking level, but the hype about GTs is just that; they are not terribly aggressive as cichlids go. I have found that two will certainly fight, and 3 may end up as 2 when the smallest is ganged up on, but 5 or more will happily coexist in a tank with plenty of floor space and rockwork/driftwood to divide that floor space into smaller 'territories'.
Mine even breed in this display tank, and that little female chases all the males to one end until the free-swimming fry have all been removed by me or by one of her stealthy tankmates!
Good luck, and enjoy those beauties as they mature.

amazing, something ive always thought would look amazing but never dared risk it.

Mclovin, i agree with the dither info. barbs work great as do rainbows. ive used filament barbs. bright, always shiny and fast as rockets so they never get caught. in the 30, you may struggle to get the GT's focus away from each other regardless of the amount of dithers.
good luck with the 90 today.