Every fish store around me whether it be big named like Petsmart/Pet Supplies Plus or a locally owned store i cant seem to find any stunning male green terror. I know most fish get brighter colored as they grow but these fish all look washed out.. any advice?
Buying a Green Terror
- Thread starter McFall
- Start date
I bought mine from petsmart and at the time it was not that colorful. Now it is looking great. Maybe the food they are fed at those large chain stores are just generalized food for all their fish. It may not have the proper ingredients to give fish their good colors. Plus at the store fish have to deal with dozens of people poking at them and tapping on the glass of their aquariums. That has to be stressful for them. It could also have a lot to do with the stock of GTs. Ordering from a reputable distibutor will get you better quality fish too. All of my fish always look better after I've kept them a few weeks. My GT has a lot more color and longer flowing fins. He looks pretty great for a $4 petsmart fish.
Gruff Master;4255021; said:
I couldn't agree with you more. Usually when you take a fish home from your lfs and you feed it a better more varied diet then after a couple of weeks they will color up nicely. Plus if you take away the added stress of lots of people staring, tapping the glass, and little kids running around being obnoxious. Then they are more likely to show their true coloring when they are in their own aquarium with a lot less stress.
Look for the 1 that has alot or any spangling in the tail fin. Its not 100% way of telling it a male but I know females usually dont have any color in the tail. Its NOT a rule. Just way to way I separate them. Give it a try. They usually are the best looking in the tank anyhow.
Either or If you find one - QT it right away and treat with API general cure. There are way too many sic and infested GTs on the market in the USA. If the colors are drowned out look to the top fin Males will have an elongated fin extension not round.
Most cichlids don't have good colouring when you get them, they are usually washed out looking. But once you get them home, feed them some good food, a couple weeks later they look great. Look for one with the most colour and sparkle. One that stands out and he should look a lot better after you give him some good food and once he settles in. Fish stores I think are always stressful on them, people always walking by, tapping on the glass, constantly netting them makes them all washed out. I just look for the most colourful and outgoing cichlid.
First of all, if you want one that will color up, you need a male. As mentioned, look at the dorsal fin and tail. The females won't have much pattern if any. Males have the more defined intricate pattern on theirs. Once you've pinpointed which ones are males, look at body shape, size and attitude. Bigger than the rest equals more dominant and better eater.
Too bad you don't live near me. I have F2 GT's coming out of my ears. I have about a hundred .75-1" fry left that I'm using as feeders. And the parents are rearing wrigglers again. A couple of weeks after the fry are free swimming, the parents will usually lay eggs again.
Too bad you don't live near me. I have F2 GT's coming out of my ears. I have about a hundred .75-1" fry left that I'm using as feeders. And the parents are rearing wrigglers again. A couple of weeks after the fry are free swimming, the parents will usually lay eggs again.