Green terror 90G tank help

[Victorhadin]

Hi everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster here, looking for advice on an upcoming project.

Happily my wife has given me leave, once this Covid19 thing has passed, to convert a room in our outbuilding to an office/ fishroom/ man cave, on the perfectly reasonable agreement that I finish the kitchen first. Fair enough says I. First kitchen, then big fish tanks! Serious incentive there.

I'm looking to use a Juwel 350L (92 US gallon) tank as a centrepiece with SA cichlids, centred around a green terror. It's 120cm x 50cm x 60cm. I can't fit a bigger tank through the doorway sadly as it turns a corner. Lots of floating plants, bogwood and sight line breaks.

Can I keep a single green terror with a group of three or four blue acaras if I introduce and grow out the acaras first, or would it be a bloodbath? If not, what other SA cichlids (or large dithers) from the same region would work? I'm anticipating an ancistrus plec or two as clean up crew but given time to bulk up in advance of the terror.

I have oodles of time to plan as I have a kitchen to refit first and a pandemic to wait out, so trying to get ideas in first, but I am *in love* with the look and behaviour of green terrors so they have to be involved.

It would be my first 'big fish' project. I've only done apistogramma and tiddlers till now.

Looking forward to your advice. Good to be here!

 

[Bobby2415]

Hi everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster here, looking for advice on an upcoming project.

Happily my wife has given me leave, once this Covid19 thing has passed, to convert a room in our outbuilding to an office/ fishroom/ man cave, on the perfectly reasonable agreement that I finish the kitchen first. Fair enough says I. First kitchen, then big fish tanks! Serious incentive there.

I'm looking to use a Juwel 350L (92 US gallon) tank as a centrepiece with SA cichlids, centred around a green terror. It's 120cm x 50cm x 60cm. I can't fit a bigger tank through the doorway sadly as it turns a corner. Lots of floating plants, bogwood and sight line breaks.

Can I keep a single green terror with a group of three or four blue acaras if I introduce and grow out the acaras first, or would it be a bloodbath? If not, what other SA cichlids (or large dithers) from the same region would work? I'm anticipating an ancistrus plec or two as clean up crew but given time to bulk up in advance of the terror.

I have oodles of time to plan as I have a kitchen to refit first and a pandemic to wait out, so trying to get ideas in first, but I am *in love* with the look and behaviour of green terrors so they have to be involved.

It would be my first 'big fish' project. I've only done apistogramma and tiddlers till now.

Looking forward to your advice. Good to be here!

Maybe some sort of Severum, JD, and a couple convicts? Not sure if you strictly want SA or if CA would be a deal breaker? Try to raise them up together from a small size if possible.

 

[Victorhadin]

Maybe some sort of Severum, JD, and a couple convicts? Not sure if you strictly want SA or if CA would be a deal breaker? Try to raise them up together from a small size if possible.

CA is possible, I'm agnostic about geography, but I gather CA fish prefer water on the harder side? My tap water is about 6.5Ph and 4-7 degrees GH (hence my apistogramma habit) so I want to make sure it suits the fish.

 

[Gourami Swami]

I wouldn't go with Acara because they look so similar to the terrors that the alpha GT may attack them out of territoriality. Also the potential is there for them to hybridize, and a pair with a GT in it would almost certainly kill the others.
I definitely would not recommend aggressive central America cichlids like JD or convict etc., the pH would not be much of a problem due to where in SA the Terrors come from and their adaptabliliy; but in a 90g you would eventually end up with a lot of fighting with that mix.

I would recommend you keep your GT as the centerpiece fish, and then add tankmates that will accentuate it, not compete or fight with it.
A large school of tetras, some catfish like Hoplo cats, other non-cichlid tankmates would make a great display with a large GT.
You might be able to get some small supporting-cast cichlids that don't look similar to the GT, it depends on your GT's attitude. Fish like guianacara or Biotodoma come to mind as options, with caution.

 

[Victorhadin]

I wouldn't go with Acara because they look so similar to the terrors that the alpha GT may attack them out of territoriality. Also the potential is there for them to hybridize, and a pair with a GT in it would almost certainly kill the others.
I definitely would not recommend aggressive central America cichlids like JD or convict etc., the pH would not be much of a problem due to where in SA the Terrors come from and their adaptabliliy; but in a 90g you would eventually end up with a lot of fighting with that mix.

I would recommend you keep your GT as the centerpiece fish, and then add tankmates that will accentuate it, not compete or fight with it.
A large school of tetras, some catfish like Hoplo cats, other non-cichlid tankmates would make a great display with a large GT.
You might be able to get some small supporting-cast cichlids that don't look similar to the GT, it depends on your GT's attitude. Fish like guianacara or Biotodoma come to mind as options, with caution.

Thanks! Wow those are two beautiful cichlids, I never even knew about them. Definitely one to ask about in my LFS! If they could hold their own with a GT (or else go to a backup tank) that'd be perfect!

I contemplated tetras too in case other cichlids are too high risk but am pondering which tetras or similar characins would be an appropriate size. Buenos Aeires tetras would be perfect if not for their plant eating tendencies, and I've never been a fan of silver dollars.

 

[Gourami Swami]

Thanks! Wow those are two beautiful cichlids, I never even knew about them. Definitely one to ask about in my LFS! If they could hold their own with a GT (or else go to a backup tank) that'd be perfect!

I contemplated tetras too in case other cichlids are too high risk but am pondering which tetras or similar characins would be an appropriate size. Buenos Aeires tetras would be perfect if not for their plant eating tendencies, and I've never been a fan of silver dollars.

As far as the cichlids and the GT, I think those would be decent to try because they are so different from the green terror that it hopefully won't see them as competition, and won't care enough to bother them. This is dependent on your GT's personality, and some GTs may not tolerate other cichlids in a 90 gallon. But I think with a watchful eye and a backup plan like another tank, it would be worth a shot, and pretty likely to succeed.
The Buenos aires tetras would be good, though they may eat plants like you stated. Any larger growing tall-bodied species would be fine, perhaps skirt tetras. There is a chance as well the GT will get a tetra snack here and there.

 

[twentyleagues]

What about Columbian or diamond tetras?

 

[Gourami Swami]

What about Columbian or diamond tetras?

Those would be good choices

 

[LDPatton]

You should be able to stand a 6’ tank on end to get it thru the door. My 150 gal tank is 6’ x 18” x 29”and fit thru a 90 degree turn into a door standing on end. I could be wrong but I would think you could do it.

 

[Victorhadin]

Really massive thanks you guys! I really appreciate your experience, and am loving the new stocking suggestions (blue acaras are So old news now...)

And haha yes I suppose I could just about squeeze a 6 footer in, but it's currently a small bedroom in a garage conversion so it might be a little over dominant. A few smaller tanks would appeal more to me. Also my wife would probably kill me. ?