Green terror development

[Beetlebug515]

Good evening guys. I recently went on vacation for four days and all of my fish survived, with the exception of two botia loaches that seem to have become a meal. I was pretty shocked to see that one of my green terror juveniles is starting to develop a nauchal hump. He is less than 2" in a tank of 5 others. When I left 4 days ago there was nothing special looking about him at all. Now he has those male colors and the hump. I didn't know they could develop that so early. Any thoughts or amplifying information you guys could share?

 

[LogiBear]

Good evening guys. I recently went on vacation for four days and all of my fish survived, with the exception of two botia loaches that seem to have become a meal. I was pretty shocked to see that one of my green terror juveniles is starting to develop a nauchal hump. He is less than 2" in a tank of 5 others. When I left 4 days ago there was nothing special looking about him at all. Now he has those male colors and the hump. I didn't know they could develop that so early. Any thoughts or amplifying information you guys could share?

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I wouldnt say its much of a nuchal. Tje males of most cichlids generally have a steeper forehead, so i think he is just developing that. Usually a noticeable nuchal will occur in dominant adults, because they dont have to use as much nutrients in growing and it basically goes into the hump, which is a fat storage.

I think he is just developing the typical male body shape, not really a nuchal. At 2 inches he would be using those fat deposits to grow, not try to grow a hump.

 

[Beetlebug515]

That makes sense. He looked nothing like that four days ago. He is the only one that looks male out of the group of 6. I'm pretty excited about him. I've always wanted a big male green terror.

 

[convict360]

That makes sense. He looked nothing like that four days ago. He is the only one that looks male out of the group of 6. I'm pretty excited about him. I've always wanted a big male green terror.

Lol you'll pretty soon not want one when he destroys every living thing

 

[Beetlebug515]

I can handle that. He will be in the monster tank soon enough.

 

[neutrino]

Agree, not that unusual for males as they grow. As far as green terrors being killers, wilds very much so ime, captive bred not necessarily. I've had some very big boys that were just fine in cichlid communities. By far nearly all GTs I've had were good citizens as long as other fish didn't mess with them, except wilds I've had, which is how they originally got the name, from the early, big male wild A. rivulatus imports-- and the wilds deserve it ime.

 

[Beetlebug515]

This guy actually spawned with another one of my batch. I had wigglers until last night when I had to relocate the tank. I had no idea they would spawn so young.

 

[Benno87]

He's gonna be a stunner mate, they spawn at tiny sizes coz they grow so slow I reckon. Hel be well worth the wait in 2 years time though. Mine is slowly blossoming into a ripper.