Green Terror in need of some lovin?

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A

adriaantie

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 31, 2012
15
8
0
holland
Hello,

This is my first post here but i am reeding for a while now. I am from Holland (so please don't mind the spelling) and owner of a 350 liter tank. I would like a single couple of Green Terror in the tank. A couple of months ago i bought 9 Green Terrors with a length of 2 centimeters. Now the biggest one is about 9 centimeter. In the meantime i brought 5 Terrors back to the pet store. I have now 2 big ones which i thought where males and two small ones which i hoped where females. The biggest one which i am pretty sure is a male frequently chases the other ones around especially the second big one until today. He is showing some strange behavior to the other big one and i am wondering is he in need of some loving and is the other big one a female??? Or maybe the are just fighting? The two are staying in a small part of the thank when normally they are cruising around.

I have put a video of the behavior on Youtube.

Greetings from Holland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX54LRYsM20
 
Good lookin terrors. Looks like the dance to me. Can't tell the sex very well. Put in a big flower pot and see if they do the deed.

Most of the male GTs I've seen have had pointed fins or trailers on the fins. The females I have seen have rounded fins.

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Thanks for the reply. They are doing it all day long now for the two past days. There already is a big flower pot in the tank but they prefer the little one so it seems. One other thing is happening since the two big ones are doing the "dance": The two little ones are starting what look like fighting (lips locking etc....). The fish are from the same nest but the difference in growth is somewhat strange. The little ones are still about 3 centimeters so i always thought that they where the females. Guess i was wrong.
 
adriaantie said:
Hello,

This is my first post here but i am reeding for a while now. I am from Holland (so please don't mind the spelling) and owner of a 350 liter tank. I would like a single couple of Green Terror in the tank. A couple of months ago i bought 9 Green Terrors with a length of 2 centimeters. Now the biggest one is about 9 centimeter. In the meantime i brought 5 Terrors back to the pet store. I have now 2 big ones which i thought where males and two small ones which i hoped where females. The biggest one which i am pretty sure is a male frequently chases the other ones around especially the second big one until today. He is showing some strange behavior to the other big one and i am wondering is he in need of some loving and is the other big one a female??? Or maybe the are just fighting? The two are staying in a small part of the thank when normally they are cruising around.

I have put a video of the behavior on Youtube.

Greetings from Holland.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX54LRYsM20
Click to expand...

The fish in the video do seem to be male and female. The males usually have longer fin extensions (dorsal and anal), but lengths of the fin extensions also vary with different males. In my opinion, the most obvious indicators are the vast differences in color, and both are exhibiting breeding patterns. I wonder if the female is big enough to breed, but judging from the video she looks like she could be big enough. One recommendation if you are trying to breed them would be to have flat stones in the aquarium (slates, or thin piece of rock). I had various types of rock in the aquarium and their preference was almost always the think piece of rock. Another suggestion would be sand and not gravel, but it appears you already have sand. To answer your question, the male does seem to be in the mood for some lovin', but the female at this time does not seem interested. The other fish does seem to be a big female of the other fish could be a smaller male. The fighting you are observing is a type of breeding pattern; the male is trying to impress the female into courting or mating, eventually the female will become interested and finally mate with the male; another feature is oftentimes the two fish will lip-lock and it is not really a true fight, the lip-locking is a test for the male to prove he is dominant and can fend off any potential intruders and predators in an effort for the fry to be successful for future generations. I hope this information helps! :)


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Actually, the more I read the story, I am a little confused. Are the fish in the video the large ones or the small ones? If the the smaller fish are secluded to a small part of the tank, the other fish on the video might just be being territorial, trying to gain what little territory he can. I need more clarification. :) Although his behavior does not seem aggressive, it seems like more of a performance such as breeding behavior. Anyways, please provide more clarification. :)


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Either way, the smaller ones are very likely too young to reproduce, but the larger ones might have a chance but they are still a very small size so it is likely they will need to grow larger before they are able to sexually reproduce. I would guess the female would need to be at least two to two and a half inches, and the male at least three to four inches; every fish is genetically different though just like people do sexually reproductive lengths will vary.


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Thanks once again for the response and tips. I already have some flat stones in the thank. (tips from reading this great forum). All the gt's are 5 month old and swimming together in the same tank. The fish in the video are the "big" ones. I have taken some pictures and could you point out with you think is the male and female. I also included a picture of the two smaller ones.

DSC_2168.jpgDSC_2165.jpgDSC_2048.jpg

DSC_2168.jpg

DSC_2165.jpg

DSC_2048.jpg
 
Whats up with posting on this forum?;) I am trying to post but the posts do not appear or take a very long time to show up. So here's a next try to post an answer.........

Thanks for the response. I already have some flat rocks on the bottom (tips form reading this forum:)). The video is showing the bigger fish. The 4 fish are swimming together in the same tank. They are from the same nest and the difference in size is quite noticeable. I have took some pictures. Could you tell me with one you think is the male. Today the bigger ones sometimes share the same pot. So i am guessing i have my couple.

View attachment 915607View attachment 915608View attachment 915609
 
adriaantie said:
Thanks once again for the response and tips. I already have some flat stones in the thank. (tips from reading this great forum). All the gt's are 5 month old and swimming together in the same tank. The fish in the video are the "big" ones. I have taken some pictures and could you point out with you think is the male and female. I also included a picture of the two smaller ones.

View attachment 915291View attachment 915292View attachment 915293
Click to expand...

I am confident that in the first picture the fish to the left is a male and the fish to the right is a female. In the second picture, I think the male is the closest fish and the female is the farthest or distant fish. The little fish in third photo are too young to identify accurately, do I am not sure regarding those fish. I hope this information helps, and I apologize for taking so long to reply! :) Those are beautiful Green Terrors, and those are also great quality photos! :)


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Your male Green Terror even appears to be conveying a small nuchal hump. I would be interested to see more pictures in the future of your Green Terrors, especially the male to see if his nuchal hump becomes more exaggerated! :)


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