Green Terror or Blue Acara (Pics obviously)

[japes]

I'll add my currently fish to the questionable million of threads floating around on various forums. I purchased a Blue Acara from one of my local LFS stores and have had him in my tank for 3 days now.

I watched this fish in the store for about 10 minutes before purchasing because another Blue Acara in the next tank looked remarkably like a GT to me. Unfortunately, as most LFS are guilty of, the lighting on the tank was pretty half assed (I don't blame them) and I picked the second of the two BA's that had in stock. In the tank it looked reasonably coloured with a solid yellow/orange strip down the tips of the dorsal, and only a slight tip of yellow on the top of the caudal fin (My mates BA has this).

Fish is currently 6cm long and has already nuked 4 of my Harlequin Rasbora's in two nights. I expect the remaining two to be gone in the morning, I have no other safe tank for them.

I honestly can't tell which is why I'm posting here. It's tankmates are (now) 2 Harlequin Rasbora's and 1 3cm Firemouth. The Firemouth and him get on perfectly fine, and he is the dominant fish in the tank due to his size, but regardless of feeding, territory, etc. he will not have defined stripes which is the primary characteristic of a Blue Acara.

Any help much appreciated, might be rage on with the LFS tomorrow.

 

[bigspizz]

GT....

 

[Modest_Man]

I'm going to be difficult and say blue acara. Body shape is off for a GT, and the lack of color on the body and lack of an orange stripe on the caudal fin point to A. pulcher.

 

[HerCrenVie]

I'm going to be difficult and say blue acara. Body shape is off for a GT, and the lack of color on the body and lack of an orange stripe on the caudal fin point to A. pulcher.

Agreed. A GT would have a much thicker orange edge to the caudal fin, and there is really too little colour on the flanks.

 

[japes]

Agreed. A GT would have a much thicker orange edge to the caudal fin, and there is really too little colour on the flanks.

What size do GT's generally become "GT's" with the different scales and pattern? Remember this fish is only 6cm.

I remember with my other Acara's they scared me to think they one was a GT until they paired, and on their first spawn, the bigger BA that I was worried about became fully coloured.

It's currently on flakes and today has had a little skinned pea and cucumber. Not to mention the 4 Rasboras =(

 

[HerCrenVie]

What size do GT's generally become "GT's" with the different scales and pattern? Remember this fish is only 6cm.

I remember with my other Acara's they scared me to think they one was a GT until they paired, and on their first spawn, the bigger BA that I was worried about became fully coloured.

It's currently on flakes and today has had a little skinned pea and cucumber. Not to mention the 4 Rasboras =(

Even 1" GTs look very distinctive. I have seen them at that size at a LFS and they look nothing like the fish you posted. GTs have a much steeper head profile. It is definitely a Blue Acara.

 

[japes]

Even 1" GTs look very distinctive. I have seen them at that size at a LFS and they look nothing like the fish you posted. GTs have a much steeper head profile. It is definitely a Blue Acara.

Friend actually bought a A. Rivalatus (GT) from a different LFS today while I was there and while I do agree they look different, I'm still not 100% absolutely convinced. The GT is maybe a little smaller than my BA but had much longer ventral fins and a slightly different body shape. Main reason I'm still unsure though is Blue Acara bodyshape can really differ from what I've seen. Some have very straight foreheads that eventuate with the mouth, and others are curved outwards (not like a lump - gently).

Time will tell, I might put him onto small pellets mixed with shrimp and feeder guppies (I presume he'll eat the smaller ones if he's killed my Rasbora's) to hopefully get him to colour up and let me relax a little.

 

[Dovii dude]

Dont go by aggressiviness Blue Acaras can be killers too,just my 2 cents,,,GT.

 

[Mystix212]

Blue Acara by far. BA's have a more sloped body when heading towards the caudual fin yet GT's have a more 'horizontal' shape.

 

[japes]

Dont go by aggressiviness Blue Acaras can be killers too,just my 2 cents,,,GT.

Definitely not going by aggressiveness, close friend has a ~12cm BA that's mild compared to many Cichlids, but still demolishes smaller feeder fish.