Green Terror or Blue Acara?

[bluegryffin]

I've had this fish in my 38 with some others, and I still cannot decide if it's a GT or Blue acara. I also can't any pictures that are worth a $#$%$#. The fish is only about 2 1/2" to 3" long. When it eats, it gets darker and looks more like a blue acara (darker verticle bands, more blue colors) and the rest of the time it looks more like a GT (it has the distinct separation of shiny green color from the front to back, and it has the orange seams on its fins). The guys at the LFS told me that a young acara could have the orange edges, and that it would probably disappear later in the fish's life. They also seem to be pretty sure it's a blue acara, which they had it labeled as.

Now. *deep breath* Do acaras have a more pronounced dark stripe below their eyes than GT's? If so then I believe I do have an acara. I'll try to get some pics if I can. Let me know if I need to be more descript. Thanks!

 

[itzacraze]

sounds like a female gold saum "green terror"

 

[Militis]

Here Are some Pictures Of the blue acara

 

[japes]

Blue Acaras dorsal and caudal strips don't go away as they get larger. Basically, if it has a strip of yellow or white all the way down it's caudal fin it's a GT; however if it only goes down 1/3 or so of the way it's a Blue Acara.

I believe both fish have about the same sized blotch below their eyes.

Blue Acara's that aren't fully settled or stressed or receiving aggression are a generally green colour, I know I was worried about mine when I first picked it up. Face markings are also a good way to tell, with Blue Acaras generally being an array of smaller worms, with GT's have a rather distinct series of lines.

What tankmates is it in with? Before I started feeding my Blue Acara top shelf food, and before she had any other dominating tankmates, she was just a dull greenish grey colour, which made her look somewhat like a GT, however they tend to have more of a bright sheen.

 

[Militis]

Some Pictures of the Green Terror http://tropicalfishgallery.com/species-gallery/cichlids/rivulatus.html hope this helps.

 

[Militis]

Do any of these pics helps which one does it look like BA or GT???.

 

[CTU2fan]

Also keep in mind they're both Aequidens species so can't rule out it being a hybrid...

 

[bettapits]

they're both GT to me...

 

[oscar vini]

sounds like a GT

 

[Headrush]

sounds like a GT to me as well. Does the tail have orange edging? If not its a Blue Acara

Hope you can get some pics, they'd help a bunch