Green Terror QUestion

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J

jack43567

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Dec 15, 2021
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Hello everyone!

I got a Green Terror a few days ago, he is about 3.5-4 inches. He is in a 40 gallon breeder with about 18 rosy red minnows (quarantined and treated before adding them). I thought he would eat and chase them around. He doesn't seem to be showing much interest at all towards them. Just completely ignores them. Is he just adjusting? Or did I get a peaceful fish? Been feeding blood worms which he has been eating but I am going to get some pellets to try today.

Do you think I could add a few Panda Garras in there with him? or maybe some larger corys?
 
At this size, he’s not really going to be super interested in eating others the way he may at a larger size. Even full grown they aren’t heavy piscivores like other cichlids (but what fits in the mouth goes in).
In a 40 breeder I’d leave it as is with tankmates. Eventually the rosies will get eaten. In the future I’d recommend livebearers as feeders just because minnows and goldfish contain high amounts of thiaminese, which is harmful to most fish of fed too frequently.
 
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Deadeye said:
At this size, he’s not really going to be super interested in eating others the way he may at a larger size. Even full grown they aren’t heavy piscivores like other cichlids (but what fits in the mouth goes in).
In a 40 breeder I’d leave it as is with tankmates. Eventually the rosies will get eaten. In the future I’d recommend livebearers as feeders just because minnows and goldfish contain high amounts of thiaminese, which is harmful to most fish of fed too frequently.
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Thanks for your help deadeye! I remember you helping me awhile back with stocking options for the tank. I thought about going the rainbow wolf fish route, but wanted something that was going to be more active.

Here is a picture of him/her. Not sure on the sex
IMG-3465.jpg
 
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Guessing it’s a male, based on the patterning on the anal and dorsal fin.
Looks a little thin though, has it eaten anything since you got it?
 
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jack43567 said:
Only a few blood worms... Still pretty shy. I took most of the rosies out (18 down to 7 now) because I noticed they were starting to go after the red on his tail.
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So I’m not the only one who had aggressive rosies lol

Try getting it to eat some pellets. If after a few more days it still doesn’t eat or if you see white stringy poo you may want to look into a dewormer like levamisole.
 
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Deadeye said:
So I’m not the only one who had aggressive rosies lol

Try getting it to eat some pellets. If after a few more days it still doesn’t eat or if you see white stringy poo you may want to look into a dewormer like levamisole.
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Yeah I was so surprised! rosies are mean little guys! It was pretty crazy when I had all 18 in there they would constantly attack my hands and fingers. When I tossed a cube of bloodworms in, it was similiar to exodons eating, absolute feeding frenzy. Mean fish. If they had more color I could see people keeping them in a species only schooling tank haha
 
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nice pick up!

i have a lil guy too,

accepts any food really -been breaking up the pellets i feed my bigger fish -massivore / hikari food sticks - tumms is super fat -
 
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When you look at the mouth of any Andinoacara, and its body shape, it does not present as a primary piscivore.
Although it appears to be carnivore, with omnivorous side, it is more equipt to eat insects, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and those type foods.
Of course it will not turn down small fish if it can catch them, but that is not the main way it makes its living.
Here are some predatory fish hunters mouths, and streamlined bodies.
now compare those predatory jaws to your Andinoacara, or mine below,....quite different, than the canine teeth and jaws, or torpedo shaped bodies made for the chase .
AADE513B-E07A-4953-85E8-C6689FFAFD65_1_201_a.jpeg
At some point yours will probably be able to corner the minnows once it gets acclimated, and bump them off one by one, because most tanks dont provide real escape leeway.
 
Last edited:
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duanes said:
When you look at the mouth of any Andinoacara, and its body shape, it does not present as a primary piscivore.
Although it appears to be carnivore, with omnivorous side, it is more equipt to eat insects, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, and those type foods.
Of course it will not turn down small fish if it can catch them, but that is not the main way it makes its living.
Here are some predatory fish hunters mouths, and streamlined bodies.
now compare those predatory jaws to your Andinoacara, or mine below,....quite different, than the canine teeth and jaws, or torpedo shaped bodies made for the chase .
View attachment 1486101
At some point yours will probably be able to corner the minnows once it gets acclimated, and bump them off one by one, because most tanks to provide real escape leeway.[/URL]
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info!
 
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