Green Terror

[physicsdude]

Hi- I have an empty 20 gallon tank right now that I would like to house some south american cichlids in. I am leaning towards a green terror, as I this tank would be to grow him out with a pleco as a roommate till I get a 30 or 40 gallon breeder.

Anyway, I have kept some of the more peaceful species, like keyholes and bolivian and GBRs, but am looking for something new and exciting. At one time years ago, I had 2 convicts, fully grown and a salvani, nearly grown at 5". Those guys were great as their trio was always inquisitive of who was in the room, aqaurium googlers, and they were terrible during breeding time! So, I am kinda looking at something a little bigger and maybe more interesting.

Frankly, the size of the fish concerns me. I plan on just using this tank to grow him out in, with the 30 or 40 breeder coming later. Those tanks are 18" wide and 3 feet long; the former is 12" high while the latter is 18". Would either of those be acceptable to house a terror? Also, what params do they like? Any foods they like? Do they have a "personality", or is it more of the weenie behavior I came to expect from the aforementioned keyholes and GBRs?!

Currently I have a substrate consisting of a gravel and an undergarvel filter. I read somewhere, I think at liveaquaria.com, that these guys like a sandy bottom with soem rockwork and stuff. I ask as I plan on taking that filter out and just going bare with either sand or gravel. What do you guys recommend? Amybe I am making a mountain out of a molehill, but I like to research before I leap and perhaps regret later.

Sorry to drill so many questions up therethere, but I want to do right by the fish; I don't want to do anything to not give a fish a good home. Thanks mates!

 

[SeymourFRESH]

if you seriously plan on upgrading to a bigger tank, i'd say start out with some young small terrors for your 20 gallon, but you have to remember they get big. putting them in a 40 gallon down the road probably won't be good enough. i'd say a 75 gallon may be more like it.

other than that, i don't really know anything about terrors

 

[physicsdude]

I agree. Looking at what I have read, it seems a 30 breeder would be too small for it.

 

[ksfishguy]

My brother kept a pair of firemouths in a 20 gallon for years. I would also recommend German
Blue Rams for the 20 gallon.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

Yes, you could keep a single GT in a 40 gallon tank.

GTs aren't picky. Keep your water quality high (regular water changes) and keep your pH stable (steer clear of trying to alter it; straight from the tap will probably be just fine UNLESS you have extremely odd water parameters), and your fish will be healthy and happy. You'll definitely want to get rid of the UGF, as these do not mix with medium to large cichlids. Get a good HOB or canister to handle the waste load. Sand or gravel will be fine; I prefer sand as it's easier to keep clean and is less likely to be "bulldozed" into huge piles by your GT.

Feed a varied diet, and you should have no problem with your fish. Adult terrors are really pretty and can get personable, like an oscar. Enjoy!

 

[jbarr]

I have a 4" green terror housed with my oscar of the same size.
I have to say I haven't noticed either of them playing in the substrate, although occasionally my oscar will lie down in it. Weird I know. They get along good and if you were curious about other tankmates I only keep a pleco and senegal bichir that's a good inch and a half bigger then both of them. Also a gold mystery snail.

EDIT: I also have a Columbian catfish (white-tip shark, what have you etc) that's about the same size as the cichlids. The cichlids mainly leave him alone but he is also 2-3x as fast as either of them.
He also positions himself as though the front of my tank were the floor of the tank, swimming back and forth accross the water line, all day. A strange one that catfish.