JayWho Posted January 27, 2014 Report Share Posted January 27, 2014 (edited) So, I recently took in some fish from a friend who had a tank that was leaking, and have had to juggle my tanks slightly.I currently have what is listed in my signature.Basically I added a 14" pleco, a 3" Firemouth and a 5" Green Terror to my collection.I currently have the Green Terror isolated in a 10 gallon, as I don't know if it would try eating my smallest Lelupi and Dickfeldi cichlids, who are 2" or so. It has a sponge filter run by a small air pump, a heater, but no lid.It is very timid, and after two weeks still does not come out when people are near the tank. It has only eaten a pellet or two of food when trying to feed it, because it shies away so much. I originally had a Betta in the 10 gallon as well (the original inhabitant) until the Green Terror got comfortable enough to think the Betta was food, and started chasing it when it could. I gave the Betta to a friend, and have gotten feeder mollies for my other 10 gallon tank, since the Green Terror seems to want to eat fish.However, with 3 feeders in its tank, it has only managed to catch one. (at least I assume it caught it - I haven't found a dead molly around the tank anywhere; one of the other feeders jumped out, and the "lucky" bastard landed in a pail I use for water changes that still had water in it - I use the word lucky hesitantly, as I just put it back in the tank with the Green Terror).I am wondering if putting the Green Terror in the 50 gallon with the rest of the fish (and much more activity) might "bring it out of its shell" and sort of force it to be less timid, and also hopefully it will eat my NLS flake and pellets at feeding time. My thinking is that instead of being in isolation, the activity of the other fish will cause it to be less shy.Now at the same time, this worries me, that it might go after the smaller cichlids that were about the size of the Betta. Considering they are african cichlids and aggressive by their own rights, and the Green Terror could barely catch a molly, let alone a Lelupi or Dickfeldi... Do you think I should risk moving the Green Terror to the 50 gallon tank where I know it will be happier, but might put my smaller fish in jeopardy of being eaten?What are your thoughts, those who have kept mixed cichlid tanks, or have some experience with Green Terrors? I'd love some advice before I go ahead and conduct the experiment on my own... Edited January 28, 2014 by JayWho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 It's probably timid b/c the conditions it's in are far from ideal. Try 50% daily WCs (tho it really should have more space, too). I'm pretty sure that once it comes out of its shell a bit in your 50gal, your smaller fish will be snacks - it doesn't matter how feisty a little fish is, if it fits in the GTs mouth, it will be a snack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemonaidjay Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 Putting it in a tank with others should help it come out much more. As far as if it will eat its tank mates or try to. Its different for each fish. My big male GT wouldn't hurt a fly but his mate will try hunting every now and then. But for the most part I have found them to be ok with a large mix of tank mates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremoose Posted January 28, 2014 Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 (edited) I have a breeding pair of GT's in my 150g right now (heavily planted) and I have 1" Convict fry in there with them that the GT's don't even pay any attention to. So yeah, I would definitely try the mix, you can always remove the GT. But if it doesn't work out in the 50g I would definitely re-home the GT, a 10g is no place for a 5" fish. Edited January 28, 2014 by jeremoose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWho Posted January 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2014 (edited) Good point, on being able to just take it out.I am just worried that I'll go to sleep, and fish I paid money for will be missing when I wake up... lolI guess I'll just have to move it over and see what happens, because I don't intend on keeping it in the 10 gallon regardless of the circumstances. Edited January 28, 2014 by JayWho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremoose Posted January 29, 2014 Report Share Posted January 29, 2014 Good point, on being able to just take it out. I am just worried that I'll go to sleep, and fish I paid money for will be missing when I wake up... lol I guess I'll just have to move it over and see what happens, because I don't intend on keeping it in the 10 gallon regardless of the circumstances. Keep us posted with the results! If you need a new home for the GT... *COUGH* *NUDGE* Let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWho Posted January 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2014 (edited) I moved it yesterday, and though it still hides when you open the lid, and tends to stay on the opposite side of the tank of a person nearby, it is absolutely more active and seems to be happier.If anything disappears, and I don't have another 50 gallon or bigger at that time, it's all yours jeremoose... lolIdeally, I have another 50 gallon (or larger) soon, and the south american fish can have their own tank. The GT is very nice, and I'm a fan of large plecos. My first one. Funnily enough, before I went to bed I couldn't find the smallest Dickfeldi, or female Compressiceps (she's also the smallest, by far - bigger than the Lelupi's or Dickfeldi's though), and was searching and searching...starting to get worried that the Green Terror may have already had a snack or two, when finally the Dickfeldi came out from some rocks, and I thought to check all the shells, and found the female comp holed up in one... What IS it about fish that make them think, "OH, a giant, scary fish! Perfect time for breeding!" lolThough, the male (all of them for that matter) was too busy trying to defend his territory to be interested I think, and she's already out and about today, so no luck. Edited January 30, 2014 by JayWho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWho Posted February 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2014 Update: Green Terror is doing great, and there have been no casualties.I am 99% sure it is a female, as it has no hump whatsoever.I may need to rehome it soon, as I'm supposed to be getting some cyprichromis fry, that will likely be too small to be with the GT (1", hopefully larger). We'll see - I may house the fry in a 10 gallon, but I don't know if they'll grow out much in a tank that small - I might need a 20 or 30 gallon tank to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremoose Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) Depending on how many fry you get, a 10g would be fine growing them out to 2 inches or so. So happy the GT is working out, one of my favorite fish. When they're smaller they're absolute pussycats imo, similar to a Firemouth.. All bark and no bite. Edit: PICS! Edited February 13, 2014 by jeremoose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWho Posted February 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Ask and thou shalt receive!I'm a fan of the GT - she's pretty. I'll be picking up the cyprichromis fry tonight (6 of them), so depending on their size, I may stick them in the 10g. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayWho Posted February 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) Ended up getting 8 cyprichromis fry. Decided to take a risk and put them in the 50 gallon. I now have 7 cyprichromis and a sated green terror... Moved the cyps to the 10 gallon. Haha They just look and act so much like... Food. On the lookout for a cheap 50-75 gallon tank... (stress - cheap) Edited February 13, 2014 by JayWho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeremoose Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Ended up getting 8 cyprichromis fry. Decided to take a risk and put them in the 50 gallon. I now have 7 cyprichromis and a sated green terror... Moved the cyps to the 10 gallon. Haha They just look and act so much like... Food. On the lookout for a cheap 50-75 gallon tank... (stress - cheap) Lol it's always a toss up with cichlids it seems. Your GT is definitely a female (and a real looker) like you thought, so at least you won't have to deal with the ridiculous size of a male GT along with the aggression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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