# Green terror healthy?



## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

Hey everyone!

This is the post I have brought up a few times about my New edition, My Green Terror.

I was in the local fish store to pick up a few feeder goldfish for my Jaguar cichlid when I noticed in a tank a cloud of convict cichlids with what appeared to be a brownish blotch drifting amongst the backdrop of greys and whites. The brown blotch caught my attention so I took a closer look only to see what I thought was a very sad looking green terror about 3.5 inches long, almost no color, fins deformed from being nipped and what I could only describe as an odd body shape that I would say was under weight.

One of the employees told me the little guys story as he fished him out of the aquarium.
What he told me was the little guy had been kept in a 10 gallon aquarium for the first year of his life and that was the reason for his sickly appearance.

I purchased this little guy in hopes that my dedication to his health would turn this poor little ugly duckling into a beautiful swan some day.

I've had him for almost a week now and I can already see a vast improvement in coloration.

I have been feeding him twice a day alternating between HBH omnivorous cichlid flakes, bloodworms and Omega One Cichlid protein pellets. I have also been performing 40% water changes every 3 days in hopes the extra efforts will help promote fin growth and to help him gain weight.

Has anyone ever seen a Green Terror that looked like this? Is there anything else I can do to help promote growth and color? Any speculations to what is wrong with him if anything?

I have speculations of my own as to what is wrong with him but I would like to hear what everyone else thinks before I share my opinion.

Any advice would help as I have never kept a Green Terror.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my thread!


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## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

*Green Terror health progress update!*

Hey everyone I'm a little surprised and disappointed at the total lack of input

But anyway here is an update photo of this little guys progress. I would say the ugly duckling is already turning into a beautiful swan in just a little over a weeks time.

He's already showing some new fin growth and a serious improvement in color.

I guess with a little research, love and extra care even fish have their own way of showing gratitude.

After shot left and before shot right. I apologize for the blurry before shot I was still practising with my camera However the washed out coloration is still apparent.

Cheers


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## riggles17 (Jan 4, 2011)

cichlid_mainiac said:


> Hey everyone I'm a little surprised and disappointed at the total lack of input
> 
> But anyway here is an update photo of this little guys progress. I would say the ugly duckling is already turning into a beautiful swan in just a little over a weeks time.
> 
> ...


You are a good person. I tried to revive a sickly Calvus from a LFS once and I got it back to decent shape,size and health but it ended up getting caught under a rock and I didn't realize it. I just thought he was hiding or guarding his cave.

Good on you for taking that guy in and giving him a chance. I know nothing about south and Central American cichlids but I know the guy you has is a high protein fish. He should do well with the care you're putting into him.

Again, very good on you, it's a sad story for sure but awesome to see you step up and care for him.


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

Good to hear that he is improving under your care.

I personally would feed 3 times a day as much as he will take(within reason of course), if I had a fish that was noticeably underweight, especially if I knew he was still young and not full grown. I also would replace the flakes with pellet food(more efficent food source) and feed some of the frozen food(add some mysis shrimp too) everyday and some freeze dried blackworms. He will need the extra protein and fat to put on weight. The mysis and blackworms are both high in protein and good fats for fish.

With regards to the odd body shape.... I think it was probably caused by being stunted in his growth and perhaps due to poor water quality as well. I hope it straightens itself out over time.


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## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

riggles17 said:


> You are a good person. I tried to revive a sickly Calvus from a LFS once and I got it back to decent shape,size and health but it ended up getting caught under a rock and I didn't realize it. I just thought he was hiding or guarding his cave.
> 
> Good on you for taking that guy in and giving him a chance. I know nothing about south and Central American cichlids but I know the guy you has is a high protein fish. He should do well with the care you're putting into him.
> 
> Again, very good on you, it's a sad story for sure but awesome to see you step up and care for him.


I'm sorry your Calvus didn't survive perhaps it was just meant to be its time.

From what i've read the green terror is omnivorous and will eat anything that fits in its mouth.


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## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

Mykuhl said:


> Good to hear that he is improving under your care.
> 
> I personally would feed 3 times a day as much as he will take(within reason of course), if I had a fish that was noticeably underweight, especially if I knew he was still young and not full grown. I also would replace the flakes with pellet food(more efficent food source) and feed some of the frozen food(add some mysis shrimp too) everyday and some freeze dried blackworms. He will need the extra protein and fat to put on weight. The mysis and blackworms are both high in protein and good fats for fish.
> 
> With regards to the odd body shape.... I think it was probably caused by being stunted in his growth and perhaps due to poor water quality as well. I hope it straightens itself out over time.


I appreciate the advice, even at 2 feedings a day he appears to be gorging himself. His belly ends up nice and plump like he swallowed a marble  Just in the past week I've already noticed he has gained weight and is looking worlds healthier!
I've been giving him a considerable amount of protein to fatten him up, lots of blood worms and protein based omega one pellets. As for the flake food, I can't really avoid that because his tank mate is too small to eat pellets 1" Jack Dempsey. I may pick up some frozen food just for further variety.

I moved him and the Jack to there new home (55 gallon) and I'm not sure if its the lighting or he's a lot happier because his color has intensified even more so. Absolutely gorgeous fish!

I suspect he maybe stunted or suffering from dwarfism. I'm all but sure the biggest issues were poor water quality, lack of food and a lack of general experience. I suspect his head was exaggerated because it looks like his nuchal hump is forming which would definitely add to the oddness of his underweight body shape.


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## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

*Schooling behavior by Jack Dempsey*

Here's a couple more new pictures I took after relocating him to the 55 gallon. I have noticed that the blue jack dempsey seems to follow him around the aquarium. Has anyone ever noticed similar behavior in new world cichlids? I'm not complaining it's certainly better than them fighting.


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

hi there,, good for you on taking in the GT,, i love GT's having had a couple now and i currently have a widowed GT female and a GT new male growing out...I have a feeling that what you have there might be a female GT, but again it's hard to see for sure with your current photos and size..If it's a female GT it will still get some nice colors but the males will get the stunning dorsal finnage...

They will get along with other SA and ca's.. but it likes to be the most dominate in the tank and will challenge anything (again keep in mind,, most sa's and ca's have interesting personalities and every single fish is different from the other)... My male kept challenging my big male polleni‎ and well he tolerated IT for awhile until 1 day when i came home I JUST saw the gt drifting across the tank pretty much lifeless and he didn't make it.... Beautiful looking GT.....

It takes a fish a long time to recover... if he/she has been there in a small tank for a year,, then it will be a few months.. patience.. is key as these fish have LONG lives... 

Keep us updated. Oh,, the trailing behaviour is normal for lots of fish,, especially Malawi cichlids.. they follow other fish for left overs or jump in to steal what's discovered. My JD's tended to be lazy and jump in right when dinner was served and try to steal ..


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

really starting to come along in such a short time... keep the good food going and good water changes.



cichlid_mainiac said:


> Hey everyone I'm a little surprised and disappointed at the total lack of input
> 
> But anyway here is an update photo of this little guys progress. I would say the ugly duckling is already turning into a beautiful swan in just a little over a weeks time.
> 
> ...


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## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

fish_luva said:


> hi there,, good for you on taking in the GT,, i love GT's having had a couple now and i currently have a widowed GT female and a GT new male growing out...I have a feeling that what you have there might be a female GT, but again it's hard to see for sure with your current photos and size..If it's a female GT it will still get some nice colors but the males will get the stunning dorsal finnage...
> 
> They will get along with other SA and ca's.. but it likes to be the most dominate in the tank and will challenge anything (again keep in mind,, most sa's and ca's have interesting personalities and every single fish is different from the other)... My male kept challenging my big male polleni‎ and well he tolerated IT for awhile until 1 day when i came home I JUST saw the gt drifting across the tank pretty much lifeless and he didn't make it.... Beautiful looking GT.....
> 
> ...


Thanks for your input  at this stage I'm unsure of sex because he/she's fins were pretty chewed up. However I have noticed pretty substantial fin growth just in the past week. 
Unfortunately my camera isn't doing this GT's color any justice. No matter how many photos I take it just seems bland in comparison to the real deal. I will just have to keep trying for that perfect shot!


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## bowser (Jan 16, 2012)

cichlid_mainiac said:


> Here's a couple more new pictures I took after relocating him to the 55 gallon. I have noticed that the blue jack dempsey seems to follow him around the aquarium. Has anyone ever noticed similar behavior in new world cichlids? I'm not complaining it's certainly better than them fighting.


Congrats on bringing this GT back to health! He's come a long way since you first got him (I noticed the sunken belly in your first post/pic above, and he looks waaaaay better now). I think you're right in your earlier observation that he may be stunted (given the size of his eyes compared to his body), but I don't doubt he can lead a long healthy life under your care. 

I have not kept GTs or Jack Dempseys in the past but have kept / do keep other cichlids including discus, festivums, rams, severums and uarus. I have found that in adulthood, most NW cichlids I've kept prefer to be alone or with a mate. However, when young, they feel more secure with company of their own kind. If there are no others of their own kind, they sometimes buddy up with other cichlids in the tank.


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## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

It's time for another photo update comparison of my GT's progress in just a little over a month/month and a half this is what the fishes progress is.


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## cichlid_mainiac (Oct 21, 2013)

Even better profile shot after I post


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

He is coming along nicely, good to see .


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## fish_luva (Nov 24, 2009)

Good work,, he is really coming along and body shape is really starting to look up to snuff,,, keep up the good work.......

cheers!!!!


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