Blue Acara's and GT's

[H8Parrotfish 13]

I was wondering if anyone had housed Green Terror's and Blue Acara's in the same tank. Just let me know some info.

Thanks.

[DarthV]

Blue acaras are generally on the sedate side of the cichlid spectrum and Green Terrors are usually around mid-level... so you might end up being ok, but more likely the GTs will pick on the acaras.

[dbcb314]

i see a dead acara in your future.

i have never kept a gt, but from what i have read and heard, every once in a while you will find a docile one, bt usually they are quite mean. i have never heard of a mean acara, the one i have is very peaceful.

[H8Parrotfish 13]

The GT's I've owned would bully a CA cichlid(Texas) till it hid. But would leave the Oscars and Peacock Bass alone. Only showing it's dominance by flaring it's gills and pushing the other cichlids slightly up but wouldn't lock jaws or chase them. So I figured if I load my 90 with some Plants GT's and Blue Acara's and some eartheaters everything could be okay.

I brave risks sometimes. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. At lfs's I've seen juvi Acaras hold there own in Convict, Texas and Dempsey tanks. So I not sure of there temperment.

Thanks for the replys and keep them coming!

[dbcb314]

a good question would be how big is the tank. that makes a huge difference.

[dave76]

is there a size difference between the fish? GT generally do not tolerate members of thier own species unless they are a breeding pair.....I wonder if they would confuse an acara for one of thier own. That said I would suggest either a larger tank or make sure that the acara is larger than the GT. My gt pushes around anything in its way but it does not kill it, it pushes and nothing more.

Darthv hows your GT coming along? Mine is doing very nicely. I think mine may turn out to be a male after all.

[1 fish 2 fish]

I might give it a shot, but watch closely, and I think a GT will grow to 15 in. (can someone verify?). So it won't work in the long run. For now, Let the Blue Acara establish itself first, then add the GT.

[ScottoMacD]

Originally posted by 1 fish 2 fish
I might give it a shot, but watch closely, and I think a GT will grow to 15 in. (can someone verify?). So it won't work in the long run. For now, Let the Blue Acara establish itself first, then add the GT.

Unless the green terror is raised in HUGE tank from a very young juvy it is very unlikely it will grow bigger than 8 or 9 inches. Anything above that is a rarity in a tank raised GT. Granted you will probably stumble across a 10incher every now and then.

I have seen a couple of 12 inchers in one of my LFS ' that I frequent. The thing was a tank. But it was also raised in a 400 gallon and was 6 years old.
To the average aquarist 9 inches is the norm, and that would be for a male. Females you are looking more towards 6.5 to 8 inches.

If the layout of the tank is right. IE: proper caves and spacing. There is no reason at all that the fish should live together with no problems. The acaras can be quite deceptive. The are quite doscile for a cichlid put can be quite pushy and fearless when defending themselves.

IMO as long as they are introduced at the same size. Which should mean the acara is a little bit older . This way it will take a bit longer for the GT to start to exert the dominance. By then it should be a none factor. Territoires will be set. They should coexist with no problems. A large male acara with a female terror would work perfectly.

[DarthV]

dave76,

My GT is growing pretty decently...I've had it for 4weeks as of today and I think it's grown close to an inch :) And like you, I think mine nmight be a male...the back part od the dorsal fin is no longer rounded...it now comes to a point and I think the point is starting to trail a little. In another few weeks I'll know for sure.


As for GTs and acaras, the GT should be still quite a bit larger once full grown. A 3-4" length difference at full size..and that translates into close to a 2x difference in body mass.

[Tightdog1]

i havew heard that GTs and blue acaras totally do not like each other and their battles are like that of male bettas where one wins and survives and one dies. i would not ever risk it, maybe at a very young age and i dont even know then
Blue acaras are excellent fish tho!