View Full Version : Green Terror Help
ussmickey
10-21-2003, 1:49 AM
i have a green terror and i also have a convict, and a baby, not such a baby anymore. any way...my green terror is acting very weird. the colors are super bright and she is laying close to the bottom of the tank. most of the day. there seems to be a lot of tension in the tank today. everyone is grouchy. i checked everything i could think of and everything is perfect. nothing new, nothing different...all water tests fine. the only thing out of ordinary is it seems like everyone hates each other today. the baby has been hiding all day as well. are they going to breed or do they have a life expectency that im not aware of? i know you guys can help me here.....just a little something to go on...if you could. thanks in advance....
Do they have heavy breathing?
There are a few symptoms that can tell if they are sick or just scared.
Do they lay on the bottom of the tank and on their side? Do they have something on their fins or tails? Do they have cloudy eyes? Just give as much description as you can.
ussmickey
10-21-2003, 11:10 PM
no heavy breathing and nothing on the fins. they are in perfect condition except that they are not moving around a lot. im going to say this quick....i am thinking that they are overstocked and getting stressed. i have had them in this tank for years and they are grown to almost their max i think. its a 55 gallon and i didnt know about all the research that was needed for starting a fish tank. i just went along with whatever the lfs told me. hind sight is 20/20. but i have this in the tank...i am getting a bigger tank, as soon as possible. i have two plecos, one green terror, one convict, one leporanus, one irredecent shark and the little baby. he is looking like the green terror. but he isnt all that big yet. so tell me what you think? i should find a new home for them and start to stock appropriatly??? any advice would be appreciated. i just hate the thought of getting rid of them, i have had them so long...kinda attatched...but if its in the best interest...thanks again
peifc
10-21-2003, 11:45 PM
When you turn the light off...do they come out at all?
Is the water temperature alright? I noticed that my cichlids' tanks are too cold...they aren't as energetic.
How big is your GT right now? Beside the cichlids...any other fishes act that way too?
ussmickey
10-22-2003, 12:03 AM
well i was thinking that the temp was too warm. so i turned it down. thinking maybe...but, it really wasnt. my shark is acting like that too. but they are so skittish anyway...(knowing what i know now...i would Never have gotten him) but. yeah when i turned off the light they did come out a little more. i tried changing the tank around a little bit ago thinking maybe if i changed their territories, they would be a little happier. i hope it dont make things worse. my green terror is about 7" big now and the convict about 5" my lep is about 8.5" and my shark is about 7", the baby is about 3" and the plecos about 9 or 10". what do you think? in all honesty....thank you so much for your time.
peifc
10-22-2003, 12:10 AM
With their size...yeah...the tank is too small for them.
Since they do come out during the light off...leave the light off for now. Let them get used to their surrounding again.
When the lights are on...it casts shadows when you pass by or stand over the tank. They get scared from that. Another way is to put some floating plant.
When one fish gets scared...all will get spooked too. One of my Green Severums got spooked last time. Every fish ran for cover.
Lazonby
10-22-2003, 1:48 AM
A 55 is way too small. Large cichlids need at least 18" of depth (not read as tank height) so they can turn around without bumping the glass. GT's are weird in the sense that they are very suspicious of their surroundings, inside and outside the tank. GT's need places to hide and call their own to feel comfortable. While they may not spend all that much time in them, they need a place to run if they get spooked. However, they do seem to be quite calm around their longtime owners, as long as you are calm around them.
ussmickey
10-22-2003, 5:05 PM
well they are doing much better today. with their new surroundings and the lights off. everyone in much better spirits. but i do think that i should get a better home for them one way or the other..(get rid or new tank). but i thank you all. they are usually calm most of the time. i just never had a problem with them before and then all the sudden....but all seems to be well now. everyone out and swimming happily. but i was thinking about which ones to give away...(i have a friend who is setting up a tank bigger than mine) which do you suggest?
ussmickey
10-23-2003, 4:06 AM
i would have to say that i like my green terror and the baby best of all. i have had my convict and shark the longest...the convict was the cheapest. 99 cents on sale. but i like him too. the leporanuis was the most expensive. but i would have to say that the green terror and the baby is the all time fav.
peifc
10-23-2003, 11:08 AM
Keep what you like and get rid of others.