Above: In this picture a young premium quality Green Terror Cichlid is swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us snapped this picture.

Comments: These are awesome fish with great rich coloring.

Origin: The ancestors of the Green Terrors lived in Peru and Ecuador in northwestern South America. But now they live in aquariums all over the world.

Maximum Size: In aquariums they are able to grow to about 12" long.

Behaviors: Green Terrors are usually quite aggressive, and they become even more aggressive when preparing to spawn, spawning, and defending their babies.

Compatibility: These fish live best with fish that can defend themselves or with fish that can swim fast to escape. We recommend Plecostomus and Pictus Catfish.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of pet fish.

Temperature: Green Terrors live best from about 75 to 80-degrees F. with 78 being perhaps ideal.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Pellets is the best food for this Cichlid species to eat. It's best to feed them small pellets, when they're small, then gradually increase the size of the pellets as the fish grow bigger.

Click here to learn more about and shop online for premium fish foods.

Water Conditions: These fish can adapt to most types of water, and so as usual it's best not to try to change the pH or alkalinity.

Click here for a lot more information about aquarium water conditions.

Decor: Green Terrors do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live plants are beautiful and improve the water quality. But Green Terrors will often dig up plants, and so plants are rarely seen in aquariums with Green Terrors.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended. Most 80-gallon aquariums have room along the back for at least two Penguin 350B Filters, and this is sort of the minimum set up for Green Terrors.

Better is a 100, 120, 150, or 200-gallon aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters as will fit across the back.

Click here to learn more about aquarium filters.

The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range. Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: Green Terrors can live for several years. Keep the water conditions excellent and feed them premium foods, and they'll most likely breed and produce the next generation of fish for your aquarium.

Gender: When they're young, it's nearly impossible to tell males from females just by looking at them, but as they mature, the females become plumper, as they fill with eggs.

Breeding: Green Terror females lay their eggs on the rocks, and the male fertilizes them. Both parents then protect their eggs and baby fish.

Click here for a lot more about breeding various tropical fish in aquariums.

Popularity: Green Terrors have been a very popular aquarium fish.

Names: Their scientific name is Andinoacara rivulatus.

Variations: as with most fish from the Amazon region there are variations in the color pattern from area to area, and this is noticeable in the Green Terrors that're available.

Click here for a lot more information about keeping and caring for Green Terrors, including a picture gallery.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.

DrTom - 03/01/2015