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Green Terror
   Aequidens rivulatus

Origin: South America   |   Approx Size: 10-12 inches

   My Experience (summary of my own keeping)

A simple mistake at a local pet shop led to my keeping of a green terror cichlid instead of a member of the dwarf cichlid genus, Apistogramma. When they are at a very young age, cichlids can be very different to tell apart, and I learned this first-hand. The difference between Apistogrammas and green terrors? Apistogrammas max out at 4 inches in length, while my green terror continued to grow to almost 10 inches long.

What was once a beautifully planted aquarium turned into a gravel pit. The green terror also harassed its tankmates to the point of transferring them to other tanks. When it was young, it was incredibly peaceful, but as a lot of cichlids are, it grew into a monster. It terrorized the other fish and dug up everything. Eventually, the tank was only a pile of gravel with a large hole dug in the middle where the fish would sit and watch over the room.

This fish is certainly not recommended for community tanks unless it is homed with fish of similar size in a large habitat. As a singular fish, however, it is a fun pet. It greets the owner and loves to play around. Overall, despite my initial frustration, it was one of my favorite pets. Like other large, American cichlids, it was very personable and became a great pet. My friends and family even enjoyed talking to it... yes, talking to it. I never named him as I thought its common name, "Green Terror," was good enough.

   Basic Behavior (based upon observations, readings and conversations)

Territorial, requires space. Not a community fish, at least not in small aquariums.

   Food Preference (brands and types)

Tetra® TetraMin® Tropical Flakes

   Links