# Is this a Green Terror baby, or a mutt????



## brently

I recently purchased what was labeled as a Green Terror from my LFS. I got it due to interest in the looks as it gets older, and i had credit at the store and this was the only one i wanted to add to my other cichlids

Is this a green terror, or a mutt? Length is about 2-2.5". Fins look ragged, as the tank it was in was overstocked with similar fish. Its eaten a bit since i got it and it's irredescent stripes at the mouth have improved thus far

my fish









vs










what i see others post online.

Have I been vamboozled? Thanks!


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## 24Tropheus

Not sure at all about purity or species. Fish does not appear well colored and seems rather sick looking to me. Very worried for him, as the eyes seem to be bulging far more than is normal.

All the best James


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## brently

Eyes are bulging a bit but no more than my healthy yellow lab cichlid. Coloring overall is very very dark but is slowly lightening up. My other fish did the same, came from the chain lfs seemingly malnourished. I feed them all quality food and take care of them well.

Just trying to see if this ugly duckling would be a pretty swan


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## clgkag

Looks like a beat up stressed GT.


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## brently

In the standard ~10g petsmart tank was roughly 20 gt the same size as him. They're all the same conditon as this one.

With proper space,'food, and water, will his colors return to normal?


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## 24Tropheus

Very hardy fish.
If he manages to throw off the effects of bad water and crowding (by being given good conditions, good water and unstressed by more dominant fish) then yep maybe gain good colour if not too much internal damage done.
I think the bulging eyes are because the lymph system is inflamed (high nitrates and sometimes nitrites) and this causes pressure causing they eyes to bulge. Yep often seen in LFS yellow Labs too.
I would treat with a wide spectrum anti-bacteria treatment to stop secondary infections.
Not been in a Petsmart for ages. Quite shocked if this is their standard practice. 

All the best James


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## bernie comeau

Need a better picture to determine whether the fish is a blue acara or a green terror. The white lines on bothe sides of the mid-body blotch is typically, more so, a green terror characteristic, especially for females. Though, over all, the fish looks much more like a blue acara ----can't be too sure as it is a juvie and only one picture of not great quality.

I'm not at all convinced that there is anything wrong with the fish's eyes. Very young fish have proportionately large eyes, and the angle the picture is taken from, especially if the fish is a blue acara, might exagerate the size of the eyes.


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## noki

Not sure if you understand or not, but a smaller juvenile "Green Terror" will not have all the colors of a healthy adult yet, even if healthy. It is normal for juveniles to be less colorful than the nice one in your second photo.


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## kinggreenterror

looks like a GT.. maybe it has fin rot. if it was in tank it might have been beat up and thats what made it stress but looks like a GT to me.


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## brently

Thanks for all the help guys! The fishes fins have been steadily healing up and it's bright green shiney color is coming through.

I understand that young fish will have dull coloring but I see online several examples of fish that are young and brightly colored.

I'll keep you all posted and provide an update


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## kinggreenterror

yea my is young is color is good. once ur fish is not stress and happy the colors will show. just make sure no fish is bullying him or her and feed them good. 
 :thumb:


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## ClearMud

Drugged for supposedly better color.


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## brently

New pic:










This pic is after a few days of better food, and a water change. Colors are coming out as compared to the first picture. The black stripes are slowly fading away, and green/blue irredescent scales are coming out in great color.

Fins still need work, but are healing fine, and beginning to have the red edges on the tail and dorsal.


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## bernie comeau

Yeah, that is definately a green terror. Bear in mind as well, that females are usually, not nearly as colorfull as males ....... especially on the fins. Though your fish is still too young to be certain of it's sex.


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## kinggreenterror

it looks like female though. females are darker in color.


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## 24Tropheus

Looks a lot healthier too. Well done. 8)


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## Furcifer158

to young to tell the sex. but is healing nicely. it will be a very nice green terror soon


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## CaptinChronic

green terror


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