# Green Terror Behavior (Domestic Dispute)



## GTWilly (Nov 17, 2010)

Hey new to the forum. just purchased some young green terrors (about 2.5in). Pretty sure 1 male and 1 female (had to return other male) Once the other male was gone, alpha did not chase, but would follow female, sometimes swimming at her side, after few days she started hiding behind a log. The male would occasionally swim up to it and seems to dance and display his fins and colors to her, but she just swims out and nips at him. He seems as if he wants to try and mate, but she's not havin it. Now he is starting to give up on her and just kinda patrols the tank (55gal) while the female hides behind her log. I am wondering if her establishing territory will cause problems with them being a mated pair? Should i move the log, and/or other cover? Will she eventually warm up to him, perhaps when shes more mature? I would like a mated pair and want her to swim around like the male, and not hide all the time. any help ould be great. Here are some pictures. I couldn't get a good one of the female because she is hiding and the picture of the female also exaggerates her color. The two pictures below the female are of the male. You can't see the bump in his head very well in these photos.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Definitely don't remove the log--she's hiding for a reason.
What size tank do you have (foot print), what else is in it, and what are your water parameters?
Also, how long have you had them?

It can take several months for a breeding pair to match up, and even longer for breeding to begin. Seems like he's interested, but she may still be adjusting to the tank.

GT males are infamously known to beat up the females, esp. if they want to mate. So, don't take away her only means for escape, but you may wake up to find her dead. Eventually, she should be swayed...but just having 1m and 1f doesn't mean they're definitely going to match up.

If she doesn't like him, and keeps resisting, you might think about removing her. Or try getting more than one female so he has several females to pursue, and spread his aggression around instead of focused on one (and once you get a pair, remove the excess).


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## GTWilly (Nov 17, 2010)

Tank is 48x13 21in tall. *** had the two green terrors for about 4weeks. Im not sure what you mean about the water. As for roomies 1 5in pleco, 2 guppies (male and female, food makers) 2 angelic somethin-or-anothers (bottom feeder catfish/loach things) both about 2.5in. The male doesn't seem aggresive at all to the female, quite the opposite. She attacks him when he trolls by her area. As for buying more females, i would, but last three pet stores *** bought fish from have brought in lice, and worms. They seem to get by the qaurantine i set up. And i just got all my tanks cleared up.[/img]


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

OK--so don't go back to those stores, :? 
You probably don't have too much room for more females anyway.

4 weeks is enough time for her to settle in--so she's defending her territory, which is why she nips him. He's probably trying to take over the whole tank (normal).

I was wondering what your pH, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia levels were--that's what I meant by water params.

However, I think the behavior you're seeing is normal. Male green terrors, like I said, can beat on females...If you start to see missing scales or severely torn fins, I'd remove her. Otherwise, leave them alone and watch for now.


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## GTWilly (Nov 17, 2010)

Well mystery solved. There sudden change in behavior was because they layed eggs. I left the log as you suggested and last night i saw many fry swimming behind the log, and i thought that it was odd for guppy babies to swim so tightly together (got guppies in the tank for food). I leaned against the glass to get a better look then mama comes swimming out like shes going to bite my face off. Very cool to see her with her young. But from what i read, i though the male participated more. I know they are young parents, but hes kind of a wuss. And i didn't think the female would chase him off.


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## AnThRaXx (Apr 21, 2008)

grats willy. i had a feeling thats why they were so angry. my festivums are the same way. female is expert baby caretaker. male just lays around not doing much. might wanna catch some of those babies in a breeder net or something. if u wanna grow them out. also a place for pets in burien is a great choice. call and ask for w.e fish ur looking for. selections low atm but still very nice. take a look at it.


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## GTWilly (Nov 17, 2010)

Ok a few more questions. How long do i have before the parents start seeing the fry as a threat? And *** also read somewhere that the female stops growing after she breeds. I find it a little hard to believe, but i am wondering if there is any truth behind it. Now that the fry have hatched, the female still nips and chases away the male, are they only friendly towards each other during the courting process? Once the eggs were laid (im only assuming, because i never saw any) she has been chasing him away ever since. And, if i save some fry, and i know its kinda case by case basis, how well do young green terrors do in a community tank (guppies, red tailed sharks, catfish and algea eaters in 20gal) not planning on keeping them there, but to grow them out and maybe sell them back to the pet store/people?


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