# Green terror question concerning eating habits



## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

My brother gave me his green terror...about 3"....anyways....I put him in with my haps and peacocks and he is doing fine as far as getting along. Seems to get along quite well actually..anyways....my brother feeds his fish cheap flake food and other junk(been trying to get him to switch for years but he just doesn't really care) so I brought him home this past thursday. I can't get him to eat the NLS, he takes it in and spits it out, so I was wondering how long they can go without eating? I am not sure if they can go weeks like african cichlids can. I know it will take him time to adjust to the food but was curious how long he can hold out?


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## neutrino (May 4, 2007)

Actually, I've kept them with haps and peacocks before and it can work out well. (btw, don't believe the people who say you can't keep Africans and new worlds together because they don't understand each others body language-- while you may have other reasons for not wanting to mix them, all in all the body language thing is nonsense ime, it's _possible _but not common ime for body _markings _--bold stripes, for example-- to be misinterpreted by some individual fish, but such things as threat displays, territorial displays, etc. etc. are very well understood; lol... no fish _I've _ever seen sees a threat display and acts like_ I wonder if he wants to make friends?_). Anyway, ime once the gt gets large enough he will actually help keep order in the tank, including breaking up fights. Once had a group of blue dolphins in a tank that were bullying other fish and I put my big, beautiful gt in the tank and it straightened them right out, they acted as though very impressed by him and didn't dare get out of line with him around.

Anyway, I never personally had issues with them eating, so can't say from experience how long they will go. I would say as long as he doesn't start to look skinny he should still be ok. All I can say is if it was me I might try not feeding the tank for a few days, but if he didn't start eating soon after that I'd try to find something he likes that's still a quality food and then go from there getting him on to the food I wanted to end up with.

...bet he would go for freeze dried mysis or other shrimps or freeze dried blood worms-- or, no healthy fish I've ever had could resist live brine shrimp-- and I've found a lot of times once you break the ice getting them to eat in the new tank, with a little patience you can get them on other, more staple foods.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Well.....I tried the NLS a little while ago and no dice....he just doesn't want it. So....I tried something I knew he wouldn't be able to resist....fresh dug earthworms. He still wouldn't eat. Wouldn't even try.

I do notice when I look in on the tank without them seeing me that he swims around everywhere. As soon as I walk in, while the rest of the fish swim to the glass begging for food, he takes off to the back and looks timid. While the rest of the fish furiously eat...he acts as though he doesn't know what to do.

Anyways....I am doing a large water change as I type this and will try sparingly again tomorrow. I can't keep loading the tank with food trying to get him to eat. If he doesn't come out and get his share he will not eat because my haps are voracious eaters and they don't even let the food hit the bottom. His belly is starting to show some signs of sinking but nothing real bad.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Any ideas folks to how long I should give him to eat before maybe taking him to the LFS for trade? His belly is a bit sunken but he is very active and doing well other than that. I am not an expert with south american cichlids so I don't know if they can go a couple weeks or not. It has been 5 days now since he has eaten. Any help would be appreciated.


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## neutrino (May 4, 2007)

IME they can go a couple of weeks, even longer, if they've started out healthy. Sometimes (not always) the longer it goes past a couple of weeks, the harder it is to get them to eat. I think I'd try live brine shrimp at this point (or frozen if you just can't get live). First, I've never seen a healthy fish resist live brine shrimp. Second, because brine shrimp swim around they trigger the fish's instincts while not being difficult for them to catch and it also means the fish doesn't have to come out to the front of the tank to get some, especially if you scatter them throughout the tank.

Sounds to me like this fish is spooked for whatever reason after being moved to a different tank. There's things you can do to get them used to you but it can take time and patience. But even if you want to trade him in, a couple of good feeds on brine shrimp wouldn't be a bad way to keep him from getting too skinny.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

neutrino said:


> IME they can go a couple of weeks, even longer, if they've started out healthy. Sometimes (not always) the longer it goes past a couple of weeks, the harder it is to get them to eat. I think I'd try live brine shrimp at this point (or frozen if you just can't get live). First, I've never seen a healthy fish resist live brine shrimp. Second, because brine shrimp swim around they trigger the fish's instincts while not being difficult for them to catch and it also means the fish doesn't have to come out to the front of the tank to get some, especially if you scatter them throughout the tank.
> 
> Sounds to me like this fish is spooked for whatever reason after being moved to a different tank. There's things you can do to get them used to you but it can take time and patience. But even if you want to trade him in, a couple of good feeds on brine shrimp wouldn't be a bad way to keep him from getting too skinny.


Yeah....he is spooked by me I think. When I look into the room without them seeing me he is swimming around like normal. As soon as I enter the room and open the tops he takes off to the back bottom while all the other fish are waiting for food at the top. I fed them just minutes ago and they all ate fine....except him. He won't even attempt. He was eating right before I brought him home from my brothers but he was feeding them garbage food plus frozen brine shrimp. I think he just has to get used to the new food. I am going to give him a couple more days to see what happens. I am afraid with the voracious appetite of my haps that there is no way I can introduce brine shrimp without them completely out competing him for it. He is just too slow. He is going to have to get used to the NLS or I will be forced to trade him in. I will give him a couple more days and see what happens.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Well....17 days now...he is at least mouthing the food but spits it out. Frustrating to watch. However...he acts normal, swimming around and digging in the sand looking for food. He is not being bullied or bullying. His stomach is becoming more concave but not sickly looking. I am hoping in the next day or so he start to eat...


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## Steffano2 (Jan 11, 2007)

13razorbackfan said:


> Well....17 days now...he is at least mouthing the food but spits it out. Frustrating to watch. However...he acts normal, swimming around and digging in the sand looking for food. He is not being bullied or bullying. His stomach is becoming more concave but not sickly looking. I am hoping in the next day or so he start to eat...


He's probably finding it difficult with the move and the aggressive eating habits of the Haps to find his niche when it comes to food. Get some of the food from your brother and try a change over diet by starting with 3/4 old food and 1/4 your food and increase your food as soon as you see him eating it. Then decrease the old food to 50% and increase your food to 50% and so on. See if that helps the situation? Just my suggestion.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Steffano2 said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> > Well....17 days now...he is at least mouthing the food but spits it out. Frustrating to watch. However...he acts normal, swimming around and digging in the sand looking for food. He is not being bullied or bullying. His stomach is becoming more concave but not sickly looking. I am hoping in the next day or so he start to eat...
> ...


Funny thing....since he gave me the fish and he was out of food I gave him my 3mm NLS when he gave me the fish. So he has none. I am going to feed them some frozen krill tomorrow and see if he eats. He should eat that or at least I hope so. I just have to make sure he gets some as you mentioned the haps are very aggressive eaters. I usually put a bunch in the tank on one side to get all the haps over there because they are very quick. The peacocks...not so much. While the haps are distracted I am able to feed my peacocks a bit easier so hopefully this will work tomorrow with the krill. I am scheduled to do a water change anyways so what they don't eat I will just vacuum up.

If he doesn't eat the krill then I will have my brother come and get him and trade him to the LFS as it was his to begin with.


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