What kind of fish should I put with my Green Terror Ciclid?

Question

He is a EXTREMELY aggressive fish. Only about 4" long but will get bigger. He basically kills/beats up all the fish we have put in there with him. Hes in a 20 gallon tank with a Spotted Raphael Catfish. The only reason he hasnt beat up the catfish is because they dont see eachother much because the catfish hides all day. Heres what hes been in there with:

2 large silver dollars: killed one, beat up the other

Butterfly fish (stays on top the whole time): killed it.

Medium sized Pleco: killed it.

The most fish Ive had in there at one time is 3. I had the 2 silver dollars to start and added the green terror, then he did his damage and I moved the surviving silver dollar to its own tank. All of the other fish after that were suggestions from a guy who owns his own fish store.

He seems like he could use a tank mate. I know this sounds crazy because hes killed so many fish that Ive put in there with him but he seems lonely.

Please only respond if you know fish, thanks!

Answer 1

Oscars and Peacock Bass, or Jack Dempseys. NOT just anything that shares the same size, but is of the same size and nasty level of aggression and most likely shares the same territorial issues is probably the most "compatible" tank mate.

But you really only want to keep it with anything but something that won't swim around the tank right now, until you get a bigger one. A fish that grows to the size that your particular fish can grow to, is probably like an oscar- It needs around 30 gallons per fish to live comfortably. So, when you upgrade to a 55 gallon, or something bigger, you can keep it with more- Like, one other african chiclid, maybe another cat fish.

A pleco,

and maybe some more bottom lingering fish, but just make sure that all the decor you put in the bottom to keep those fish sheltered can be moved, since immovable decor in a Chiclid tank tends to p**s them off- In my expierience keeping my oscars, they liked to move everything around, and anything that couldn't move, they tried to move, and it caused a lot of fish wounds.

I ended up getting rid of them, they were both about four inches long and I couldn't upgrade as soon as I wanted to- They were in a 30 gallon.

So plan to upgrade before you get something that can match your green terror! Otherwise they'll tear eachother apart.

Answer 2

The green terror is one of the large aggressive group of South American Cichlids. As you have experienced, they will kill all but the most aggressive of tankmates. Stick with the large South American Cichlids. And when adding one, tryo to get one AT LEAST as large as the green terror already in the tank. For oscars, you need to get one somewhat larger then the terror as Oscars are not as nastyu as the terror. This really is an evil fish and needs to be kept with evil tankmates.

All of that said, a 20 gallon tank is way to small for this fish if it is going to thrive. I have mine in a 90 with a mix of other nasty South American fish such as a Jack Dempsey, trimaculatas, a salvini and a Texas Cichlid (not really a South American cichlid but you get the idea. BIG BAD Bruisers!)

My advice, trade the terror in for something more appropriate for your tank size. A 20 is just too small.