My Green Terror And Jack Dempsey Are Dull In Color

I purchased my green terror 2-3 month ago and he had really vibrant colors but I realized he was losing his color so I thought maybe he needed a tank mate for some reason. I got a the most vibrant Jack Dempsey I have ever seen and he was vibrant for about a week than lost all of his color also. They are both in a 20 gallon tank until next month when my 75 gallon tank gets delivered. The green terror is 2.5”-3” while the Jack Dempsey is 2”. Neither fish is being bullied they both have space to hide. The water permitters are as followed, ph 6.5 nitrate 20 nitrite 0.

 

The Ph seems oddly low, is that straight from your tap? How often do you do water changes?
What food do you feed?

A 20 gal for 3” green terror is pretty small, I can’t imagine having a JD in there too. If they’re constantly hiding then they must be stressed either from each other or possibly water quality.

 

I do a 25% water change once a week and the don’t hide they swim around, but there is a lot of hiding spots if someone’s getting picked in which I haven’t seen happen and the ph goes from 6-6.5. I feed tetra cichlids crisp. The green terror maybe smaller I’m not able to measure him currently but last time I measured he was 2”

 

I do a 25% water change once a week and the don’t hide they swim around, but there is a lot of hiding spots if someone’s getting picked in which I haven’t seen happen and the ph goes from 6-6.5. I feed tetra cichlids crisp. The green terror maybe smaller I’m not able to measure him currently but last time I measured he was 2”

I would do at least 2 50% water change weekly for that tank. Those fish are more carnivores than other. The food that you feed isn’t the best, it has a lot of algae, meal and extra additives. Try a food that is more for carnivores to get the best color in them.

 

Do they hide a lot as well?

 

I would do at least 2 50% water change weekly for that tank. Those fish are more carnivores than other. The food that you feed isn’t the best, it has a lot of algae, meal and extra additives. Try a food that is more for carnivores to get the best color in them.

Thank you I will switch my food ASAP and other people told me doing a 50% water change was to much for that tank size because the bacteria wouldn’t be able to handle it.

 

Do they hide a lot as well?

When I’m near the tank they do hide because their shy but when I’m not near the tank they don’t hide.

 

Thank you I will switch my food ASAP and other people told me doing a 50% water change was to much for that tank size because the bacteria wouldn’t be able to handle it.

I’m not sure where you heard that but that’s not true. The bacteria can’t handle water changes? BB doesn’t live in the water column. It’s all in the filter. As long as you don’t clean your filter when you do a water change then you won’t lose too much BB.

 

Ok, and you said I should get different food do you have any recommendations.

 

Your going to have the same problem when you update to a bigger tank.

I think your fish are shy...they are not comfortable with the environment. I have a BP and a JD that are in a 90g tank. When most of the other mates were moved or killed off they began to hide a lot and changed colors a little to blend in with the tank.

The fish were not used to being the only ones in the tank. It’s always been other fish around. Like dither fish...if dither fish are happily swimming they’ll come out and true colors will eventually show.

I had added more fish to stop them from hiding and it’s worked this far.

 

Ok I’m planning on adding 5-7 convict Cichlid to the 75 gallon. what food do you recommend. And do you know a way to raise my ph to a 7.

 

Ok I’m planning on adding 5-7 convict Cichlid to the 75 gallon. what food do you recommend. And do you know a way to raise my ph to a 7.

I use crush coral to up my pH. 1 cup for every 40 gallons is how the equation works. That helped raise my pH from a 6.0 to a 7.2ish.

I feed them mostly protein rich pellets and flakes. Mondays I feed them raw shrimp.

 

Ok thank you. Do you know any other good tank mates that would work so far the stocking looking like this. 1 Green terror, 1Jack Dempsey, 3 convicts.

 

If you can get your hands on t bar barbs they are great dither fish and are always swimming around. I had 6 but my tank crashed and all died but 1. I haven't been able to find them in my LFS because they are seasonal according to them. I have been looking for over a year because they are my favorite barbs.they also have great personality.

 

I think I want to stock the tank with a electric blue acara, Jack Dempsey, greeen terror, 3 black convicts, red spotted severum, and maybe a fire mouth. They will be in a 75-90 gallon tank.

 

I wouldn't get a severum or a firemouth I've had both my firemouth killed my severum. If you plan on getting the jack dempsey and green terror I would leave it at that just those 2. Have lots of hiding places as well.

I think I want to stock the tank with a electric blue acara, Jack Dempsey, greeen terror, 3 black convicts, red spotted severum, and maybe a fire mouth. They will be in a 75-90 gallon tank.

 

I already have the Jack Dempsey and green terror but their babies 2-2.5” max and I want the tank to be active neither of them fight with each other and they don’t seem aggressive at all.