South American Cichlids • Blue acara and green terror make babies

[Chloalsu4]

Hey everyone so I have a female electric blue acara and a male green terror that have made babies. I have tried everything that I can to keep the babies from being eaten by the other fish in the tank. I put 50 in a green breeder basket that hangs on the side of the tank and the green terror just sucked them through the basket and killed them all over night. So then I went and got my kids 2 gallon tank and put about 100 babies in and they don't seem to be doing very well also they are way smaller than the ones that are still in the tank with all the other fish. Do yall have any ideas that can help me keep them alive. Also do yall know what they will look like when they are bigger. Thanks

[sir_keith]

Interspecific hybrids are the bane of the cichlid hobby. Why on earth would you want to keep these?

[Mr Chromedome]

Since the Electric Blue Acara is already a hybrid with the Blue Rams, I don't think that's something to be nasty about at this point. The Blue Acara species complex is often interbred accidentally because people don't realize there's more than one species. The Green Terror complex is the same genus, Andinoacara, as the Blue Acaras, so they are actually fairly close relatives. What they will look like is anyone's guess. I am not aware of anyone having performed this cross previously.

If you really want to keep some alive, give them their own tank and feed them good high protein foods. I personally would be curious to see if the Blue genes can be passed to the Terrors. Just make sure you keep them properly labelled and separate.

[sir_keith]

Yes, the issue of hybridization in the hobby is likely to engender strong opinions. Everyone is entitled to their own, and none are more 'nasty' than any other.

[Idech]

Interspecific hybrids are the bane of the cichlid hobby. Why on earth would you want to keep these?

I agree with you. In some animals, there has been so much hybridation that the original specie(s) ceased to exist. To the OP, can you just use them as food ?