Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Green Terror
Andinoacara rivulatus (Günther, 1860)
Also called Goldsaumbuntbarsch, Aequidens rivulatus (former name)
From Pacific slope of South America: coastal rivers and streams from the Esmeraldas River in Ecuador to the Tumbes River in northern Peru.123
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Large, deep-bodied cichlid
A robust, deep-bodied cichlid with a high forehead. Mature males grow noticeably larger, develop a fatty hump on the head and longer dorsal and anal fin tips.32
Personality what they are like
Confident and territorial, best with keepers who enjoy assertive cichlids; temperament varies and some individuals are quite calm.231
Daily activity how busy a day looks
An active, bold swimmer that claims and patrols a territory, so it needs plenty of open space plus rockwork or wood.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Sturdy and forgiving; strong filtration and regular water changes keep a large tank in good shape.13
Home where they are happiest
Water of about 20 to 24 C, pH 6.5 to 8.0 and up to about 25 dGH; a tank with a base of at least 150 x 45 cm (around 300 litres).12
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Omnivore; a quality cichlid pellet or stick as the staple, plus earthworms, prawn, mussel and other live or frozen foods.2
Company who they like around
Best kept alone or as a mated pair; very large tanks can house other robust cichlids and big catfish.2
The story where it all began
Albert Günther described the fish in 1860 from Pacific-draining rivers of Ecuador and Peru. It has often been mixed up with two related species that also have white-edged fins, and it later moved to the genus Andinoacara.132
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The male's head hump is made of fatty tissue.3
- 2
Researchers have used it as a model to study how testosterone affects left-right brain specialisation.3
- 3
Females can lay roughly 400 to 600 eggs on a hard surface in one spawning.1
- 4
The genus name Andinoacara refers to the Andes combined with 'acara', a Tupi-Guarani word for cichlids.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 14 September 2020)1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Günther in 1860 (as Chromis rivulata); family Cichlidae; northern populations may be a separate species2
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Green Terror. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Feedingevery day
- Water changeAbout 30 to 50% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Filter rinseevery 2 weeks
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The breed atlas is free for everyone, with a source on every fact, and it will never show ads. If it helped you, a small tip keeps the research going. Any amount is lovely, and no is a perfectly fine answer too.
Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Andinoacara rivulatus fishbase.seused for distribution, size, water parameters, IUCN, breeding, trade
- Seriously Fish: Andinoacara rivulatus seriouslyfish.comused for size, tank size, diet, behaviour, dimorphism, breeding, etymology
- Wikipedia: Green terror en.wikipedia.orgused for size, colours, description, naming history, research use
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.