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No federal permit to keep

Green terror

Andinoacara rivulatus

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

The green terror (Andinoacara rivulatus, syn. Aequidens rivulatus) is a colorful freshwater fish in the cichlid family.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 11.8 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 42 in long and 15 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 7.9 in / 20 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 68–75°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 6.5–8.
Hardness: 0–25 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: FishBase classes it as a carnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 59 × 18 in (roughly 80 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 68–75 °F, pH 6.5–8, 5–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament species tank; not a community fish.
Difficulty: Difficult (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “The tank should ideally be furnished with a soft, sandy substrate and driftwood branches, with some large flat rocks to act as potential spawning sites.”
Diet: “Omnivorous and generally unfussy.”
Tankmates: “Best kept alone as a single specimen or mated pair, unless you have an enormous tank, as it's generally an aggressive, territorial species.”
Breeding: “Relatively straightforward, provided you can obtain a compatible pair.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Central and South American cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and lakes of the Americas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Size ranges widely, from convicts at 5 in to Parachromis over 20 in; plan tank size for the adult fish.
Most tolerate neutral, moderately hard water; strong filtration and rock or wood caves.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous cichlid pellets plus vegetables for herbivores (Vieja, Uaru) and meaty foods for predators (Parachromis).

Sources 117 119 164

Social life

Territorial; breeding pairs can clear a whole tank.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Aggression and territorial injuries, especially when breeding; hole-in-the-head in poor water.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

About this animal

The fish originates from the Pacific side of South America from the Tumbes River in Peru to the Esmeraldas River in Ecuador.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Green terror” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams. Uses both the bottom and open water. In small and larger coastal streams.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 68–75 °F (20–24 °C), pH 6.5–8, hardness 25 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders, biparental parental care.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 68–75 °F.
Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Andinoacara rivulatus

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 87°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 66°F (down to 62°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	73–78°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	77–81% on average (driest month about 75%)
Rainfall	about 1124 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 53 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The green terror (Andinoacara rivulatus, syn. Aequidens rivulatus) is a colorful freshwater fish in the cichlid family. The fish originates from the Pacific side of South America from the Tumbes River in Peru to the Esmeraldas River in Ecuador. It is polymorphic and can have white or gold-orange edging to the tail and dorsal fins. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	Deposit up to 600 eggs on hard substrate: the female cares for the eggs and larvae and the male defends the territory. — FishBase
Biology	In small and larger coastal streams. Females care for the eggs and larvae while males defend the territory. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources9.9in

FishBase 1647.9

Seriously Fish species profiles 16711.8

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources68–75°F

FishBase 16468–75

Seriously Fish species profiles 16768–75

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources6.5–8

FishBase 1646.5–8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676.5–8

Water hardness

Reported5–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 1675–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported59in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16759

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 18 in (about 80 US gallons).

Veterinary & husbandry research

Molecular Analysis and Chromosome Mapping of Repetitive DNAs in the Green Terror Andinoacara rivulatus (Cichlidae: Cichlasomatini) Nirchio M et al., Zebrafish 2020
Early Ontogeny of Cichlids Using Selected Species as Examples Piesiewicz R et al., Animals: an open access journal from MDPI 2024
Nutritional and Organoleptic Characteristics of Sausage Based on an Autochthonous Ecuatorian Fish, Old Blue (Andinoacara rivulatus) Medina M et al., Foods (Basel, Switzerland) 2024
Effect of Magnetic Fields on the Development of the Larvae of the Jaguar Cichlid (Parachromis managuensis, Günther, 1867) and the Green Terror (Andinoacara rivulatus, Günther, 1860) Piesiewicz R et al., Animals: an open access journal from MDPI 2025

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; Aquaculture=commercial)
86 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.