parrot fish help needed!!!

C

chuckie

AC Members
Sep 3, 2006
13
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0
hi all firstly id like to congratulate you on an brilliant forum, i have been reading for weeks now taking in all the info i can to help me to set up my new cichlid tank soon.

i bought 2 red parrotts about 7 years ago, 1 died about 6 years ago so i have kept my fish alone most of the time as it kept killing whatever i put in. i introduced a chocolate cichlid about 10 months ago and although he chases it alittle they have got along fine. last saturday i saw some red parrots in my lfs and i just had to get one as my kids just love my fish. the problem i thought i would face is that my parrott is a good 6-7 inchs and as the new parrott is only maybe 2 inches i thought he might go for it. to my complete and utter amazement the second i released my new fish into my tank my parrot was like a dog on heat and seemed to be performing for the new fish, and digging like there s no tommorrow. stuff i have not seen for a good 6 years. they have been inseperable and to my total astonishment when i came home from work one of them (i take it is the new fish) has laid eggs on a rockface in my tank and now they are both guarding the area like mad. should i remove my choc as he now seems very interested in that area of the tank and think he will either get killed by my big parrot or fight to the death with my smaller parrott as they are roughly the same size. also i know there is very little chance of ever getting any fry but is there any tips anyone could give me to even give me the smallest of chances.

i know a lot of people dont like /agree with parrots but i tell you i am on a rollercoaster with mine and i love these more than any other fish i have ever kept.

Although we have only just got cichlids stocking over here and as i have said i intend very soon to start a new tank.
 
Hi & Welcome to AC !

chuckie said:
i know a lot of people dont like /agree with parrots but i tell you i am on a rollercoaster with mine and i love these more than any other fish i have ever kept.
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That's all that really matters :)

How big is the tank ? I think I'm right in saying that the chocholate cichlid is Hypselecara coryphaneoides, gets to around 10 inches and wants 50 or so gallons all to itself ?
 
Welcome to AC! Glad you are happy with the parrots, though I am not a fan of them myself.
 
yes as i said we have only just started to be able to get cichlids here and was very inexperienced when i went to my lfs. as i knew my parrot was a cichild abeit hybrid i just got one as my lfs said they would be fine together, which they are although i now know that he will out grow my tank. i am planning a 50-60g tank soon and as it is only 2 inches i thought i would keep him.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7441
&stc=1&d=1130324939

saw this the other day and am now re-thinking my plans. as usual no advice from lfs on how big this fish would become.
 
chuckie said:
saw this the other day and am now re-thinking my plans. as usual no advice from lfs on how big this fish would become.
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yeah you need to check these things out before you buy - that's why this site is such a great resource if you're not sure about something like that.

so if the tank is considerably smaller than a 50G...you may have difficulties with aggression if your parrots are indeed exhibiting breeding behaviour. Provide lots and lots of cover/shelter...try and make at least one hiding place that only the odd guy out can get in to...and plan the upgrade sooner rather than later, would be my advice.
 
i am going to remove my choc NOW, the small parrott and it are starting to lcok horns and thing could turn nasty. funny thing is my big fish big fish just swims in between as if to say "cut it out kids"
 
yeah you will see the boss cichlid in a tank bite down on fighting between his subordinates lol

Hope you have somewhere else to put your other guy if it has gone as nasty as you say.

Don't get too alarmed though; a little bit of action is ok & normal when you put a new fish into a cichlid tank - they need to work out where they stand. One thing you can try where a newcomer is getting too much abuse is a substantial rearrangement of decor; breaks up established territories and puts them all on a more even keel. Again though, this will not cure the problem of a tank which is too small.
 
thanks coler, i have removed my choc and i will have to take it back to my lfs in the morning as the tank i have put him in is only a 5 g tank housing just a baby pleco and a few neon as i only set it up 4 weeks ago, was planing to use this as a tank for baby cichlids. a bit like school. In there as babys (infants) move to the 30 g when they get a little bigger (juniors) then to my new 60g when they are big enough(seniors) do you think this is a good idea or am i barking up the wrong tree??
 
Well, I don't keep those species myself but I think two big ones (Blood Parrots) will occupy 60 gallons all on their own when full grown, so I don't think that leaves you a whole lot of space for new additions in there.

A tank full of that kind of south american/central american cichlids I think needs to be pretty big (100 gallons or more would give you more flexibility if that's what you want to keep). Otherwise you'll be be keeping just two/three cichlids in the 60 with maybe a smaller pleco or two (bristlenose or something).
 
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