Sweetheart Parrots

[FSUphitau85]

I recently put a juvenile Sweetheart Parrot in my 10 gallon, along with a small Pleco. After about a week, I decided he looked a little lonely, so I went and got him another buddy (sweetheart parrot also, just a lil smaller..1.5 in) to bring him out and socialize more since he was already a shy fish. Well....he definitely came out more, to the point where he is picking on the new sweetheart parrot. Any suggestions? Maybe territorial since its a small desktop tank? Will the aggression probably go away?

Thanks

[Lupin]

I am sorry to be a bearer of bad news but your ten gallons is now cramped considering blood parrots grow to 8-10 inches. I would suggest returning both fish to the lfs unless an upgrade to 55g is planned. Do you have a picture of your pleco?

[Rbishop]

It would be best to take all three of the fishies back. It is definitely aggression related and the condition will not improve in that small tank.

[grannylvsfish]

a ten gallon tank? :eek: thats not good, thats a shame. you need to take them back, they need a large tank !

[syddakyd]

sweet heart? sounds like the ones with their tails cut out right

[jm1212]

sweet heart? sounds like the ones with their tails cut out right
either way, the fish should really be brought back to the LFS. they just get to big.

if you want cichlids, consider smaller cichlids such as Shell dwellers.

[FSUphitau85]

I am sorry to be a bearer of bad news but your ten gallons is now cramped considering blood parrots grow to 8-10 inches. I would suggest returning both fish to the lfs unless an upgrade to 55g is planned. Do you have a picture of your pleco?

Well I thought they were blood parrots originally also, but the tag said "Sweetheart Parrots" and that they grow to only 4-5 in. I double checked this with the "salesman." I have a 20g I am overhauling and a 55g I'm trying to save money to get setup, so upgrading their tank would not be a problem. If I took one out right now and put it into the 20g with 4 sm. tiger barbs and 1 neon tetra, would that be ok? Also, if I do get them moved into the 55g, would they be ok together and/or in combination with other cichlids (prob an African tank eventually)? I don't have a picture of the Pleco yet, but I can get one. It's your normal everyday Pleco that you see at any LFS.

Also, why can the Parrots live fine together in large quantities at the LFS in a small tank, but not at my home? And what is meant by tails cut out?

Thanks

[severum mama]

It means that these fish are tailless due to the fact that they have been mutiliated. Their tails have been cut off to give them the shape of a heart. It's a horrendous process that causes great stress (and likely pain) to the fish.:(

These fish really cannot live in a 10 gallon for any length of time, even if it's just one by itself. I'm afraid a 20 gallon is also inadequate even for juveniles. A 55 gallon would be a bare minimum for 2 adult parrots IMO, and they are not compatible with African cichlids.

Fish don't generally remain at the LFS for long periods of time, thus while they are cramped in the LFS tanks for a bit, they generally are sold quickly and put into larger tanks. And not all LFS's use small tanks either. The one I work for has 40x 55 gallon tanks for the FW setup.

[wataugachicken]

your "normal everyday pleco" will grow anywhere from 8-24 inches, depending upon exactly what species it is.

[FSUphitau85]

It means that these fish are tailless due to the fact that they have been mutiliated. Their tails have been cut off to give them the shape of a heart. It's a horrendous process that causes great stress (and likely pain) to the fish.:(

These fish really cannot live in a 10 gallon for any length of time, even if it's just one by itself. I'm afraid a 20 gallon is also inadequate even for juveniles. A 55 gallon would be a bare minimum for 2 adult parrots IMO, and they are not compatible with African cichlids.

Fish don't generally remain at the LFS for long periods of time, thus while they are cramped in the LFS tanks for a bit, they generally are sold quickly and put into larger tanks. And not all LFS's use small tanks either. The one I work for has 40x 55 gallon tanks for the FW setup.

WOW, that pretty awesome!!! One of my buddies has a 35g with a Parrot, a few Africans, a Jack Dempsey, and 2 Rope fish. Prob well overstocked, but all seem to get along fine. Is it just a case-by-case basis/ rule of thumb? The Parrots are def not the "heart parrots" b/c they had them below in a separate tank and looked very different, esp. around the backside...plus they were double the price! What fish would you recommend doing with the Parrots in a 55g? Also, are there any short term recommendations that you can give me until I can get the 55g up and running?

Thanks

[wataugachicken]

congo tetras, cory cats, a smaller species of pleco, giant danios. basically anything that 1. will not beat them up and 2. cannot fit in their mouths.

[severum mama]

WOW, that pretty awesome!!! One of my buddies has a 35g with a Parrot, a few Africans, a Jack Dempsey, and 2 Rope fish. Prob well overstocked, but all seem to get along fine. Is it just a case-by-case basis/ rule of thumb? The Parrots are def not the "heart parrots" b/c they had them below in a separate tank and looked very different, esp. around the backside...plus they were double the price! What fish would you recommend doing with the Parrots in a 55g? Also, are there any short term recommendations that you can give me until I can get the 55g up and running?

A 35 gallon is too small for the Dempsey alone, much less all the other fish. Plus, the selection of fish is pretty poor, I'm afraid. :( It may seem to be working out, but I'll bet the fish would be much happier with compatible tank mates in a tank that is an appropriate size for them.

How do the fish look different around the backside? They don't have tails? Sadly, mutilated and/or dyed fish often do carry a higher price tag.

For a 55 gallon, I'd recommend a school of dither fish, like tiger barbs or congo tetras, like watauga mentioned. A smaller species of pleco, like the bristlenose, would be fine too, or maybe a school of corydoras. A common pleco will outgrow even a 55, so stay away from those IMO. My only advice is to upgrade asap. Even if you can grow the fish out in a 29 or 30 gallon for a bit until you can get the 55, that would be a big step up.

[AfroCichlid]

The 10 gallon tank isn't going to work out for you for any longer than a week or so. The fish are going to be at each other's throats and the water quality is going to be bad very quickly. You'd' need to do water changes every couple of days. Did you cycle the tank?
Not meant to be offensive, but you should research potential fish purchases BEFORE buying them. This is a fact of life for all hobbyists, if one truly wants to be successful in this hobby. Blood parrots are freaks of man-made creation. They would never survive in the wild, and the act of mutilating these fish is quite gruesome. The fact that your LFS would sell them to you to put in a 10 gallon tank tells me perhaps you shouldn't listen to their advice in the future. Better to find a store that is interested in success stories with their customers.