Question about Parrot Fish

[Morel]

My parrot Fish is laying eggs at an alarming rate (twice within a 2 weeks! =p)

And I was wondering what other fish can breed with her? I know parrot fish males are sterile. So What are my choices?

I think I read that they can be bred with Convicts. But I wanna make sure before I go out and get one..

Thanks for advice..

G'day!

[Serrateeth_2002]

Blood parrots are hybrids,unlikely for it to be fertile,they can't cross bred again,Convicts comes from a different genus,the parrot fish is in another genus.But there is always a one in a million chance for the parrots to breed and have fry,i think.

[Faramir]

Some interesting correspondence here (http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gparrotq.html) - seems that parrot cichlids are not all created equal - this might account for the "yes they can! no they can't!" breeding arguments.

[tuthelimit]

Who cares if it can breed!?!?

Should it breed!?!?!

No

Please don't breed this fish. Find a real cichlid to breed if you are intrested. This hobby does not need more hybrids than it already has. I am happy you want to breed cichlids, the bug has hit ya :)
but not this fish!

:mad:
ttl

[Morel]

If you don't suggest I breed this one.

Which convicts would be really interesting to watch? (Not to mention I have a local pet food store, a really good one in fact that says they'll give me credit for any I bring it.. =p)


=p

BTW my water parms are :

7.6 Ph.

Really clean it seems.. =p

[tuthelimit]

I think convicts are alittle too easy to breed. If you like the smaller size, 5-6" I would go with some firemouths. They are easy to come by, although alittle harder to find females. Firemouths don't need huge tanks and even the fry are colorful.

Trade that BP in! hahah
:D
GL!
ttl

[Serrateeth_2002]

Why do some people hate hybrids SO much,the poor things deserve a home and to breed.They are hybrids but still are fishes.

[tuthelimit]

Originally posted by Serrateeth_2002
Why do some people hate hybrids SO much

I personally hate hybrids for a variety of reasons. Here we go... Tank space in fish stores is a fixed factor. If one store has 100 tanks one day, the next day they will probaly have the same number. The more popular hybrids get, the less room there will be for real cichlids or any fish for that matter. I see more and more flowerhorns, bloodparrots and "mixed african" everywhere I go and it is becoming harder to find cichlids that deserve the tank space. (Its almost impossible to find a real orange chromide).

Hybrids pose no significant breeding challenge to a real cichlid keeper. They tend to mate with anything and everything... I mean thats how they came to be. Either an irresponsible owner who had two fish breed and distributed the fry, or someone trying to make a quick buck breeding for the purple of a trimac and for the reds of a devil with the spangles of a texas. These poor things had their origins from ignorance.

There a so many hundred of species of cichlids one could keep, why create more? What biotape shall we keep a fish that does not live anywhere but in captivity in?

Originally posted by Serrateeth_2002
the poor things deserve a home and to breed.

I really hope you don't believe that. Unfortunatly I feel a lot of people have this attitude with animals. If people would just get their dogs and cats fixed, the populations would become under control and thousands would not have to be put to sleep.
Do those cats and dogs deserve a nice home? Yes, but nothing deserves to breed. :rolleyes:

However, by you purchasing hybrid fish because you feel sorry for them (I am going to assume that is your stance because of the "poor things" statement), you are telling the store and the market that these fish will sell, causing them to raise the quantity supplied meeting your demand while jacking the price up.

Please don't think that by you as one person buying a hybrid will not affect the hobby. That is similar to "the tragity of the commons." What you do or think most likely is what the rest of the uninformed mob will also do.

Say no to hybrids, why waste your tank space?

ttl

Oh by the way, I am still waiting any argument for hybrids other then they are 'pretty'.

[H8Parrotfish 13]

Look at my username!!!

Basically, I preordered Parrot Cichlids at the LFS and when they were shipped in they were those Stupid Blood Parrots no the Parrot Cichlid so I not only had to get those fish but were stuck with them for a while.

I also paid thirty seven dollars for the trio!!!

[Co/\/vict]

This issue has been overly argued over and I think it would be best for people to stop telling other people what to spend their hard earned money on. For the author of this post.... if you like the blood parrot than stick with the blood parrot. Breed if at all possible. Your choice, not TTL's. Enjoy!

Co/\/vict

[tuthelimit]

Nothing wrong with a little debate!
In fact, arguing constructively is one of the best persuasive methods to accomplish… well anything. Besides we all knows it’s easier to take a stance in the middle, not offending anyone.

I have not said anything offensive and you can choose to read my posts or not. You’re right, this issue has been a debated topic for a while, but in this business new things don’t come around all too often.

As it is your opinion that people should not discuss these issues at all, it is mine that they should. Since neither one of us has been appointed the paragon of all aquatic philosophical debate, I’ll continue doing what I’m doing.

Because, I am always willing to compromise…
Keep blood parrots: fine
Breed them: fine
Distribute the fry, to friends, lfs, and chain stores: PLEASE DON’T, you have yourself a wonderful supply of feeders. :)

[Serrateeth_2002]

Debates get alot of info,as what tuthelimit said,don't spread about blood parrots,besides they can't breed anyway,they are infertile,flowerhorns are a different case.......

[Co/\/vict]

parrots can breed, just rarely. Minor correction.

ttl, fine debate only for the 1,000,553,565,673,789,456,345,341 th time! I just get tired of hearing if the blood parrot, among other hybrids, moral issues! TTL, what can you possibly do, stop the lfs from shipping the parrots to their store to be sold? I highly doubt it. So please stop whining about something that you have no power over the outcome.

Co/\/vict

[tuthelimit]

Originally posted by Co/\/vict
parrots can breed, just rarely. Minor correction.

ttl, fine debate only for the 1,000,553,565,673,789,456,345,341 th time!
Co/\/vict

Hahah, it seems like it doesn't it! :D

Yes, it would be foolish for me to think that I as a single individual could stop blood parrots from being sold at all fish stores. However, I was very successful at stopping them at mine. All it took was to explain to the owner the process in which some of these fish are dyed. Did I make a difference in the market? I did in my small neighborhood.

A lady walked into one of my favorite stores the other day and asked for a bag of jellybeans, one of each color. I asked her what size tank they were going in, her response a 20H. Now, I am not some wild fanatic that gets worked up over these things, although my writing may indicated that I am more flamboyant then I really am. I casually filled her in that these fish would probably get at least 6”. He laughed at me, pointed to the sign, which was labeled “community fish” and walked away. Those fish were doomed they moment they were placed in that section. People don’t listen, for all she knew I could have been trying to deter her from buying, only so I could snatch them up myself.

Oh, and “whining” is to complain or protest in a childish fashion. Although I have not set up my points in the form of a true syllogism, they remain well constructed and stray far from “whining.”

All this aside… am I the only person who wants to own cichlids, not gold fish?

ttl

[Lynsey]

Yes, if your BP is laying eggs, you can get a convict male for her. Just make sure that the convict is smaller than your BP (because the convicts can be very aggressive). The male convicts: do not have color on their bellies (like red, pink, yellow, orange) and their dorsal fin is longer and more pointed than the female.

[TheMightyQueenPixie]

It is pointless to breed for un-sellable fry. Cross breeds of god only knows what heritage should never be sold by a hobbiest or an LFS. Get yourself some FMs like Tuthelimit suggested...They breed like crazy and are reasonable peaceful for cichlids.