blood red parrot - mixed info

Srenaeb

Srenaeb

AC Members
Jan 12, 2010
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Vancouver, BC
Hi there,
I'm researching into keeping a blood red parrot, and there seems to be pretty mixed information out there, especially regarding what can and cannot be kept with them.

So far, what seems for sure is that BR Parrots are a hybrid, so any one particular fish may have different genetic makeup and not all may act the same. Also, because of their adorably gimpy mouth, they must live with peaceful fish and have a little home to hide out in when feeling shy.

Can anyone share anecdotes and info about their blood red parrot, possibly include the particular genetic mix?

Main questions :
1) can they be kept alone, or will they be happier in pair? If more than 2, how many?
2) will they try to eat shrimp in the tank? (pretty sure yes) How about bronze corydoras?
 
Hey --

I love BP's! I have kept ours with corys. We don't currently, just because we decided to keep the corys in a different tank -- not because there were any issues. I think they are happier with company of their own kind. We keep our BP's with tiger barbs and it works out really well. W/o the tiger barbs, the BP's spent a lot of time hiding. The tiger barbs are so "brave" that it really brought the BP's out much more. I would recommend keeping them with some sort of dither fish :)

Jill

PS Yes, I think they would eat the shrimp.
 
Mine can be kept with anything BUT fish that are Orange, Red, Yellow colored. I tried adding another bp and he smashed it against the glass non-stop for days that I had to return it, It was ridiculous.
 
LOL! Sorry! I think mine would eat them and then think "more please!" :)
 
Srenaeb said:
upon further reading, I have decided that I will not purchase parrots =..=
Thanks everyone for comments
Click to expand...

My kid wants one, but I agree with you.

It could not handle living with other cichlids, because it's a sort of pathetic genetic folly. Like marble mollies, blood parrots are changed in a way that their own evolution hasn't equipped their brain to handle. They still think they're a normal cichlid, with normal ability to fend for themselves, et cetera.

I once had some marble mollies, and they were convinced they were normal mollies. They didn't like each other, as they are genetically programmed to identify with normal mollies. So they would follow the normal mollies around. Those normal mollies would quickly become irritated at the obviously-not-molly trying to school/mate with them, and attack.

It was pretty sad.
 
I think it really depends on how you want to keep them. If you want to mix them with most other cichlids, no, that will not work. You can mix them happily with rainbow cichlids, though, and with most tropical fish.

To my way of thinking, the blood parrot cichlids have nothing "wrong" with them that keeps them from living the life they were made to live -- in an aquarium and to please their keepers. That's what they're for and what all our aquarium fish really are for.

Everyone has their own ideas and tanks to do with as they please, but when I hear that BP's are kind of too deformed to be "right", being someone who has personally put so much time learning and developing a breeding herd of expensive animals that live many, many years -- I just have to pipe up a little. You won't find too many people that take "creating" an animal much more seriously than I do. These BP's are not created to hang out in an African Cichlid tank or an Oscar tank. They aren't meant to fend for themselves in the wild. But they do make really enjoyable aquarium fish for the people who choose to keep them :)
 
the blood red parrot is a mix between a red devil and severum. I have a piar right now in with some s. american cichlids, most of whom arent that aggressive and they are doing fine. There is plentyof space to hide and other fish to soak up aggression. I agree they arent the smartest of fish, but they are pretty and what else can you ask for?
 
I have to agree about mixing the Blood Parrot in with other cichlids, I have had great sucess. I have 2 in with my Severums and Blue acara in my 75 gal and another temperaly in wiht a breeding pair of cons with fry in a 29 gal. They seem to do great in both tanks with no sign of agression from anyone. And since they cant close there mouths all the way they can be kept with some smaller fish without much issue.
They have more personality than any of my other fish and are always the first to the front of the tank when somone walks into the room.
 
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