Parrot Cichlid single or pair??

A

amanda_

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Jul 24, 2007
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I have a baby oscar in his own tank right now. I want to get a parrot cichlid to put with him but the parrot cichlids available at my lfs are too large or too small to be with him. If I get a baby, could it be placed in my community aquarium until it is large enough to go in with the oscar? Should I get a single parrot or would a pair be better? ...I don't want them picking on my oscar when they eventually live with him.

I have a planted 55 gallon with caves and a flourite substrate. I have 3 powder blue gouramis, 2 large angels, 1 small angel, 4 cherry barbs, 2 platies, 5 guppies & 4 black neon tetras. My pH is 7.6
 
It isn't ready yet... I am having one custom made. The oscar is about 4" in a 25 gallon (with an aquaclear 20 and 30 filter) by himself. The one I am having made will be about a 100 gallon, maybe larger. I just gave dimensions, not a size in gallons.

The guy at the fish store specializing in cichlids told me it was better to have a group of 3 blood parrots because the oscar will end up being too aggressive to just one or a pair. Is that correct?
 
If you purchase a group, it is recommended that you purchase them all at once. Once established, they often don't take well to newcomers and you'll have a real problem on your hands.;) Buy them at the same time, from the same tank, and you *should* be ok. As always, your mileage may vary.:)
 
if or if not they should be in a group depends on the fish. some are pretty peacful, while others can be pretty aggressive. they will get to 8 inches long and are pretty messy, so dont add more than two if your tank is 100 gallons. 1 oscar and 2 blood parrots is a pretty good stocking for a 100 gallon tank.
 
The sooner the oscar and BPs are together the better. Some oscars can be pushy as they get older.
 
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