Blood parrot

roark fishies

roark fishies

Large Fish
#1
Dec 20, 2007
485
0
0
North Lousiana
#1
I know there's alot of controversy surrounding these fish but I'm considering getting one. I've been doing alot of research and I know a pretty good bit about them. I was wondering if I got a single one would it do ok in a 46G bowfront tank. I know they get 8-10 inches. Check out my sig to see what I already have in there and tell me if you think one would work.
Thanks

BTW, do any of you have one?
 

brian1973

brian1973

Superstar Fish
#3
Jan 20, 2008
2,001
3
38
Corpus Christi, Texas
#3
In my very limited experience I would recommend not getting one for the fact that they are (hybrid) cichlids and may eat you smaller fish, the blood parrots are often said to be awkward and slow, this was not the case with the 2 i had, they only survived for maybe 2 months and died during a massive tank die off , they also killed off a dwarf gourami, this was from the gourami harrassing them and not able to handle the stress whn they would fight back, and I guess they got fed up and just killed him off, I did keep mine in a community tank and the only problem with the other fish was the dwarf gourami and young mollys when i would move them to the tank from the fry tank, they would chase them and occasionaly eat them. Mine stayed together all the time. Hope that helps but I would wait for others with more experience. Heres a site that helped me a great deal when i was researching mine.

ParrotCichlid.com - A Club for Blood Parrot Cichlid Owners

LOL..guess you dont need the link..i saw you posted there already
 

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roark fishies

roark fishies

Large Fish
#4
Dec 20, 2007
485
0
0
North Lousiana
#4
brian1973

brian1973

Superstar Fish
#5
Jan 20, 2008
2,001
3
38
Corpus Christi, Texas
#5
my daughter saw them and loved them so i came home and researched them and decided to give it a shot...everything i found recommended a pair, so i bought 2, not the blood reds but the normal non dyed bloods, alot cheaper. You definately have the room, I would say my only real worry would be the smaller fish. you may have to move up later on down the road.

The local chinese resturant we eat at has a 200 or so gallon tank that is filled with huge blood parents and flowerhorns, and it is definately overcrowded by the 1inch rule but they have had those fish for atleast 10yrs and the blood parrots school together it awesome watching them.

I guess if your willing to keep up with you tank maintenance and possibly sacrifice some neons, then go for it.
 

Hamburgler

Hamburgler

Large Fish
#6
Jan 8, 2007
186
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0
corrupt lfs
#6
I've seen them range from very passive...to the aggro "king kong" parrots which can be 10" in diameter. They really vary...if you really want them then go for it. Like others have said it may be an issue mixing them with small community fish, but they really aren't hard to care for.
 

C

Cichlid-Man

MFT Staff
#7
Jul 9, 2003
8,866
14
38
38
Columbia, SC
www.youtube.com
#7
Hamburgler said:
I've seen them range from very passive...to the aggro "king kong" parrots which can be 10" in diameter. They really vary...if you really want them then go for it. Like others have said it may be an issue mixing them with small community fish, but they really aren't hard to care for.
Click to expand...
Ditto.

I personally hate them, but be careful with them in your setup. They are at least, some parts of some cichlids so they can still be nippy and aggressive.
 

roark fishies

roark fishies

Large Fish
#8
Dec 20, 2007
485
0
0
North Lousiana
#8
My main concern was having enough space. Some of my smaller fish can eventually go in my 10G as the bp grows. I'm still thinking on this one. My dwarf gourami is king of the castle and is semi-aggressive. He's my fave fish in the whole tank and I don't want a bp to kill him. So it may be best not to mix them.
 

SinisterKisses

SinisterKisses

Superstar Fish
#9
Jan 30, 2007
1,086
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#9
Whoa, whoa, whoa. No, you can not keep a BP in with a dwarf gourami. You couldn't keep it with any of the fish in your 46gal. The tetras and barbs might last a while because they're fast, but there's a very good chance they'll slowly disappear.
 

Hamburgler

Hamburgler

Large Fish
#12
Jan 8, 2007
186
0
0
corrupt lfs
#12
I wouldn't be so definet without having tried it. I've seen "semi aggressive" setups with tbarbs, dwarf gouramis, and parrots work fine. Given this case is more of a peaceful setup but...i wouldn't jump to any conclusions about mixing dg's and parrots.
 

SinisterKisses

SinisterKisses

Superstar Fish
#14
Jan 30, 2007
1,086
0
0
#14
"aggressiveness" is all relative. Cichlid aggressiveness is on a whole other level from community fish aggressiveness. Likewise with peacefulness. A "peaceful" BP is still a hybrid cichlid and far more aggressive than a dwarf gourami. At the very least, that poor gourami would lead a very miserable life.
 

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roark fishies

roark fishies

Large Fish
#15
Dec 20, 2007
485
0
0
North Lousiana
#15
Everything I've read about bp's is that they are mostly very shy. I don't know this from experience. Shy doesn't sound like aggression to me. I'm actually more concerned that my DG would be the aggressor as brian stated. At least until the bp got bigger.
AAH! I just don't know. I want to try it but I know I'm risking everything nice going on in my tank being disrupted.
 

FreshwaterJeff

FreshwaterJeff

Superstar Fish
#16
Mar 28, 2006
1,261
3
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42
Chicago, IL
#16
Again, as SK mentioned -- "shy" and "aggressive" are all relative when it comes to cichlids.

In a tank full of central american cichlids, BP's might be "shy." But in a tank where they're the only cichlid in a tank of community fish (and even if the Dwarf Gourami is a bit "aggressive" in a community sense, it's no cichlid), it will no doubt be a dominant -- and likely murderous -- entity.
 

Hamburgler

Hamburgler

Large Fish
#17
Jan 8, 2007
186
0
0
corrupt lfs
#17
I think we can draw some conclusions....all small fish will most likely end up consumed and there are may be aggression issues resulting in death. I don't think its worth it for such a fish, and if you really want one set up a new tank. You won't need anything big...
 

roark fishies

roark fishies

Large Fish
#18
Dec 20, 2007
485
0
0
North Lousiana
#18
OK. After mulling it over today, I'm thinking of this: Get a 5G and let it be my hospital tank. If I have no sick fish I can put a betta or something in it. The 10G can house the DG and neons from the big tank. Maybe a couple of the otos from the big tank. The otos would push it on stocking. Everything else can stay in the big tank and add the BP. Supposedly BP's like dither fish. I still risk the remaining otos and barbs getting eat....
 

brian1973

brian1973

Superstar Fish
#20
Jan 20, 2008
2,001
3
38
Corpus Christi, Texas
#20
roark fishies said:
OK. After mulling it over today, I'm thinking of this: Get a 5G and let it be my hospital tank. If I have no sick fish I can put a betta or something in it. The 10G can house the DG and neons from the big tank. Maybe a couple of the otos from the big tank. The otos would push it on stocking. Everything else can stay in the big tank and add the BP. Supposedly BP's like dither fish. I still risk the remaining otos and barbs getting eat....
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IMO adding another 10g instead of a 5g..would be a better option..You will need to QT the BP's and a 5g would be too small for them for 3 to 4 weeks.

P.S. I know your on that other forum so you probably already know this, but the normal coloration is red or orange with dark blotches or all orange or red, so be weary of any other "color variations".
 

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