blue spots on my blood parrots?

video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
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0
#1
Over the course of about two months, my two blood parrots (1 orange, 1 black) have developed some blue spots on their tails...is this just coloration that naturally happens throughout their lives? I'm not at all worried, just curious
 

Jan 8, 2009
106
1
18
Richmond,Va
#4
Over the course of about two months, my two blood parrots (1 orange, 1 black) have developed some blue spots on their tails...is this just coloration that naturally happens throughout their lives? I'm not at all worried, just curious
Great Question?
Blood Parrot cichlids are the "ONLY" fish that can get Black spot disease(in some cases look dark blue). This disease is very common among parrot cichlids and displays itself as black/blue spots on the fish. This disease can be a result of poor water quality and effected fish will get better if you improve the water quality. If the water quality isn’t poor the fish can get better after a few days. Black spots can however also be a sign of that your fish is in spawning mood,so take that in mind.Its alot more common than you would think with blood parrots."Typical"in my words.Rare disease "only" for one species of fish.Pretty crazy!Can be treated very easily.

-water changes
-add a little bit of aquarium salt.(per tea spoon)
-proper diet
-Bam!Your ready to go!
 

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video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
61
0
0
#5
Can blue spots also mean that they are in a spawning mood? I just discovered eggs yesterday so...I also have a dino bichir in the same tank, would aquarium salt affect him? The spots aren't a dark blue, more of a sky blue and they are almost fluorescent, and they happen on the very very first translucent part of their tails.
 

Doomhed

Large Fish
Feb 11, 2003
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Rhode Island
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#6
it is possible it is actually the spawning coloration of the parrots. I would suggest moving the dino bichir if you get a chance, he really might be in some danger with those parrots. I would leave them with their fry and no other tank mates.
 

Jan 8, 2009
106
1
18
Richmond,Va
#7
Absolutely!
Mating could be the big factor here, especially since i assume your tank is clean.Like Doomhed stated:keep an eye on your dino bichir because the blood parrots will get mighty aggressive over the next few days.
 

video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
61
0
0
#8
the blood parrots have been recently aggressive, guarding their territory very well, but the most recent development...look under the rock to check the eggs, NO eggs, only a snail...im gonna hunt that murderer down and remove it promptly.
 

nanu156

Large Fish
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#9
Whom ever at the eggs saved you some time, and sticking your arm in to get bit up...

The "male" parrot is sterile, like a mule, he can't fertilize the eggs. In the end you would have had to remove the eggs eventually.

No worries.
 

Jan 8, 2009
106
1
18
Richmond,Va
#10
the blood parrots have been recently aggressive, guarding their territory very well, but the most recent development...look under the rock to check the eggs, NO eggs, only a snail...im gonna hunt that murderer down and remove it promptly.

Yeap!!!! predictable!Your blood parrots may not have mated yet and just started showing signs of aggression.Or they layed them and your Dino bichir absolutely gobbled those little guys up(Dino Bichirs are notorious for nest raiding). If you want them to breed then crank your heat up 5-7+ degrees and that will be a big help.But caution:more aggression is at stake.Then again, it could take a couple of times to get them breed.Practice allways make perfect.

PS.-You may want to put your Dino bichir in a seperate tank if your ganna breed.
 

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video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
61
0
0
#11
im not too worried about breeding them, i mean its not the purpose of having my fish, it just happened, if i find them again i will remove the bichir.
 

nanu156

Large Fish
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#12
I would discourage mating.

Male Parrots can't fertilize the eggs, so what will happen is you will have angry serial killer fish for a week, then fungus all over the rotting eggs.

My sister runs parrot tanks and she has a pair that insist on laying eggs every 2-3 weeks its a complete pain because she can't put anything else in her 120 gallon tank because when the parrots are in the mood for love everyone else better look out.

If you get eggs, get them out quickly, I recommend netting the fish, or blocking them off so your arm doesn't get tore up.
 

video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
61
0
0
#13
I'm not trying to mate them, they just do it. Plus, the first batch of eggs that I had did not turn white over the course of about a week that I knew about them, plus however long they were in there before. My dinosaur bichir has gotten to both batches of eggs, and so I'm not worried about reaching my hand in there.
 

Monoxide

Large Fish
Dec 19, 2008
224
0
0
#14
I'm not trying to mate them, they just do it. Plus, the first batch of eggs that I had did not turn white over the course of about a week that I knew about them, plus however long they were in there before. My dinosaur bichir has gotten to both batches of eggs, and so I'm not worried about reaching my hand in there.
Aww that sucks about them not making. But that happens to everybody and many dont even know a fish is having babies and many also just plain dont got the room. One of my best friend got a 45 gal and I had 55gal and 29 gal in our new apartment (1st apt) and he had guppies.. he only 8 and bam tank full within 2 months. We tried giving them away finally a pet store took em for free.
 

video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
61
0
0
#15
Guppies...we have those too, they're in a little 5 gallon. Then we have baby mollies too...10 gallon, haha. Turns out we might actually have an extra tank soon, given the chances that have already been shown of my male being fertile, i might move my bichir out one time to see if I could in fact get some babies, otherwise my goal is to mate my bettas...
 

Doomhed

Large Fish
Feb 11, 2003
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Rhode Island
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#16
I would discourage mating.

Male Parrots can't fertilize the eggs, so what will happen is you will have angry serial killer fish for a week, then fungus all over the rotting eggs.

My sister runs parrot tanks and she has a pair that insist on laying eggs every 2-3 weeks its a complete pain because she can't put anything else in her 120 gallon tank because when the parrots are in the mood for love everyone else better look out.

If you get eggs, get them out quickly, I recommend netting the fish, or blocking them off so your arm doesn't get tore up.
listen, you may not realize this, but most of the blood parrots in the hobby actually are fertile. the males are usually fertile, it is the females that usually aren't. something like 75% of blood parrot females hatched are usually infertile.

IF the eggs don't turn white right away they are usually fine.

And I was right, the dino bicher totally gobbled those eggs.
 

nanu156

Large Fish
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#17
nope

listen, you may not realize this, but most of the blood parrots in the hobby actually are fertile. the males are usually fertile, it is the females that usually aren't. something like 75% of blood parrot females hatched are usually infertile.

IF the eggs don't turn white right away they are usually fine.

And I was right, the dino bicher totally gobbled those eggs.
Blood parrot cichlid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Male blood parrots generally are infertile, but successful breeding has occurred.[1] Normally, a female blood parrot lays eggs on a hard surface, and both parents guard the eggs unless the brood develops fungus, at which time the eggs will be consumed by either the parents or other fish.[1] However, fish farms have begun introducing male blood parrots injected with a hormone to increase fertility.[1]

Blood Parrot

Breeding
Although Parrots have been known to mate and even lay eggs, generally they are infertile. There have been sporatic cases of successful spawnings, generally when they have been crossed with a non-hybrid fish. Like other cichlids, Blood Parrots will tend the eggs and resulting fry fastidiously. As with any eggs, those that are infertile will turn white and rapidly fungus. The parents will eat infertile eggs to prevent them from spreading fungus to the fertile eggs.

I don't personally know anyone who has "mated them" the females lay eggs, and it's possible to get a sevrum, flower-horn etc to fertilize them but for the most part the eggs get fungus and die.

My sister has several parrot tanks (her fish do tricks its hilarious) and my best friend is a breeder importer for cichlids as well as plecos, I made calls to everyone i know in the hobby and not a single person can corroborate that they breed.

They are a neat fish, although have too many behavior/health issues for my liking.

I suppose it is "POSSIBLE" that they will breed, as occaisionally even a mule or two ends up sexual but its super unlikely, the aggression with these guys as in all SA/CA goes off the chart when they do so if you would prefer not to have dead fish on your hands i would get the eggs out quick.

if you end up with a breeding pair quickly sell them to a breeder in your area, they are worth some loot.
 

video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
61
0
0
#18
Wikipedia isn't the greatest source...the chances of fertile BP's is low, yes I know that but the fact remains that there is a chance, and mother chance has, so far, smiled upon me. As for behavior, my tank is filled with slate caves and the only reason they even bother my bichir (only other fish in the tank) is if he intrudes on the nest. There are no health problems either, I've seen one filled up with air but that, along with the dropsies or any other disease can happen to any fish, healthy water conditions=healthy BP's. I don't plan on selling my BP's either, mated pair or not, I have grown quite attached to my fish.
 

nanu156

Large Fish
Mar 8, 2010
745
0
0
Detroit, Mi
#19
are you saying that you have spawn?

So are you saying you have spawn or eggs? sounds like you have eggs. I would guesstimate the chances of your male being fertile to be somewhere around 1/100,000+/- yeah you are totally right

Or that you have eggs. Female South Americans lay eggs. LOTS of them. Getting your BP's to spawn just happens because your tank is over 80 degrees and yeah they are like rabbits or cats.

That being said getting eggs, is just that getting eggs. If they start to swim take a photo of the fry i'd love to see it, and gladly celebrate with you. :)

Sell your fish don't sell your fish, it's all the same to me

Yes I understand WIKI is not an acceptable source for a term paper, thanks for the tip, I will make sure not to source it for my thesis lol.

There were however 2 or 3 links included in that post, and the information is echoed everywhere.

Seriously Im not giving you a hard time, but SA/CA fish turn into serial killers when they are in the mood for lust. So if you can drop the temp a little etc to discourage egg laying that would be advisable.

They will also eat the fry, so if you by chance got fry you would need to pull them ASAP. Or your fish just made you some fish food, a lot of people who have convicts actually allow breeding and don't pull fry just for that reason.

Anyway, sounds like you have black spot, which is why they keep getting the speckles, this happens any time they are stressed, parrots as a whole tend to be balls of nerves, and stress about everything, if it covers less then 5% of the fish I would say no worries. :)
 

video5

Medium Fish
Feb 27, 2010
61
0
0
#20
I've come to conclude that it's actually not black spot, it's their spawning coloration. I realize that a picture would be optimal but I lack a camera quick enough. The spots aren't irregular and actually look quite cool, being bright fluorescent blue and all.