need some info on BP's

[tim3d]

Hi,

I recently bought 2 bloody parrot fish, one blue and one pink. (named cotton & candy). Now the tank they are in is planted on one side, clear on the other (for viewing and "open water" space.

Now the question i have is, is it normal for the two parrots to be constantly hiding in the plants. They just dont seem to want to move very much. At the LFS they seemed active and swam around with others. When i first put them in my tank they stayed in the open water but mainly hovering, nearly resting on the bottom.

As soon as they discovered the plants they just find a spot wedge themselves in the leaves and stay there not moving. sometimes being verrtical, sideways, even upside down sometimes.

In reading up on them i found out they are very shy and can take anywhere from a week to a month or more to get used to their environment and be "social".

Which brings me back to my question, are they just being shy and normal, or should i be concerned that they keep wedging themselves in plants and chillinf for hours? any help or insight is welcome seeing as i spent basically 30$ a piece and would like to appreciate the investment and not be concerned its stuck or dying, or just going to be hidden 24/7.
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[tim3d]

update: I removed the one large plant they were getting tangled in but left the other plants, and added a nice vase deco that they enjoy hiding in. However i still noticed that they tend to face down towards the ground.... so yeah still could use an answer to previous question about if theyre just getting used to the environment or if theres a problem.

 

[drake53]

Blood parrot cichlids tend to have swim bladder problems i believe. That could be why the are having problems staying upright .

 

[Fishman1995]

Blood parrots are Hybrid cichlids, which gives them lots of deformatives and health concerns one being Swim bladder defects, yes. I wouldnt worry to much about it though as they will always have this. They shouldnt die from it just swim weird and look funny lol. But dont add them with anything agressive or with long flowing fins as they cant handle agression but are agresive in ways of there own to. I wish you luck with cotton and candy

 

[tim3d]

alright, thanks for the info im happy to know they arent gonna die, or need to be replaced.... especially after spending over 60$ for the pair... and theyre adorable.

On a second note, you answered about the odd upright swimming, however you guys didnt make mention as to the matter of the constant hiding. Now i know that in LFS they never really give hiding places cause obviously the fish that always hide woudnt sell well. But at the store the school of BP's were active and always swimming around the tank. never really on the bottom always mid way or upper part of the tank. Yet mine almost always stick to the bottom, either in a plant, or in the vase i gave them. Any ideas as to whether this is just shyness, their natural behaviour and wont change (in otherwords they will always do it, it was only cause the LFS didnt have cover) , or environment issue.

Also, you mentioned long tailed fish... so should i assume keeping my crown tail betta, that i just bought as a replacement for my old one ( Which i really miss as i had him for a while), in the same tank is a bad idea? Cause tthe dont seem to have any probs at all, and the betta pretty much keeps to himself at the top of the tank anyway.

Also i keep two small clown loaches in there as well, cause i had a small snail problem emerging, and so i took precautions. Again they each mind there own business, and the loaches are WAY to fast to be caught by the clumsy swimming BP.

Thanks again, hope for more great advice

 

[Fishman1995]

I dont think its such a good idea having the betta with them but if no problems arise it'l be ok, and yes there timid

 

[tim3d]

Well, as another update, i have good news, and... neutral news... ( not bad, just not productive... lol).

Candy has apparently made the vase her home, stays in there most of the time, but... she (cause its pink im just refereing to it as she, speaking of which, how do you sexe a BP?) has started coming out, swimming around a bit, eating some of the bloodworms, and then visits Cotton, who as usual is in a plant... and then goes back to the vase. But at least shes getting out a bit, and not being so shy.

That was the good news, the not so productive news, is that as mentioned.... Cotton is still constantly wedging himself into plants and just sitting there.... or he wedges himself between the vase and the plant and just sits there looking at the ground.... He seems to enjoy the bubbles from my air diffuser..... but then goes back to the plants... he doesnt seem interested in eating... which is a little concerning.Just now, he finally approached the open area with the bloodworms, and he just looked at it.. sat in it, and then swam away. I should add that he also went in to look head first in the corner of the tank.... he swam to the corner, put himself in a vertical dive and slowly approched the ground... like an elevator.... got there sat for a min, and back up and then away...

do BP's suffer from mental defficiencies.... im starting to think hes loopy lol