Aquarium cichlid parrots. Red trihybrid parrot - a child of human hands Fish parrots contents

Parrot fish or as it is also called the red parrot (Red Parrot Cichlid) is a member of the cichlid family. This species was created by Taiwanese breeders in the early 90s after crossing several species of South American cichlids. Breeders in Southeast Asia are trying to maintain a monopoly on obtaining these fish, although their appearance is very peculiar. Other aquarists have failed to breed from these creatures.

Photo: Red parrot or parrot fish.

The red parrot is a rather peaceful fish, it got its name because of the characteristic shape of the head, which resembles the beak of a parrot, and also unusual color body. The parrot fish has many anatomical deviations, in particular, a small mouth, which the fish can open only vertically and at a small angle, which greatly complicates the feeding process. In the aquarium, this fish grows up to 10-15 centimeters, during its life the color of the parrot fish may fade, so it is advisable to feed it with special feeds containing carotene.

Photo: Parrot fish from the cichlid family. Length adult- maximum 15 cm.

These fish need enough space to swim, so the volume of the aquarium should be at least 200 liters. It is advisable to use a pump to create a flow that is optimal temperature regime- 22-26 degrees, hardness in the range of 6.5-7.5. Every week you need to change up to 50% of the water, install an aerator. Since parrot fish can jump out of the water, it is better to cover the tank with a lid, but the inhabitants of the aquarium plants special attention do not show.

The red parrot easily gets along with both peace-loving and predatory fish, but with small individuals it is better not to contain it. Parrot fish can be fed both live and dry food; these pets delight their owners with their funny behavior and bright color. Most male parrot fish are sterile, so breeding in artificial conditions is quite problematic. If you raise the temperature of the water above 25 degrees, the instinct for reproduction wakes up in red parrots, and they begin to build nests.

Photo: It is extremely difficult to get offspring from a Parrot Fish under normal conditions.

Taiwanese breeders still remain monopolists in the breeding of parrot fish, according to them, the final color of the young stock acquires only by 5 months;
. There are purple, red, blue, yellow, orange, green, even pearl individuals;
. Most males, unfortunately, remain sterile, and even if the females lay eggs, they are not able to fertilize it;
. No experienced aquarist outside of Taiwan has been able to breed this species of fish.

The parrot fish is a member of the cichlid family. It got its name due to its bright color and unusual shape head resembling the beak of a parrot. All photos of these aquarium fish can be seen below.

Fish habitat - West Africa. However, aquarists prefer to keep a hybrid of these fish, which is called the red parrot. They are very beautiful and unpretentious in content. It is these aquarium fish that will be discussed in this article.

The red parrot was specially bred by Taiwanese breeders in the 90s of the last century. Presumably the species was obtained by crossing American and African cichlids. Its exact origin is unknown, since the method of obtaining this hybrid is kept in strict confidence. In this regard, the only place in the world where this type of fish is bred and then sent to other countries is Southeast Asia.

The length of an adult is 8–15 cm.

The most common color of parrots is orange red and yellow. In addition to aquarium fish with the above colors, there are representatives of other colors:

• blue;
• purple;
• crimson;
• green;
• white

Parrot fish of uncharacteristic colors for them have reduced immunity, so it is not recommended to purchase them.

It is also worth mentioning the mouth opening of parrots. The mouth of these fish is very small, it opens vertically only at a small angle.

For parrot fish should buy aquarium at least 70 cm long. If you have a couple of fish, then the best option would be to keep them in an aquarium with a volume of 150-200 liters, preferably with a lid so that the fish do not accidentally jump out of it. Inside, be sure to place small structures in which you can hide, such as caves and seaweed.

In general, these fish are very active, they like to swim a lot, they feel great with little water movement, so you can install an aeration pump for them for this purpose.

Naturally, they need a good filter. The fact is that these aquarium fish often leave some food uneaten and such a device is simply necessary to maintain cleanliness.

The light should be diffused and rather dim.

The water temperature in parrot aquariums ranges between 22–26 ℃, the acidity is about 7 pH, and the hardness is 6–15 dH. Remember to change about 30% of the water every week.

Good for soil small or medium pebbles. The fish will love to dig in it.

Feeding

Aquarium parrotfish should be fed live and dry food. As animal food you can give bloodworms, shrimp, small fish.

Plant foods should also be offered in the form of top dressing, for example, zucchini, cucumber. These fish are indifferent to algae.

Artificial food can also be used, the main thing is to know the measure in everything and not to overfeed the fish.

Over time, the bright colors of aquarium fish can fade, in such situations they are given food with carotene to maintain color.

Breeding

These hybrid fish are unable to breed because males are sterile. New individuals are obtained only when crossing, as already mentioned at the beginning of the article.

Despite this, if you slightly increase the temperature of the water in the aquarium, for example, to 27–28 ℃, then the instinct will wake up in the fish, and they will prepare for breeding and build nests by digging holes in the ground. This happens after the parrots reach one and a half years. There are times when the female can lay eggs, but the male will not be able to fertilize them anyway. So such breeding attempts will not lead to anything.

It is possible to distinguish a male from a female on several grounds:

1. On the anal tubercle. In the male, it has the shape of a cone, while in the female it is pear-shaped.
2. By the presence of pink edging. During breeding, such a border appears on the throat and gills only in the male.
3. The size of the fish. Males are usually larger than females.
4. On the tail fin. The fin of males is characterized by pointed ends, in females they are rounded.

According to the data of the companies that breed these fish, they acquire their bright color only after 5 months, but the fry have a gray-black color.

Compatibility with other species

Before purchase new fish Aquarists are always wondering, “What kinds of fish can it coexist with peacefully?”

Parrot - very peaceful fish . She gets along well with other individuals, with the exception of, perhaps, the smallest representatives (neons, gracilis, etc.). She can swallow them. Moreover, only males are aggressive and only during the spawning period.

The most suitable neighbors can be cichlids, barbs, labeos and other species similar in size to parrots.

Diseases

Usually parrotfish live up to 10 years, provided they are kept in appropriate conditions. They are very resistant to different kind disease and rarely get sick. But still you need to monitor the condition of the fish and provide it with proper care.

If you saw dark spots on her body, then this may indicate about the high content of nitrates in water. In this case, you need to clean the soil well with a siphon and change the water in the aquarium.

Fish that began to swim less actively and sank to the bottom should be removed. Add a little methylene blue to the fish tank, as well as ½ tablet of metronidazole and 0.5 grams of kanamycin. You need to use drugs and change the water daily until complete recovery. This process usually takes 5-7 days.

Among possible diseases These fish are worth mentioning ichthyophthyriasis. On the body of the fish, white grains similar to semolina. Treatment should begin with changing the water and washing the filter. After that, Sera costapur is added to the water. To prevent the drug from decomposing, be sure to turn off the lights. Repeat the procedure every day until the signs of the disease disappear.

If you see parrotfish swim belly up, then the most likely cause of this is a disease of the swim bladder. And this is caused by malnutrition. To prevent this, let the fish Pea grains once a week after cleaning them up.

Take proper care of your little pets and they will make you happy for a long time.

Below are a few photos of parrot fish that will give you a complete picture of this species.

Beautiful parrot fish

The parrot fish is a hybrid animal obtained by artificial means. She has characteristic shape body resembling balloon, and a very small mouth. Parrots are bred in South-East Asia. Breeders do not disclose how they get these unusual creatures. There is information that the hybrid was obtained by crossing rainbow and lemon cichlases. Even a novice aquarist can handle keeping a parrot fish, which is rare for cichlids.

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What are parrot fish

The fish looks very unusual. It got its name because of the bird-like shape of its head. Dorsal and pelvic fins triangular in shape, with bases parallel to each other.

The spine of the fish is curved in a steep arc, which is why the back is more rounded than the abdomen. All individuals have the same size and anatomical features, but vary greatly in color.

Varieties of shape and color

Aquarium parrot fish has an unusual color - bright, colorful, juicy. Standard color is red or orange. With age, the color fades, so keratin, a pigment that contributes to the saturation of fish with color, is added to fish food. There are varieties of lemon and white flowers. There are subspecies with different colors and fin shape.




Description of popular variations of parrots:

• love hearts - without a tail fin;
• pandas are white with black spots;
• king kong - massive, with fat growths on their foreheads;
• unicorns - with an outgrowth at the base of the head;
• red ingots - with a disc-shaped body;
• red fortunes - with fins stretched upwards;
• diamond and pearl - variegated.

In stores there are fish painted artificially in all the colors of the rainbow - blue, blue, green, yellow, white. There are tattooed fish. In the process of painting and tattooing, the fish gets a lot of stress. Work is disrupted immune system, many parrots do not survive after that.






Appearance Features

AT anatomical structure parrots have small deviations obtained artificially:

• excessively curved, "humped" spine, making it difficult for the gills;
• a modified skull that allows the fish to open its mouth only vertically.

Unusual fish are liked by hobbyists, but there are cases when animals died due to addition defects. For example, due to the limited opening of the mouth when feeding the wrong food, the fish die of starvation. Artificial color change leads to mass death fish.



Character features

The fish is energetic, sociable, funny and playful. Parrots are easily tamed. If you feed them with food from your hands, they cease to be afraid of a person and swim up to a hand lowered into the water without fear, allowing you to stroke yourself. An adult, launched into a new aquarium, will hide in a shelter for several days and only then will get used to it. If you start a young parrot in an aquarium where there are already fish of this species, he may not fit into the team, so it is better to make a flock even at the stage of fry.

Fish like to dig in the ground, while digging up plants. They are able to distinguish the owner from other people. When strangers appear in the room, the parrots hide in shelters, and when the owner comes up, they swim out and spin around the viewing glass.

prone to disease

Despite the manipulation of color and shape, parrots have a strong constitution and live in aquariums for about 10 years. The fish does not have specific diseases, but it can get sick with a disease typical of all aquarium pets. The risk of disease increases if the parrot is kept in adverse conditions or subjected to stress.

The most common problem is ichthyophthyroidism. The body of the fish is covered with white spots, similar to semolina, and in 5-10 days it dies. The infection is fought by raising the water temperature for 24 hours to 30 degrees or salt baths (1 g table salt per liter of water), in which the fish is planted for 20 minutes 3-4 times a day. When the temperature in the general aquarium rises to 32 degrees, the infection dies after 4-6 hours. The disease most often develops after hypothermia of the fish. It provokes outbreaks of ichthyophthyriasis by a sharp decrease in water temperature, transportation of fish.

In veterinary stores, drugs for the treatment of ichthyophthyroidism are sold:

• malachite greens - add 0.04 mg per liter to the aquarium;
• ichthyophor (a mixture of malachite green and formalin) - 50 ml per 200 liters of water;
• furatsilin - an antibiotic, add 1.5 tablets of 20 mg per 20 liters of water.

Swim bladder diseases are manifested by the wrong position of the body - the fish swim belly up. The cause of the phenomenon is malnutrition. In parrots, diseases of the swim bladder are more common than in other fish. To cure pets, they are placed in an Epson Salt bath twice a day and kept for 20 minutes. To prevent the disease, once a week, parrots are given crushed pea grains.

Due to stress, black spots may appear on the body of the fish. Marks appear and disappear. As a rule, they stop appearing after the fish are relieved of stress.

• Sera Med Professional Tremazol,
• jbl Gyrodol Plus,
• jbl Gyrodol 2,
• Jbl Gyropond.

Tablets are dissolved in water at the dosage indicated in the instructions. Symptoms of fluke damage:

• the body is covered with mucus in the form of a white coating;
• the fins turn white, collapse at the ends, hemorrhages appear on them;
• movements become stiff and clumsy;
• the dorsal fin is pressed against the body.

How to keep fish in an aquarium

Fish are easy to keep and feed. There are no difficulties in caring for them.

Habitat in nature

The breed was bred in the middle of the last century in Taiwan. In nature, parrots are not found.

Parent forms:

• citron cichlazoma - fish up to 25 cm long, lives in lakes South America, Nicaragua, Managua, preferring standing warm waters where there are many stones, tree roots;
• iridescent cichlazoma - a fish up to 35 cm long, lives in Guatemala. It is endemic to the Usumacinta River and its tributaries.



Citron cichlazoma



rainbow cichlazoma

Maintenance at home, the complexity of care

The water in the aquarium is updated weekly by 20-25%. Dirty unreplaceable water causes illness and death of fish. The glass is wiped from the inside, scraping off the algae. Uneaten food must be removed.

Aquarium equipment

In an aquarium, the fish sometimes grows up to 15 cm, so its volume must be at least 200 liters. Each pair should have at least 40 liters of water. A light undercurrent does not interfere - parrots love to frolic in the water stream.

Aeration is very important. Water should be as oxygenated as possible. Due to the characteristics of the skeleton, the red parrot is sensitive to lack of air.

The fish is lively, playful, mobile, jumping, so the aquarium must be closed with a lid. You can do without dense thickets of plants, it is enough to plant single cryptocarines and put stones and driftwood on the bottom.

Due to the specific structure of the mouth, the parrot leaves a lot of food uneaten, so it is imperative to put a strong filter in the aquarium. Lighting is suitable for weak or moderate; in bright light, the fish turn pale. The soil and driftwood are preferably dark - against such a background, the bright color of the parrots creates a pleasant color contrast.

Water parameters

Feeding rules

Parrots are almost always hungry and amusingly jump to the surface, begging for food. They eat any food, including small fish and aquarium plants. With a beak-like mouth, fish pinch off algae from the surface of stones.

The ideal food for a parrot is bloodworm and coretra. If there is no live food, fish can be offered scraped raw meat, dry floating food, boiled shrimp meat. In extreme cases, parrots will be able to eat black bread for 1-2 days. You can also arrange a one-two-day fast for the fish, it will positively affect their health.

Pet stores sell food for cichlids. They can be alternated with bloodworms. Tetra red parrot is a special food for parrots, formulated to meet the fish's mouth structure and pigment requirements.




Compatibility with other fish

Parrots have a fairly friendly character, so they should not be kept with predators and very aggressive species. However, like all cichlids, the fish shows territorial aggression towards individuals of its own species, protecting its territory. So that conflicts do not flare up in the reservoir, parrots are provided with a sufficient number of shelters, arranging a rocky bottom with depressions, crevices and caves.

It is still unknown whether parrots can get along with angelfish. For some aquarists, angelfish and parrots live peacefully. Others claim that the fish attack each other. Angelfish prefer to hide in thickets of plants, and lively parrots show interest in them, feeling and inadvertently damaging them. If a parrot eats an angelfish even once, he will not stop until he destroys everyone. If the task is to adapt the parrot in the angelfish team, you will need a capacity of at least 200 liters filled with nooks and crannies.

Parrots prefer the bottom layer of water. Ideal neighbors for them are fast fish of a similar size, swimming in the middle and upper layers, as well as leading a bottom lifestyle. If you follow this rule of compatibility, the aquarium will turn into a peaceful reservoir in which no one will be offended.

The best neighbors for a parrot:

• labeo;
• black knife;
• arrowed;
• South American cichlids.

Small crustaceans, shrimps and snails cannot live with parrots - cichlids eat them, gnawing through the shell. An adult fish will not get along with small neighbors - guppies, neon, zebrafish, as they will fit freely in her mouth, which the parrot will not fail to use.

How to get offspring

In the aquarium, parrots begin mating games, after which they make nests in the ground, where the females lay their eggs. Fry from caviar never appear. Breeders of these fish provided that they could not breed in captivity. For this, male parrots are sterilized. This commercial technique allows South Asian breeders to maintain a monopoly on breeding these interesting fish.

The female parrot is able to create a pair with the male of other cichlids and even bring viable offspring from him, but the fry from such crosses are not similar to the original species.

The female differs slightly from the male. Differences become noticeable only during the spawning period, when the female has an ovipositor on her abdomen - wide and short, in the form of a tube, while males have a sharp and narrow oviduct.

The fish are ready to spawn at one year of age. It is worth raising the water temperature by 3 degrees and replacing it by 20%, as they start searching or building nests.

It is better to plant a couple for breeding in a separate spawning ground, since cichlids are territorial, protecting the nest, they become very aggressive. In the spawning area, the fish will move the soil and rearrange the scenery at their discretion. Parrots are very fond of using upside down for spawning. flower pots. They carefully clean the ceramics from sand and algae, lay eggs under it and vigilantly protect the masonry from fish swimming nearby.

This photo looks like it was created in Photoshop, but it's actually a real fish called a Blue parrotfish. amazing sea ​​creature intriguing of blue color belongs to the Scarus family - perch-like fish, numbering 10 genera and 80 species. The habitat of an unusual blue fish with a beak like a parrot is coral reefs in shallow water in the tropical and subtropical regions of the western part Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. Some of its specimens grow up to 120 centimeters in length!

Description and habitat

Parrotfish have a powerful beak with many teeth on the outer surface of the jawbone. They use their beaks to feed by scraping algae and small organisms from corals and rocks while spending 80% of their time searching for food. On average, the size of blue fish is 30-75 cm in length. As a rule, blue parrots live on coral reefs at a depth of 3-25 meters and are found in the western Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda and Bahamas. Interesting fact: with the help of its powerful teeth, the parrot fish can grind small stones in search of food. On average, one such fish can produce up to 100 kilograms of sand per year, which eventually leads to the formation of small islands and sandy beaches in the Caribbean.

Behavior and Compatibility

Aquarium equipment and water parameters

Feeding

Spawning

Diseases of red parrots

As mentioned above, due to heterosis, red parrots have excellent health and strong immunity, and in good conditions practically do not get sick, and when they get sick, they can be successfully treated.

The most common diseases they have are:

1. Ichthyophthyriasis (semolina). This is generally one of the most common diseases of aquarium fish caused by ciliates. The body and fins of a diseased fish are covered with white tubercles the size of a semolina grain. I must say that in red parrots that came from Asia and were not quarantined, sometimes there is a tropical, fulminant form of this disease, from which the fish die literally within a few hours, so treatment should begin immediately after symptoms are detected.
2. Hexamitosis. Caused by flagellates that infect the intestines of fish. Symptoms are whitish slimy feces, food refusal or spitting out, and then small pitted ulcers on the fish's head.

Hexamitosis

A fairly common problem is also the poisoning of red parrots with nitrogen compounds, usually ammonia, due to incorrect start-up of the aquarium or too high density fish landings. At the same time, the fins of the fish turn red or blacken and become emaciated, the fish begin to suffocate, so they stay in the filter jet or near the surface of the water with protruding gill covers. In this case, you can help them with frequent (several times a day) water changes. Between changes, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, methylene blue or specialized aquarium preparations such as Antiammonia are added to the water.

These problems and diseases will bypass your parrots if they are kept according to all the rules, which are not so complicated. In a large, well-equipped and neglected aquarium with clean water these fish with a bird name, cartoonish appearance and dog habits for a long time - and parrots live up to 10 years! - will bring you only joy.

Video story about the content of parrot fish:

Great aquarium bird

The parrot fish is a species of fish from the cichlid family of the perch-like order, which belongs to artificially bred aquarium hybrids. Parrot aquarium fish went through a series of crosses and in 1991, after a long process of research, the red parrot species was bred. These interesting cichlids win the hearts of aquarists with insane speed and are widely popular due to their interesting appearance and habits. Easy care, peaceful nature and good compatibility with many fish give them a great advantage over other cichlids.

Description

Parrots have an elongated and high body, compressed on the sides. The red parrot is considered the most popular variety of aquarium parrots. A dark stripe runs along its body. The fins on the abdomen are bright red, and the back is dark. Parrot fish have one anatomical feature which often leads to their death. The fish have a beak-like head, which causes difficulties in the process of eating food. Their small mouth also opens vertically at a low angle. Often parrots die from this starvation.

Parrot females are smaller in size, but larger in body weight, as well as a different structure of the fins. The dorsal fin is highlighted with a golden frame and has several spots at the tip, while the caudal fin is chopped off and also has spots. Aquarium parrots can reach sizes in captivity up to 15 cm. And how long these fish live in an aquarium depends directly on their living conditions. Parrots usually live up to 10 years if kept proper care. The red parrot can recognize the owner and show it with its twisting movements at the front wall. In addition to the red parrot, fish also come in other colors, there are orange, yellow, purple, green parrots.

Aquarium fish parrots have a playful and inquisitive nature, lead a mobile lifestyle and live happily with their relatives. To provide them comfortable conditions, you need a large and spacious aquarium from 200 liters with a top cover so that the fish do not jump out of it. A filter that mimics the flow is highly recommended in a tank, as cichlids naturally live in running water. Basic water parameters: temperature 22-26°C, hardness 6-7.5°, acidity 6. Parrot fish will also need powerful aeration, since the water must be richly enriched with oxygen. One third of the water volume should be changed regularly, dirty water can lead to disease in the form of dark spots on their body.

The red parrot is not picky about the presence of living vegetation in the aquarium, but loves to build nests on its own, digging holes and thereby changing the landscape of the bottom. Lighting should be diffused, the ground in the form of small or medium pebbles. Proper care of parrots should mainly involve a sufficient number of hiding places for all the fish.

Feeding

The red parrot is not capricious in nutrition, it loves to eat live food in the form of bloodworms and small dry food. To avoid fading of the parrot scales, you need to feed a special food containing carotene, which contributes to the acquisition of a reddish color to maintain the brightness of the body color of the fish. Parrots should be fed several times a day in small doses and supplement their diet with herbal supplements, vegetables and bread. But do not overdo it with overfeeding these voracious fish, so as not to pollute the water. Leftover food can rot, but the fish will still eat it, which will lead to fish illness.

Breeding

Reproduction in aquarium conditions parrots has still not been successful, no matter how favorable parameters are created and no matter how hard experienced aquarists try. Male parrots are sterile and unable to reproduce. However, it is enough for the fish to slightly change the parameters of the water so that they instinctively begin to prepare their reproduction by starting the construction of nests. Aquarium fish organize holes in the ground and change the surface of the aquarium bottom.

It is very interesting to observe the process of mating games of parrots, after which sometimes females can lay eggs, which will remain unfertilized. However, some specialized companies that breed these fish say that the hatched fry are gray-black and become multi-colored by 5 months. On the this moment western aquarists are fighting to stop the breeding of these fish by artificial means.

Compatibility

Aquarium parrots have a peaceful nature and have good compatibility with many fish. The red parrot is used to staying in the lower layer of water, so it is best to pick up fish swimming in the upper level of the aquarium as neighbors to avoid conflicts. This is especially true during their spawning period, when males begin to show excessive aggression.

However, it is better to plant not quite small fish like neon and gracilis in their neighbors, which they can accidentally swallow despite their small mouth. It is not recommended to add slowly moving fish. The red parrot has optimal compatibility with large catfish, arowana, medium-sized cichlids, labeo, black knife fish, large barbs and haracins.

Diseases

Diseases caused by infections external character, are not as dangerous to parrots as their own, which are not so easy to diagnose and treat. Dark spots on the body may indicate poor water quality, after which you need to change the water and siphon the soil. If the red parrot lies on the bottom or swims poorly, this is a sign of poisoning or overeating. Usually, these diseases are provoked by the fact that the fish do not immediately eat food, but can start eating it almost a day later, as a result of which poisoning occurs. These diseases are treated by depositing fish in a separate aquarium with high-quality aeration and dissolving metronidazole and methylene blue in water.

The appearance of white spots-grains on the body of this cichlid means the onset of the disease of ichthyophthiriosis, which is treated with a special medicine and at the same time change the water to clean and increase its temperature no higher than 28 ° C.

A parrot fish can perfectly decorate any aquarium, bringing great pleasure to the owner with its funny behavior and curiosity. They do not need painstaking care, it is enough to observe proper feeding and ensure the correct composition of the water. The fish live in harmony with other peaceful neighbors and do not cause unnecessary trouble in the aquarium by their existence.

Parrot fish - content, compatibility

Pelvicachromis pulcher (lat. Pelvicachromis pulcher) or as it is also called parrot cichlid, and most often aquarium parrot fish is an excellent choice, especially among those aquarists who want to try keeping cichlids in an aquarium. In addition to their very bright color, they also differ interesting behavior. But the most important thing that attracts aquarists is their small size, peaceful behavior. They can be kept in small aquariums and at the same time are quite unpretentious in terms of water parameters and types of food.

Aquarium parrot fish are quite calm fish for cichlids, which can be kept in a common aquarium without fear that it will kill someone. Cribensis love densely overgrown aquariums, and although at the same time they also like to dig deeper in the ground, they do not pull out or touch the plants. Like all cichlids, parrots love hiding places, but also need open space for swimming, however, they mostly stay near the bottom. It is especially funny to watch parents with a flock of fry, gray and inconspicuous, they instantly obey any order of their parents and dissolve literally before your eyes.

Habitat in nature

Description

Feeding

Difficulty in content

Compatible with other fish

Sex differences

With whom do parrot fish get along?

Parrot fish, or red parrot (Red Parrot) is a representative of the Cichlid family. It is a hybrid of aquarium fish, which appeared as a result of selection of two representatives of Cichlids. In 1991, the fish became the property of the first aquariums. Its production increased, over time it was called the "red parrot".

The history of the creation of the hybrid was carefully classified, however, this applies to many artificially bred fish. There is a version that Red Parrot is a descendant of several South American cichlids, as a result of a triple crossing. Asian breeders strictly protect the right to keep this fish. The red parrot can interbreed and produce offspring, but few people managed to see their eggs.

Aquarium parrot fish has an unusual body color. Thanks to him, she is popular among breeders and hobbyists. All pet stores and aquariums in the world do not deny themselves the pleasure of hosting this beautiful creature. In Russia, the red parrot appeared in the 90s of the twentieth century.

Main characteristics

The red parrot is one of the most popular cichlids. Why it received such a name is not known exactly. Most likely, such a name appeared due to the unusual shape of the head, reminiscent of the beak of a parrot and because bright color body. As a hybrid offspring, it has some anatomical deviation - it opens its mouth vertically only at a small angle, so food capture is sometimes difficult.

The coloration of the fish is artificial, although sellers are not always ready to admit it. How color saturation occurs, no one tells. Rumor has it that Western breeders recommend banning its production. Despite all the taboos and prejudices, this creature is loved by many aquarium owners.

See how a parrot swims in an aquarium.

The red parrot is a peaceful and unpretentious creature. In an aquarium, it can grow up to 15 cm in length. A novice aquarist can keep it both separately from everyone and with other fish. Although she is an “artificial” brainchild, even such a fish has good health, strong stamina and energy. Lives in captivity for 10 years.

When buying a parrot fish, you can choose any body color: red, purple, yellow, blue, green or orange. Sometimes there are "exotic" colors, reminiscent of the color of cichlase and cancer. With age, the color of parrots fades, so food with keratin should be added to the diet, which helps to saturate the body color.

How to keep red parrots in an aquarium

Parrot aquarium fish can live in a water tank both separately and with other fish. Compatibility with other representatives underwater world studied in detail, so you should remember only the general water parameters for everyone, the nutritional conditions and the list of fish with which it will peacefully coexist.

Red parrots are funny, playful, mobile fish, there should be enough space in the home to move around. Choose an aquarium of at least 200 liters for one individual. If you are going to plant neighbors to them, then you can choose a container with a volume of 800 liters. Create an undercurrent, it is familiar to all cichlids.

The water parameters for all inhabitants of a common aquarium should be as follows: temperature 22-26 degrees, acidity 6.5-7.6 pH, dH 6-15. It is recommended to saturate the water with oxygen, aeration is important. Replace ½ part of the water with fresh water weekly. The red parrot must live in a spacious aquarium, because of its jumping ability it can inadvertently jump out of the water, close the tank with a lid.

Aquarium plants are not required in large quantities, but if they are, then keep in mind that many twisted nests will appear in the water.

See recommendations for the compatibility of parrots with other fish.

Having launched an adult into a prepared water tank, she will hide in a shelter from fright for several weeks, over time she will get used to a new house and neighbors. It is curious that the young fish do not adapt well to parrots with which they did not grow up together. Immediately purchase 4-6 fry that are already "familiar".

Due to its calm disposition, the fish can live in water with medium-sized fish. Compatibility is likely with predators and peaceful species.

It is better not to settle with small species (guppies, neons, microrasboras, zebrafish, catfish) - the red parrot will swallow them. Recommendations for settling parrots with other fish in a common nursery:

1. The best neighbors for parrot fish are labeos, arowans, black knives, South American cichlids, medium catfish, large barbs, fish of the Kharatsin family.
2. Do not house them with fish that constantly require shelter.
3. Settle with them active, fast-swimming fish.
4. Avoid shrimp and small crustaceans with them.
5. Optimal hiding places for all fish in a common container are large coconut grottoes, dense algae, medium pebbles and stone caves.
6. In order to avoid disease of all fish, keep the aquarium clean and monitor the water parameters at all times.
7. The red parrot swims in the lower layers of the water, during the spawning period, the males become more aggressive, so choose fish swimming in the upper layers of the aquarium as roommates.
8. Do not settle snails with them - they gnaw through the shell, swallowing fragments.

What to feed parrots

Red parrots are very voracious fish, they eat almost everything that the owner will serve. Small fish are swallowed, algae are gnawed ... What to feed to satisfy their appetite? Dwelling in containers with fish, they immediately take away food from those. Ideal food is bloodworm, coretra, scraped meat, floating pellets, fish and shrimp.

Pet stores sell food for cichlids, you can alternate live food with it. Excessive overeating can kill the animal, so feed it in moderation.

Scalar Compatibility

Parrot fish - maintenance and care

These creatures love to frolic and the size of their dwelling should not be less than 200 liters. Some of them may try to jump out, so cover the container with a lid. Wild cichlids live in running water, so a pump is a must in an aquarium. The alkalinity of the liquid should be in the range of 6.5-7.5 pH, and keep its temperature near 22-26 °. You should arrange a filtration system and replace up to 30% of the water a couple of times a week.

The soil in such an aquarium consists of pebbles of small and medium fractions. Parrots adore snags, caves and algae. They like to choose these secluded places for spawning. Aquarium fish parrots can not get along with everyone, they are best compatible with the inhabitants of the upper layers of the water. They themselves swim more at the bottom and in the middle of the aquarium. It must be remembered that cichlids are able to swallow small fish. Optimal neighbors for them are labeos, arowans, catfishes, characins, apteronotus (black knife).

How to feed parrot fish?

Keeping and caring for a parrot fish is not a difficult task. They eat both live food and non-living food. You can use flake products and tablets that settle to the bottom. Live foods are fish, shrimp or worms that can diversify the diet well. If you want to have beautiful parrots bright color, then buy food rich in carotene.

Parrot fish - beauty and ease of care

Description of the fish

Parrots are very beautiful, bright fish. Most individuals have a brownish body with bright spots on the belly or fins. The uniqueness of these fish is that they are able to change colors depending on mood and time. So, during the spawning period, cyclids change color and become incredibly beautiful. They also change color at the moment when they find a female suitable for mating. At such moments, you can notice a change in color and get an albino fish.

Unlike other cichlids, parrotfish are small in size. Males can reach about 10 centimeters in captivity, females 3 centimeters less. But, along with the size, life expectancy also decreased. With proper care, they can live in an aquarium for 4-6 years.

Compatibility and reproduction

Amazingly beautiful aquarium fish - cichlid parrot

In 1991, Taiwanese breeders obtained offspring from the constant crossing of Cichlasoma synspillum, Citrinellum and South American cichlids, which gave rise to new group hybrids known today as parrot fish.

They got their name because of the great similarity of the shape of the head with the colorful head of a parrot. Due to its bright and unusual coloring, the parrot is very popular among breeders and lovers of aquarium fish, while not a single aquarist outside of Asia has yet been able to breed.

Aquarium fish cichlids parrots: types

Mostly yellow and orange parrots are imported. Often you can buy bright red, crimson and purple fish. This coloration is maintained thanks to specialized coloring feeds, which contain carotenoids in large quantities. When fed with simple foods, the standard orange color is restored. Black and blue parrots are much less frequently imported.

For these fish, food of animal origin is preferred, for example: coretra, bloodworm, minced fish and beef heart, shrimp. They have an excellent appetite and can indulge in the sin of gluttony around the clock. But this circumstance leads to various accidents. This is mainly dangerous when feeding in the evening. They do not have time to eat all the food before dark, and in the morning, waking up, they immediately begin to eat it intensely. But he lay in the aquarium all night, having gone bad. Fish get quite serious poisoning.

The area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe cichlid fish "red parrot"

The parrot comes to our country mainly from Singapore and Taiwan. In the conditions of our country it does not breed, but it takes root well in home aquariums.

Parrot cichlid: dimensions

The red parrot grows up to 15 centimeters. The color of the fish varies quite strongly, the most common are yellow and orange forms. In addition, there is a “wild” color, which occurs in some cancers and cichlases. Raspberry, purple and bright red fish turn over time into a bright orange form. When feeding various specialized feed, saturated with carotene to enhance the rich red color, the color is visibly improved.

Cichlid parrot: feeding

Parrots are picky in feeding - the fish consume most of the quality dry food and any live food. The best for them are floating pellets and bloodworms.

Parrot cichlid: breeding

The parrot has no analogues in nature. This type fish obtained by the method artificial insemination from various kinds African and American cichlids.

Parrot cichlid: additional information

Fish live in an aquarium for up to ten years. This is a very quiet fish, able to coexist peacefully with other inhabitants of the aquarium, but intraspecific aggression still occurs from time to time. Grown-up individuals who are not familiar with each other have poor contact with each other, due to which they should be launched at the same time small so that they can get used to each other.