proudmomoftwins

I seen a pretty parrot fish in Walmart today, it looked so sad. The fish was greenish blue, well actully there were two parrot fish in the tank... the other one was orange. Any ways, what I read on here is that they are a peaceful fish, and get along with corycats and danios... does any one know if they get a long with dwarf gourami? I think if it was compatible and had enough space in my tank, it would make the perfect last addition.

Thanks for any info.

Mae

Beth1965

If you are talking about a red/parrot cichlid, the greenish blue one must be dyed. Ive got 2 red parrots with 2 dwarf gourami. No problems at all. Im not sure but I think gouramis generally wouldn't go with parrots. See what others say. Do you have plants and or places for any of them to hide?
Beth

proudmomoftwins

I did a little more research, and I found a link... it does kind of sound like it might have been dyed. Here's the link, tell me what ya think. If the fish was dyed then I don't want it, I think that is so cruel.

http://cichlidresearch.com/parrot.html

Thanks!!

Beth1965

I looked at the link, but sense we are talking about the same fish, yes for sure the blue/green one is dyed.
You didnt care for the red/orange one?
I would check with others with the compatibility though-with the gourami, as I said, mine are fine.

Beth

proudmomoftwins

The red/orange one was pretty... I guess the blue/green one caught my attention first is all. But I'm happy to learn that it was dyed because now I don't want it no matter how pretty it was. If there's a chance that it would get along in my tank, I would consider going back and getting the red/orange one for the finale addition to the aquarium.

Thanks again for the info!

Tony G.

i hate it how they dye fish... The worst is that they sell them at a place where its most likely to be purchased. How big is your aquarium?

proudmomoftwins

55 gallons

aquarist48

Hello. Bloody Parrots can be aggressive towards smaller fish. Too, I would suggest adding the Parrots last because they will certainly protect their territory. They are a peaceful fish for the most part but they will act as a group with aggression towards new additions.

As far as them being dyed, I don't agree with the procedure at all. However, I would still purchase the fish (and I bought 3 or 4 dyed ones in the past as a rescue) dyed or not. They do revert back to the original color after a couple of months. Color enhancing foods will not keep them from changing back to their original colors either. I just felt so bad for the dyed ones I bought them all. Their living conditions were deplorable and I could see some child say how pretty the colors are...getting them home and then they change colors and get flushed or something.

Also, I would suggest having at least 2 Blood Red Parrots and not just one. They need company of their own kind and lots of hiding places. They love terracotta pots. They will hide for quiet a while after you get them. I'm talking weeks until they adapt. I've had my last two additions since March and they still hide when someone walks by the tank. My large ones ages 5 years to 8 years old wouldn't hide if I wanted them to

Best of luck.

ps If you'll go to the Fish Forum Home...scroll down to freshwater fish and click on cichlids you'll see a section for American Cichlids and a subtitle just for parrot cichlids.

kimb

I agree with everything Aquarist said. I have 2 BP's and they are the most amazing fish. As far as them being dyed...I totally agree it shouldn't be done. That being said, they are here. I would purchase one, if only so it would go to a good home with a responsible owner who would understand it will not stay that colour, its life may be shoretened a bit, but it could still be an amazing fish. One of mine was alone for a couple of months and has only recently gained a friend. She is much more active and interactive now she has someone to keep her occupied, so 2 are def better than one. If you can give these fish a good home...I say go for it! Good luck!

harpua2002

It's sad seeing dyed fish. What a deplorable practice. Unfortunately, purchasing these fish, even to rescue them, only means that the store will restock more dyed fish. Buying them sends the message to the stores and suppliers that the practice is acceptable and that the fish will sell.

kimb

Yes it is...very sad.

Shawnie

its definitely a catch 22 with these poor guys/gals and 99% of the dyed ones, have such a sad sad face...my LFS , which gets allot of my business, had them in a few months ago...I mentioned to them that as long as they decided to carry dyed fish, I would be shopping elsewhere...needless to say, they no longer carry them (but allot of my friends said the same thing to them...I wish I had that power alone LOL) even allot of the bright red ones have been dyed also...orange is the true color of these amazing fish unless you have juvies ..then they have some browns/blacks and such like a dalmation puppy ..any other color is dyed

aquarist48

Luckily the pet store that I purchased mine from is closed now. It was awful. It was a family deal, very small and so sad. Anyways....would anyone like Bailey's with their coffee this afternoon?

dee34

i agree its a terrible thing , i have had blood parits since i started fish keeping and they are my favorite fish . i also complained to my lfs and didnt make a difference so i havnt shopped there since .i was looking at another site a while ago and the members were saying that the parit fish shouldnt exsist because they are a man made fish plus other things .... ont to say i was furious ...

proudmomoftwins

So now I don't know what to do... if I buy the parrot that has been dyed, I might just as well say that I don't see any thing wrong with that practice... which isn't true. I'm against it. I thought I would be rescuing the fish, he just doesn't look happy in the small tank with the other parrot fish... way too crowded. I'd have to buy both parrot fish, I couldn't leave just the one behind. How do I ready the terracotta pot before placing it in the tank, do I need to do any thing special to it? I'm still undecided if I'll go get the fish, but if I do I want to be prepared for them.

Thanks again every one for all the info and advice.

Mae

Beth1965

You can boil the terra cotta to be safe. If you use a "used" one, make sure it hasn't seen insecticides-pesticides.
I have two in my tank for the 2 parrots but they dont get used by them.
Beth

Tony G.

I would like some Bailey's alone with an ice cube

aquarist48

Bailey's coming right up!
As for the terracotta pots. I use new ones. Rinse them off and put them in the tank on their sides. They will bubble for a while until they are completely soaked. They are porous and great for the biological filtration. Make sure they are plain terracotta. No painted or glazed ones should be used.
Go for it ProudMom...get them both. I'd feel better knowing they were in a good home, dyed or not I know how WalMart fish departments are and how awful the living arrangements for these little guys can be.

harpua2002

I see where you're coming from, really I do, but the only way to make any impact on this cruel practice is to vote with our dollar. Continuing to purchase them, even with the best of intentions, only sends the message that it is acceptable to sell dyed fish, and that they will sell.

If you do decide to get them anyway proudmom, be sure to QT. I've rarely seen anything healthy in a Walmart tank.

proudmomoftwins

We now have two parrot fish. The blue/green one was already gone when my husband and son went to Walmart this morning, so my husband bought two yellow ones. One is a dull yellow and the other one is a little darker yellow. The dull yellow one has tiny little specks of black on ths top part of it's body near the fin. That one has already claimed the cave we have in the tank. The other one is happy swimming all over the place.

I felt really bad because I wasn't able to acclimate them to the tank properly. (i don't have a q-tank) By the time my husband got home with the bag of fish, the bag was leaking at the seams and I didn't want that water to leak out into our aquarium. I added some prime to the aquarium after adding the fish... they seem to have adjusted well. Now all the other fish seem a little skittish, darting all over the place... I hope they all settled down.

So now we have 14 fish total, and we're done adding fish. I love our set up, I love how it's stocked. We will probably get a few more fake plants to add, but that will be it.

Thanks again for all the advice and info you guys have given me regarding the parrot fish.
I'm so happy we bought them.

Mae

kimb

I am glad your fish seem to be getting along so well. You can feel good knowing you have given them a good home. Our local Walmart no longer sells fish, for which I am greatful. I do have 2 fish from when they did previously, and they are doing very well. Unfortunatly, not everyone has access to wonderful local fish stores where they sell nothing but the best, I wish we did. If you can fit another cave somewhere in the tank for the other one to call his own, they will love it. Enjoy them, they have the most amazi personalities!

proudmomoftwins

Okay, so I have read on up parrot fish diets and have fish food that they will eat... My question is, will they know enough to go after the food before the other fish get to it?
All my other fish know when I'm going to feed them... I know I had to go through this before when I added new fish in the past... it just seem to take a few days before they went for the food. Now that I have a varity of fish in the tank, I will be dropping a varity of fish food in the tank... how do I make sure I'm not over feeding the fish and the tank?... if that makes sense. How many dried brine shrimp should I drop in the tank per parrot and what happens in the gourami go after the brine shrimp as well, as I know they have before.

Sorry for having more questions... I just want what is best for the new fish and for the fish that we've had for awhile now.

Thanks!!

harpua2002

In my experience, parrots are very shy at first. Don't be alarmed if you don't see them much, or even see them eat, for a few days to a week or so. After a bit, they will settle down and become pigs, and fight your other fish off of the food.

proudmomoftwins

Thanks Harpua, thats good to know. They're both out swimming around a little right now, but the one still claims the cave... he/she doesn't get too far from the cave so it can easily dart right back inside it if needs to. The prettier of the two seems to enjoy being out and about, but will still get another cave or terracotta pot so they both have a nice little hiding place.

Thanks again for the info, it's greatly appreciated.

kimb

My parrots will eat anything! I try to vary their food each day. My little school gets fed first so they are busy when I feed the parrots. Mine love cichlid pellets, dried shrimp, spirulina wafers and frozen veggie food I make myself. Anything dried (pellets, shrimp etc.) I soak for a few minutes before I put in the tank (this helps it sink). I have heard some have trouble getting food off the top, mine don't have this problem. Once softened, I kind of aim for one or the other. I find if it drops right in front of them, they just suck it up. This way not too much food ends up on the bottom. I have tried zucchini, cucumber and peas...sometimes they eat sometimes not. I do give a treat once a week of a garden worm. I wash it thoroughly in some tank water, and drop it in...this is by far their favourite!

proudmomoftwins

Kimb, not exactly sure what you mean by a garden worm? Is it a red worm or smaller?
Thanks for the info about soaking dried shrimp first . Will have to look into getting cichlid
pellets and spirulina wafers (what ever they are...lol)

Thanks again!

Right now, I have the lights off over the tank and the parrot fish are exploring a little more.

kimb

Hi Mae, by garden worm I mean regular ole everyday worm! I just go out and dig a hole! The shorter the better, if too long, cut it up for the two of them. Spirulina wafers are like the algea wafers you get for bottom feeders. If you have a choice of pellets, try to get the smallest ones you can. Although their mouths look big, they still have to "suck" up thceir food. It is comical to watch them chew! Mine will eat one, then sit still almost begging for the next...they will both eat out of my hand! Good luck

aquarist48

Good morning! Yeah!!!!!!!!! Congrats on the new Blood Red Parrot (BR's) additions. I'm so happy for you I know you're going to enjoy them. Kim and Harpua have you pretty well covered with great information.
The black spots on the fish will eventually fade away. It's very common for about the first year or so. It will come and go and you have nothing to worry about. It's just part of their growth cycle.
Mine also like to feed on pre soaked freeze dried krill. I get splashed every time when I go to feed them the krill. They also get Bloody Parrot Pellets (not carried by my local fish store so I order it from drsfostersmith.com) Algae wafers, peas, cichlid sticks.
It took my 2 latest additions a week or so to start coming out of their caves for feeding time. Even after 3 months they are a bit shy when someone walks by the tank.
Too, don't be surprised if they attack your arm and vacuum when you go to clean the tank. Once they settle down after a few months they won't mind you being in their home
Have fun and enjoy them ProudMom. They are truly special. If we can help or give you any information please don't hesitate to ask.

Here is the link to the Parrot Cichlid forum:
http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/parrot-cichlid/

proudmomoftwins

Thank you all for the info and suggestions. Hopefully today I'll get out to buy another cave or a terracotta pot for the other parrot, right now it's hiding in a fake plant while the other parrot hogs the cave...lol.

One question off the parrot topic... One of the fake plants is starting to turn brown, I was wondering if I can take it out and run it under water if it would come clean? I know not to use any type of soap. Do fake plants turn brown after awhile?

Thanks again! Hope every one has a great weekend!

aquarist48

Morning ProudMom...yes, my plastic plants turn brown and I just rinse them under the tap but I have well water so no chlorine issues here. You can rinse them or clean them off in siphoned tank water too just like bio media. I just use my fingers to remove it. After a while I just replace the plant completely.
Eventually your new Parrots will share the same pot and become friends.