Blood Parrot Gal

So I kid you not.. He kills everything.I am not sure what kind he is, but he's like a neon orange (or sunset color) with egg spots on his lower fins.

I had him in a 55 gallon tank with 2 lg. blood parrets, 2 angels, 3 blk tipped sharks, and a red tailed shark, and a pleco. One day my son told me mom have you ever noticed onary sits in the middle of the tank and doesn't let anyone come out of there corners.. Well I watched him closely for a few days after that, and noticed real aggresive behavior out of him, so I got a little iriated with him when I realized I bet thats what happened to my lemon labs and my other cichlid just like him. They all just dissapeared. So I happened to have had a 45 gallon hex that was in my sons room with no fish in it, and so I thought well maybe a few days alone will make you behave. So I went to move him and I have so many rocks and caves it took me nearly 2 hrs to catch him and get him moved, and by the time I did I didn't care if he lived or died.

So moved, ok all the other fish are finally moving around the tank once again. So I do a test. I put a couple lg. Fancy gold fish in with him and gone the next day.

I was like what the heck... So he was alone for a few months, when I deceied I didn't need the work of that tank so I gave it to my friend. Well she didn't want him. SO I had to do something with him so I put him in with 2 really lg. blood parrots, I mean like almost twice his size and a lg. bumble bee. Well at first he kinda hid from them but within one hr. of him being in there he had everyone in the tank stuck in one corner, and wouldn't let them out. He was all streched out all his fins up high and very time one of the others moved to get out of the corner he would start this crazy shaking (or jig dance i call it) and then go after the fish trying to make a break.Talk about a bully. Man was I shocked, I was for sure thinking my bumble bee charlie would teach him some manners, or at least my female Blood parrot who even goes after me when I reach in the tank.. But No, and it went on into the next day. So, I had a tank with just plants I was planing on putting discus in... Well I knew this was gonna be the end of my plants, and was Iever right. He must have worked all night long at tearing up every plant in that 55 hex tank...

I have had it with him. If he wasn't 6" big I'd flush him. I put a couple large rocks and a cave for him to hid in and hes dug all around them and causing everything to knock into the side of the tank. He has also taken to nose diving the side of the tank if u get ner the tank, look i his direction or go to feed him. My thoughts just being terrortorial.. But comeon now.. One fish in a 55 Gallon Tank all alone?

ANy ideas on whats wrong with him? Maybe hes a bad seed.. ya know like human killers? Is there something I can put in with him that will survive him? I have had him rehomed 2 times now and both people flaked on me...

I need to make him happier I just don't know what it is he wants. I was told a female, but haha guys, thats not the answer to everything, and I don't want to be having babies anyways so putting a female in with him is the last thing want to do.

I am not sure what kind he is but I will try to attach a file that shows a fish just like him..

Idea's anyone?

capekate

I cant say what type of Cichlid he is, but he sure sounds aggressive and moving him to his own tank seems like the only thing you can do if you cant find anyone who wants him and why give away a headache to a friend? lol..
There are a number of cichlid species that are very aggressive, so its hard to say if it is abnormal behavior or just typical behavior.I would not let it bully any of my fish and keeping it on its own is for now the best solution.
A photo sure would help in IDing the guy for you. It doesnt matter what size fish it is, as I have a small female convict that cant be in any tank as its so aggressive and like you, I have no idea what to do with it. So it sits in its own ten gal tank.
Is it possible you can give away the fish to a local fishstore?

aquarist48

LOL I'm not laughing because of your struggle but because of your fish. I used to house creek fish, bream, red breasts. The red breast would do the same thing. He controlled 3/4 of the tank at times. I think he needs a tank of his own and housed with his own species.

Blood Parrot Gal

Auggg.. I was saving that tank for discus . I have had it planted and ready for 6 months now. .. I forgot the photo last time.. Here it is. Oh he was in with one other like himself and he disappeared. I also put a different bumblebee in with him in the 55 and he terrorized the poor guy too. I ended up moving him before he died.

Attached Images

Orange ciclid.jpg (96.2 KB, 33 views)

capekate

WOW he sure is gorgeous! Looks like an type of African cichlid and they can be pretty aggressive, also not a good idea to mix the African with the SA/CA cichlids either, may be a reason for some of the aggression. Others with African's will be by to ID your fish for you.

aquarist48

Beautiful fish. Too bad he's such a pain. I've always heard that African's need to be kept with African's.

navyscuba

He looks like a Red Zebra but those spots all over the body make me think he could be a different kind of African Cichlid. Here is a profile.
http://www.nazarite.net/africans/pro...herae-red.html
I have 4 of them but they are not that aggresive

Blood Parrot Gal

Well imagine that, sure looks like him/her.. Always thought it was a male by the agressive behavior. I have tried to keep the exact same fish with him/her, and they end up disappeared out of the tank.. Even my sharks stayed away from this fish. Leave up to me to pick out a gorgeous killer fish..lol..

Alright well I need to hit the shower get my day started. Thanks for the info.

navyscuba

You're welcome. Good Luck.

deathtroll

looks like a red zebra. they be aggressive and should only be kept with other cichlids from lake Malawi. And then only other mbuna's. mbuna's are the rock dwelling cichlids from lake Malawi.

Fishies-for-me

Geeze I had a male cherry barb that terroized my whole tank.. A 36 gallon bowfront with 10 glowlight tetras and 10 cherry barbs in it and it looked empty cuz all the fish were jammed in one back corner of the tank and any time one moved it got attacked and jammed back...lol. The only time he would let a fish out is if he went and picked out a lovely lady cherry for a romp in the hay...err..umm... weeds...lol. And they are supossed to be peaceful!!

Red1313

I might be wrong here but don't mumba need to be in a species tank and then need to be slightly over stocked to keep aggression down?