Blood Parrot is driving me INSANE!!!

Hello everyone, I hope this is the correct part of the forum to look for advice. If not, my apologies.

I have had my red blood parrot for 5 years now. He has always been alone, as he was always on the aggressive side and would just kill any fish I tried to pair him with. He is currently in a 50gallon with plenty of hiding spots, great parameters, a healthy diet, and appropriate lighting.

I know this sounds ridiculous, but his aggressiveness is becoming an absolute nightmare. It has gotten worse as he has become older, but the outbursts are so bad I don’t even know what to do anymore. He has gotten water all the way out of the tiniest hole in the top and all over the outlet multiple times (I fixed that now). He pushes his clay pot around so violently I am afraid he will crack the glass. Now here is my biggest frustration/concern; he has RUINED at least 4 filters now. I have no idea what happens but he gets so mad and kicks up so much sand while violently attacking the filter that it breaks and stops working. I’ve had them replaced because of warranties, but I am at wits end. It’s literally like he has outbursts of anger.

I love him so much but feel like he’s angry for a reason, and I cannot figure it out. As I said, all of his conditions have been the same since he was a baby, just his food being rotated on a schedule. Sometimes I can’t even walk past his tank without him having a meltdown. I am just so scared he will end up cracking the glass or hurt himself somehow.

 

Yikes. Perhaps it’s time to replace the sand with gravel or pebbles. At the very least it will stop wrecking your filters

 

Sounds like a great fish, though in need of some management.

Solitary confinement may be the lesser of two evils. At least he's not out free to wreak havoc in society!

This may be the type of a question that would be answered well on MonsterFishKeepers.com as it will be a common problem with large Cichlids.

 

Yikes. Perhaps it’s time to replace the sand with gravel or pebbles. At the very least it will stop wrecking your filters

Good idea. Thank you. I’ve definitely thought of that, I just know they like to dig in sand. Honestly I think it is time to replace with pebbles.

Sounds like a great fish, though in need of some management.

Solitary confinement may be the lesser of two evils. At least he's not out free to wreak havoc in society!

This may be the type of a question that would be answered well on MonsterFishKeepers.com as it will be a common problem with large Cichlids.

He is a wonderful fish!!! He’s just so so angry all the time I’ll check out that monster fish keeper website too! Thank you!!!

 

Try to wrap your filter inlets (and outlets too, actually anything sticking in the water) with filter floss, which at least should prevent damage to the filter.

His actually behavior... sorry can't help there. XD

 

Try to wrap your filter inlets (and outlets too, actually anything sticking in the water) with filter floss, which at least should prevent damage to the filter.

His actually behavior... sorry can't help there. XD

I wrapped with outlet with that actually!! Thank you! As for his behavior….i knew they get angry but I think he needs therapy

 

Good idea. Thank you. I’ve definitely thought of that, I just know they like to dig in sand. Honestly I think it is time to replace with pebbles.

Oh don’t worry they’ll dig in gravel/pebbles no problem. They’ll even knock around big stones. And then get angry at you for ruining their landscaping during water changes lol

 

Oh don’t worry they’ll dig in gravel/pebbles no problem. They’ll even knock around big stones. And then get angry at you for ruining their landscaping during water changes lol

Lol! SO ANGRY! Like I seriously think he’s the angriest out of them all. I understand they get angry but man, this guy is out for blood lol. Anyway, thanks for the tips!!

 

Your parrot is not angry, he's territorial. How's that for a reframe I keep, and have kept, numerous parrots and large cichlids and this one just sounds like an ornery Oscar. Once a larger cichlid establishes his home, it's hard to add fish and he will decorate as he likes. If a filter is invading his turf, it's fair game. Parrots will also build nests in the substrate for mating purposes by instinct and if a plant or another item gets in the way, it just gets removed. Everything that's been said is true, nothing that can break the glass and no crevices. You can also do the old Oscar trick by adding a ping pong ball or something benign that he can play with. "Wet pets" get bored and need stimulation. Unfortunately, that looks like aggression. They really are social fish...except your psycho. At least he's not a flowerhorn. They have teeth.

 

Your parrot is not angry, he's territorial. How's that for a reframe I keep, and have kept, numerous parrots and large cichlids and this one just sounds like an ornery Oscar. Once a larger cichlid establishes his home, it's hard to add fish and he will decorate as he likes. If a filter is invading his turf, it's fair game. Parrots will also build nests in the substrate for mating purposes by instinct and if a plant or another item gets in the way, it just gets removed. Everything that's been said is true, nothing that can break the glass and no crevices. You can also do the old Oscar trick by adding a ping pong ball or something benign that he can play with. "Wet pets" get bored and need stimulation. Unfortunately, that looks like aggression. They really are social fish...except your psycho. At least he's not a flowerhorn. They have teeth.

Oh he LOVES his ping pong balls! I also put little plastic cups in there sometimes. Anything that bobs, he will play around with in a non-aggressive way.
I do think he enjoys redecorating his home when I clean because it gives him something else to do. It’s not until after he redecorates that he tries to attack everything (including the filter).
He has always been alone because he basically bullied his tank mates to almost death as he got older, so I decided to keep him alone. I know Blood Parrots are hybrids- maybe he’s got something in him that normally they don’t?
Sometimes just the act of me walking into my room sets him off. Lol.