Oscars And Parrots

Kelleykelley23
  • #1
ITS A LONG STORY BUT I NEED HELP OR ADVICE...PLEASE!!
Back story: We got 4 blood parrots and put them in a 75 gallon tank with 2 gold gouramis. Parrots are about 3 inches. We've had them for about 2 months. Within that time 2 parrots have paired up and have a tunnel no one is allowed inside or around. No eggs have been laid yet but they are both still very territorial, as expected. In the beginning they all would hide if one of us walked up to the tank. Seemed very scared. During feeding time, I would stick my hand in the tank until they all came out to observe and show curiosity. One of the now paired fish used to play in my hand and even chase the others away playfully. Now that doesn't happen, although they do come out a little more...
About 12 days ago we added an Oscar to the tank. About the same size. We wanted to try and show the Parrots that its okay to come out and play and not be so timid. The opposite happened. Oscar took on the Parrots traits and the Parrots bullied Oscar. We figured the Oscar, being an aggressive fish, would have been able to hold his own territory. Is he just too young? He came from a tank full of Parrots. Is it causing him to have some kind of identity crisis? Because yesterday we added an Albino Tiger Oscar, about the same size, along with 2, 1.5 inch Jack Dempsey's. Thinking the Albino would show Oscar who he is and how to act, how to stand his ground, once again we were wrong. Oscar started picking on the Albino. And won't stop. At first I thought Oscar was flirting but the Albino stays in the corner where the Parrots stay, close to the tunnel I spoke of earlier. Mainly the Parrots leave the Albino alone but still get after Oscar. Oscar will not stand his ground against Parrots but will now chase Gouramis and pick on the Albino. By the way, I'm going to get a bigger tank eventually of course. I know these are all gonna be BIG fish and need plenty of room to grow.
QUESTIONS/CONCERNS:
I really just need to know how to get the Albino out of hiding and back to being a normal happy fish who stands its ground. Same with Oscar. But I want Oscar to get along with the Albino. Also I really need the Parrots to quit hiding as much, especially when I approach the tank. Also, we are unsure of the sex of any of the fish except the 2 Parrots that paired up...and even then we aren't sure which ones which.
ANY advice is appreciated. Sorry such a long explanation but thank you for reading.
 
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axel
  • #2
2 weeks ago,I bought 3 parrots . They are really shy and afraid.I ready on some thread to not try approach blood parrot when first introduced to new tank.I tried not approach the tank too much and within 4 days they began recognize me as food source.Within 1 week ,two of them paired up and really teritorial,also don't handfeed them if they haven't recognize you as their food source. After 1 week ,two of them paired up and really teritorial.To train them you can tap the glass before feeding,and they will will recognize I you sooner or later.

It's pretty normal for cichlid to show aggresion the first time. It just their way to show who's the boss of the tank.They will calm down sooner or later (mine did).Just don't move the fish out of tank if no injuries occur.

Female parrot are rounded than male.It' s easier to tell when they are in spawning mode. Female sex tube will be longer and larger during spawning.

Sorry for my bad english. Hope it helps
 
NavigatorBlack
  • #3
You are scarily overstocked now. Dangerously so.

Whenever you introduce a new fish to a Cichlid set up, you must destroy all territories first. You have to completely rescape. Your oscar has been dropped into 'owned' turf, and he/she knows it. The bloody parrots are fierce fish. They have been handicapped by the fish industry so they can't properly bite, but their ancestors were some of the most aggressive fish you could buy. They signal trouble, even of they can't act on it because of their mouth deformity.

I'd consider a 75 appropriate for one Oscar, alone. Or for two or three parrot hybrids. They may be small now, but if you take decent care of them and do things right, they will rapidly become large fish, and will not be able to survive the pollution and aggression levels of a tank that size with that many big fish.
 
Kelleykelley23
  • Thread Starter
  • #4
Again as I said I am getting a bigger tank. A 150 gallon. So you say to rescape the aquarium before adding new fish? Thanks that really makes a lot of since after you said that.

I know the 75 gallon is way to small.
 
Kelleykelley23
  • Thread Starter
  • #5
Problem solved with our Oscars!
 

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