Polar Blue Parrot Cichlid

Hello, I've been planning on starting a parrot cichlid tank in a 60 gallon I picked up a while ago and have a few question about the polar blue parrot cichlid. Do they have similar behaviour to the red parrot cichlid, even though they were crossed with a convict cichlid? Im planning on having a heavily planted tank, would they try to dig up the plants? Are there any stores online that sell them, I haven't been able to find any at my LFS and they dont take custom orders currently. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

 

They are similar to the normal blood parrot. They are semi peaceful but only get 3-4 inches average. Normal blood parrots don’t mess with plants so I would assume the same with these. eBay sells them just find a reliable seller

 

Hello, I've been planning on starting a parrot cichlid tank in a 60 gallon I picked up a while ago and have a few question about the polar blue parrot cichlid. Do they have similar behaviour to the red parrot cichlid, even though they were crossed with a convict cichlid? Im planning on having a heavily planted tank, would they try to dig up the plants? Are there any stores online that sell them, I haven't been able to find any at my LFS and they dont take custom orders currently. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

I'm not sure about the behavior difference between the Polar Blue Parrot and the Blood Red Parrot since I only have a Blood-Red Parrot (Mine is in the blurry computer pic with moving fish at the profile picture, lol). I definitely don't recommend planted tanks for the man-made Parrot Cichlid no matter what different cross-breed. Parrots love to dig especially after dinner time and they'll dig up your plants.There are multiple stores that sell them online and i'll leave some below as I, funnily, was looking for another Parrot to go with my older Blood Red parrot and was liking this particular fish as well. You most likely won't find this fish at a LFS btw or any Big-Box stores.

 

I'm not sure about the behavior difference between the Polar Blue Parrot and the Blood Red Parrot since I only have a Blood-Red Parrot (Mine is in the blurry computer pic with moving fish at the profile picture, lol). I definitely don't recommend planted tanks for the man-made Parrot Cichlid no matter what different cross-breed. Parrots love to dig especially after dinner time and they'll dig up your plants.There are multiple stores that sell them online and i'll leave some below as I, funnily, was looking for another Parrot to go with my older Blood Red parrot and was liking this particular fish as well. You most likely won't find this fish at a LFS btw or any Big-Box stores.
A store that sells them: Premium Rare New, Polar Blue Convict Parrot Cichlid . Polar Blue Convict Parrot Cichlid 2.5 inch plus .

Thanks for the information! I will do some research on the stores and save them for later

They are similar to the normal blood parrot. They are semi peaceful but only get 3-4 inches average. Normal blood parrots don’t mess with plants so I would assume the same with these. eBay sells them just find a reliable seller

I've always been a bit worried about ordering fish from ebay, especially larger fish like a cichlid, but I will look around and see if I can find somebody reputable. is there anything I should look for in a seller other then his rating?

 

My red blood parrot dig all the time. You can have some plants, but there are some limitation. I stick with plants that attached to wood such as moss, anubias and fern. If you want plant in your gravel, then go with plants that have deep root and propagate by sending runners. I have success with growing crypt and val with blood parrot. I would avoid stem plant because they will most likely be floating in your aquarium

 

"Polar Blue" is a convict x Honduran Red Point hybrid, with the Parrot/balloon spinal deformity. HRP naturally has a bluish body and red fins, and the tank bred lines have had most of their aggression bred out of them. Bloody Parrots are primarily deformed Red Devils, according to their DNA, though they have also been crossed with other fish on occasion. The deformity, however, has nothing to do with hybridization. It is the same deformity one sees in Balloon Mollies, Balloon Rams, and so-called "Dwarf" Platies. The spinal deformity has also been commercialized in some Gouramis.

40 years ago these fish would have all been culled and killed for their deformities. Someone decided to market them instead, and the rest is history.

 

"Polar Blue" is a convict x Honduran Red Point hybrid, with the Parrot/balloon spinal deformity. HRP naturally has a bluish body and red fins, and the tank bred lines have had most of their aggression bred out of them. Bloody Parrots are primarily deformed Red Devils, according to their DNA, though they have also been crossed with other fish on occasion. The deformity, however, has nothing to do with hybridization. It is the same deformity one sees in Balloon Mollies, Balloon Rams, and so-called "Dwarf" Platies. The spinal deformity has also been commercialized in some Gouramis.

40 years ago these fish would have all been culled and killed for their deformities. Someone decided to market them instead, and the rest is history.

So the polar blue parrot isnt a “true” parrot? They are two different hybrids of cichlids that both happen to have had the trademark parrot deformity bred into them? In that case I shouldnt expect the polar blue and parrot cichlid to act the same way right? My main concern is whether these fish are plant safe because im going to make a species tank for them

 

So the polar blue parrot isnt a “true” parrot? They are two different hybrids of cichlids that both happen to have had the trademark parrot deformity bred into them? In that case I shouldnt expect the polar blue and parrot cichlid to act the same way right? My main concern is whether these fish are plant safe because im going to make a species tank for them

I kept mine in a 40 breeder and heavily planted. They did not disturb the plants until breeding. They picked a spot on some driftwood and dug a hole. 5-6" in front of and to the right, they rearranged the aromatica mini and ??? Plant kind of like dwarf sag/chain sword. Thats the only area disturbed. They didn't dig up anything else, just their spot for breeding/spawning.
I recently moved them to a 20 long to attempt to raise the fry there as previous efforts (fry eaten in community tank/didnt survive when separated from parents(unknown reason).
Their current 20 long has sand substrate and clay flower pot. The male seems pale compared to being in the 40 and the female colored up with her dark stripes. I believe they do appreciate plants and feel more secure with them. They seem to want to hide more without the cover where in the planted tank they swim freely.
I had limnophila aromatica mini, chain sword, pearlweed, s. repens, cabomba, pogostemon erectus, amazon sword, AR mini, ludwigia, rotala h'ra, rotala macandra, anubias.
I think you will be fine, be sure they have a cave and it will possibly help make them avoid digging.
Mine spawn every 13 days like clockwork.
Note: they dug holes maybe 10" from the spawn, in 2-3 places. The female tends to move the fry to the holes until free swimming. It could be due to flow areas? Or where she can move around freely but still keep check on them?

 

I kept mine in a 40 breeder and heavily planted. They did not disturb the plants until breeding. They picked a spot on some driftwood and dug a hole. 5-6" in front of and to the right, they rearranged the aromatica mini and ??? Plant kind of like dwarf sag/chain sword. Thats the only area disturbed. They didn't dig up anything else, just their spot for breeding/spawning.
I recently moved them to a 20 long to attempt to raise the fry there as previous efforts (fry eaten in community tank/didnt survive when separated from parents(unknown reason).
Their current 20 long has sand substrate and clay flower pot. The male seems pale compared to being in the 40 and the female colored up with her dark stripes. I believe they do appreciate plants and feel more secure with them. They seem to want to hide more without the cover where in the planted tank they swim freely.
I had limnophila aromatica mini, chain sword, pearlweed, s. repens, cabomba, pogostemon erectus, amazon sword, AR mini, ludwigia, rotala h'ra, rotala macandra, anubias.
I think you will be fine, be sure they have a cave and it will possibly help make them avoid digging.
Mine spawn every 13 days like clockwork.
Note: they dug holes maybe 10" from the spawn, in 2-3 places. The female tends to move the fry to the holes until free swimming. It could be due to flow areas? Or where she can move around freely but still keep check on them?

Thats sounds very interesting, so you have a spawning pair? I thought it was quite uncommon for the male/female to actually be able to have fry because of the whole hybridization thing. Have you ever raised some fry into adulthood? You also said that you had them in a community tank, I was thinking about moving some of my ottos, pleco, and SAE into the tank with them and maybe a few clown loaches. Do you think they would bother the parrots?

 

Thats sounds very interesting, so you have a spawning pair? I thought it was quite uncommon for the male/female to actually be able to have fry because of the whole hybridization thing. Have you ever raised some fry into adulthood? You also said that you had them in a community tank, I was thinking about moving some of my ottos, pleco, and SAE into the tank with them and maybe a few clown loaches. Do you think they would bother the parrots?

Mine have spawned 4 times since I got them, they spawn every 13 days, the fry have only made it 1-2 days in the free swimming stage. I kept them with 2 angels, cherry barbs, and rasboras. Pretty sure the cherry barbs eat them. Ive heard the males are sterile but I believe that was a common belief comparing them to blood parrots where the male is sterile. There is a group on Facebook for polar blues and people are always posting their fry videos.
As far as tankmates I think anything in their water parameters will be fine. They don't seem very aggressive. Ive only seen aggression when they have eggs/fry.
Ive just moved them into the 20g this week. Probably will have eggs by the end of next week as they ate the eggs they laid in the flower pot likely the stress of moving them (its unfortunate but I didnt have any other options as it was only time I had for the week, they literally spawn so often it will not matter, also the number of eggs have increased dramatically from 25 or so the 1st batch to likely 75 the last batch).
I was attempting to keep a journal on here but slacked off until get a successful batch. They are great parents but they were no match for the fast barbs that outnumbered them.
As far as the loaches and SAE im not sure as I've never owned them. Ive been told SAE can get pretty aggressive when older. The polar blues are convict cichlid hybrids so they can hold their own but they seem generally peaceful. My polar blues have not really grown since I got them and maybe 3" for the male and 2-2.5" for the female. The pair i got were laying eggs in the tank at the LFS. Ill be adding some Java fern this weekend. They are great fish, probably my favorite at the moment.

 

Mine have spawned 4 times since I got them, they spawn every 13 days, the fry have only made it 1-2 days in the free swimming stage. I kept them with 2 angels, cherry barbs, and rasboras. Pretty sure the cherry barbs eat them. Ive heard the males are sterile but I believe that was a common belief comparing them to blood parrots where the male is sterile. There is a group on Facebook for polar blues and people are always posting their fry videos.
As far as tankmates I think anything in their water parameters will be fine. They don't seem very aggressive. Ive only seen aggression when they have eggs/fry.
Ive just moved them into the 20g this week. Probably will have eggs by the end of next week as they ate the eggs they laid in the flower pot likely the stress of moving them (its unfortunate but I didnt have any other options as it was only time I had for the week, they literally spawn so often it will not matter, also the number of eggs have increased dramatically from 25 or so the 1st batch to likely 75 the last batch).
I was attempting to keep a journal on here but slacked off until get a successful batch. They are great parents but they were no match for the fast barbs that outnumbered them.
As far as the loaches and SAE im not sure as I've never owned them. Ive been told SAE can get pretty aggressive when older. The polar blues are convict cichlid hybrids so they can hold their own but they seem generally peaceful. My polar blues have not really grown since I got them and maybe 3" for the male and 2-2.5" for the female. The pair i got were laying eggs in the tank at the LFS. Ill be adding some Java fern this weekend. They are great fish, probably my favorite at the moment.
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I will check out the group. If you dont mind me asking, where did you get your parrots from? Do you know anyone who sells them and is willing to ship them?

 

I will check out the group. If you dont mind me asking, where did you get your parrots from? Do you know anyone who sells them and is willing to ship them?

I got mine from my LFS in Alabama called Wet Pets. Im not sure of any online sites/sellers. I had never seen the fish before at my store or knew about them, went in a random day and he had 2 display tanks of them.
If check out the Facebook group someone there may sell and ship, may even be someone local to you, never know.

 

I got mine from my LFS in Alabama called Wet Pets. Im not sure of any online sites/sellers. I had never seen the fish before at my store or knew about them, went in a random day and he had 2 display tanks of them.
If check out the Facebook group someone there may sell and ship, may even be someone local to you, never know.

Alright, thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it!

 

Hello, I've been planning on starting a parrot cichlid tank in a 60 gallon I picked up a while ago and have a few question about the polar blue parrot cichlid. Do they have similar behaviour to the red parrot cichlid, even though they were crossed with a convict cichlid? Im planning on having a heavily planted tank, would they try to dig up the plants? Are there any stores online that sell them, I haven't been able to find any at my LFS and they dont take custom orders currently. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Hi, I'm super late to this party, but I've got 1 polar blue parrot and one platinum parrot in my aquarium along with my blood parrots. In my personal experience, the polar blue and platinum do have a somewhat similar disposition to the blood parrots. They definitely have personality, and are about the cutest little things ever. But once the polar blue and platinum spawned (they were so young, I didn't even know what sex they were lol) they were super aggressive. My blood parrots that are like 5 × bigger were scared of them lol. This is normal for cichlid aggression with eggs/fry I think, especially for convicts which these guys are too. They haven't hurt anything in the tank though, except me when I removed the fry to put into a grow out tank. 2 of the fry managed to hide and are now just hanging out and growing up in the main tank with no issues at all. They hang out with my blood parrots and it's really cute. All of the polar blues/platinums come up to the side of the tank to greet me just like the BPs do, and act goofy sometimes like the BPs lol. I absolutely love them! They do breed like crazy, though. So keep that in mind lol. That's the convict in them.
I got my polar blue and platinum from a seller on Ebay, and we will be selling on Ebay also once the babies get a little bigger. I'm sure there are several good websites that sell them as well. We've always had good luck buying on Ebay.

 

Another option, if you are wanting a plants in a cichlid tank is to go plastic instead of real plants, check out https://elitecichlids.com/ .
They make realistic plastic plants with digging cichlids in mind - they all come with a slate base. The plants flow and move in the water like real plants do and my cichlids don't mess with them.
I love 'em. Couldn't recommend them highly enough