Aggressive Parrot Cichlid

[Jennifer_R]

I had my Purple Jelly Bean Parrot Cichlid in a 100 gal community tank with Amazon Leaf Fish, and other fish. The Leaf Fish's diet is live fish. I let a few loose in the tank every day for feeding, and the Leaf Fish hunts them. The Parrot had been discovering the live tasty treats, and began eating the live fish as well. Ever since the Parrot ate live food, he’s turned extremely aggressive! Hey, fish will be fish... eat what is available. Fine.

However, I had to move the Parrot out of the tank because it was aggressively attacking the slow moving solitary humble Amazon Leaf Fish (4 inches – not a “small” fish for the Parrot), and forcing it to hide in the rock piles in the lower corner of the tank. The Amazon is a surface fish. The Parrot is now in an 18 gal (from a 100 gal) with a Long Fin Rosy Barb and an Albino Cory Cat.

The Parrot is now aggressively attacking the Cory Cat. I have increased the hiding places for the Cory and added more plants. The Parrot persists.

A few questions:
The Parrot likes to move rocks, but I have been forced to heavily plant the tank to avoid it slowing sucking away the skin of the Cory. Will the lack of access to the rocks create a more aggressive Parrot?

Should I get the Cory out and take the added plants out? If so, what is a recommended bottom feeder for an aggressive Parrot?

Thanks~!

 

[smb]

I'm not sure about them to be honest as I've never kept them before. I can't imagine them being all that aggro tho, maybe on the same scale as a Jack Dempsey or Firemouth?

He didn't turn mean just from eating the fish that one time, it's just in him to do that and he has opportunities now. Granted, eating live food over a period of time can make fish more aggro tho.

Personally, if you want my opinion, I would get rid of the parrot before the rest. That's just me because I don't like them. If you want a hybrid, I would go with a flowerhorn, those are pretty cool fish but have to be kept alone.

If you feel you want to keep the parrot, then you'll have to seperate them and all your problems will be gone. It doesn't matter how many rocks and plants you put in there, in time the parrot will hurt the cory since he likes to be out scrounging and not hiding.

 

[Jennifer_R]

I'll move the Cory. Any suggestions for a bottom feeder for this fish?? He's a good size Parrot, and I'd like something to clean up after him.

Thanks!


"smb" Thanks for the advice-
I cannot get rid of the Parrot he was a gift. He's been separated. He started in my 100 gal tank. He is now in an 18 gal. I'm having problems in the 18 gal, with him and a Cory cat.

Oh yeah, this fish is very aggro. He would get speed on my Leaf Fish and really splash attack at the surface dweller. Now he sees the Cory, and dives in the sneakiest of hiding places I have for the Cory and muscles his body in. Suckiling at his body to rip it apart! I've seen him accoplish this with Feeders and Dynos.

 

[smb]

"smb" Thanks for the advice-

YW.

I cannot get rid of the Parrot he was a gift. He's been separated. He started in my 100 gal tank. He is now in an 18 gal. I'm having problems in the 18 gal, with him and a Cory cat.

This is probably why. You moved him into a smaller aquarium and he is po'd. In the larger tank you probably didn't have problems I'm guessing?

I don't know this for sure but people have said they get to 10"? If so, I wouldn't keep him in anything less than a 55g. What size is he now?

In a 18g I wouldn't put any bottom feeder in it.

 

[Alien Anna]

Jennifer, if someone gave you a puppy and it was vicious would you say you couldn't get rid of it because it was a gift?

This is the reason why its never a good idea to give someone a living creature as a gift (unless you know they want the creature and are prepared to look after it). This isn't a vase that looks ugly on your mantelpiece - this is a living creature that needs an appropriate home.

Your cory will be eaten if you don't find this fish a new home, or find a new home for the cory.

 

[Alien Anna]

P.S. Bottom feeders don't "clean up after" anything. Some eat left over food (but only if you are in the habit of over-feeding in the first place). It is a myth that some fish live on the waste of other fish. If you have a messy piscavore in your tank you need heavy-duty filtration, plenty of water changes and be very careful not to over-feed. Adding a bottom feeder into the mix simply worsens the problem.

 

[Jennifer_R]

No, no no... I didn't want to give the impression by asking the question,
"Any suggestions for a bottom feeder for this fish?? He's a good size Parrot, and I'd like something to clean up after him", that I over feed my agro Parrot (or any of my fishy friends, for that matter).

I've kept bottom feeders in almost every tank as a habit of cleanliness - the impression, I'd hope to receive. I admit, I was under the "myth", that one is needed to clean up after the waste of other fish. But, if I don't need a bottom feeder - AWAY YE GO-ITH mighty brave Albino Cory! AWAY... to friendlier tank!

"smb"
He was agro in the 100 gal too. Yeah, I hope he stays little, my Parrot is a plump 4-5 inches, counting the flighty fins. But, good news, the "Jelly Bean" Parrots don't get as big at the Blood Parrots (10 inches)- Woo-hoo!

 

[smb]

"smb"
He was agro in the 100 gal too. Yeah, I hope he stays little, my Parrot is a plump 4-5 inches, counting the flighty fins. But, good news, the "Jelly Bean" Parrots don't get as big at the Blood Parrots (10 inches)- Woo-hoo!

Whew! lol That's good to know.

Like I said, I think that seperation is the only salvation for your lil cutie, cory.

I hope you keep posting, letting us know what you do and how it works out so we can learn from you.

 

[Jennifer_R]

I moved the thankful Cory into my 10 gal tank with friendly Guppies.

Rearranged the 18 gal tank where the Parrot is, with his friend the Rosy Barb. The two of them get along fine. However, the Parrot is very confused. He was still looking for the Cory. Diving at nothing as if he saw a Ghost of Cory.

"smb"
Thanks, I'll be here!

 

[smb]

Just to let you know and I hope you don't think I'm preaching here, that parrot will take out that barb too.

I know they are getting along good now but please trust me, I know cichlids and when the parrot realizes the cory is gone the barb will be next.

 

[Jennifer_R]

Thee uh, Rosy Barb... yeah, tried to eat my African Dwarf Frogs. He’ll have to play victim for a while. I have nowhere to put him; he doesn't play well with others.

Should I just take them both out back???

 

[juanveldez]

if you like the parrot keep him, there is nothing wrong with having him, you will find over time though as I did that there are two schools of thought when it comes to cichlids. one is that they are monsters of mans own creation and should not be sold, and the other is that it hurts nobody by seeing if they can come out with a new fish by mixing a few genes here and there. me personally I don't care for them. as for the colors well guess what I have yet to see one that hasn't been died. now I can't say that I am 100 percent on this as I refuse to keep them in my house. but like I said if you really like him that much you don't have to take him back but you should take one of the two back to your lfs. and if you do keep him like smb said get at least a 45 gallon tank for him.

 

[smb]

Should I just take them both out back???

Not sure what you mean by which 2 you mean to take out back and get rid of.

Lets just say what I say here in this forum and what I think and say behind the scenes are 2 different things.

I don't have anything against hybrids.

I like Flowerhorns a lot!

And there is no way you can go to any lfs in the World and get a true citrinellum or labiatus but I like them also. Same with Discus, guppies and quite a few other hybrids, but imo, blood parrots are akin to dyed fish.

I think you'll be able to read between the lines here tho as far as my opinion.

 

[Jennifer_R]

I'm sorry, what? I wasn't paying attention... kidding.

I don't care who likes what. It's all about me, you see. (ha-ha)
I have fish with behavioral problems, and I needed suggestions. It's all been good; took the Cory out - the Parrot is just crazy. The Barb - hey, whatever.

I needed to complete my sentence...
"Should I just take them both out back?" AND SHOOT THEM? (ha-ha)

Taking the Cory out is a solution, and I mentioned my opinion of the Barb, whatever. They'll have to live together, and let nature -in a tank- take its course.

Thank you for all your help and suggestions!

 

[smb]

I don't care who likes what. It's all about me, you see.

That's fine but when you come into a forum and ask opinions, you'll get them. You can agree or disagree, but opinions are what you'll get.

Taking the Cory out is a solution, and I mentioned my opinion of the Barb, whatever. They'll have to live together, and let nature -in a tank- take its course.

That's fine. They are your fish and we can't do anything more than tell you what will happen. I'm glad you took the cory out because he would have been killed but adding the barb, although you think they'll get along, he'll be killed also. I just wanted you to know that is all. I doubt the deformed parrot can do much damage to anything but I guess if you want to torture community fish... then that's all on you.

I could honestly care less what happens because I use all those fish you have as feeders for my fish, in all honesty.

I especially use the parrot cichlid you have as a feeder for real fish that I have.

We were just trying to let you know what will eventually happen is all. You can choose to take the info or not.