baby fish

[pelicans]

HELP!!!!

I thought I had two baby parrot fish a few months ago. they got big and fat. One has been hanging out in a log. Thursday night I noticed dozens of babies. I tried to get the babies out and all in the a smaller tank. Someone told me there not parrot fish because they are white and the babies need to be with their mother for nourishment. I dont know what to do. I also have tiger and cherry barbs in the tank and also hatchet fish. I have been feeding the babies that are not with the mother baby fish food in a seperate tank. Should I start another large tank and put the barbs in there and put the babies back with the mother and father?

 

[Synirr]

Well, I think the first step is to figure out what your fish actually are... Could they be jellybean parrots, maybe? This is what they look like:
http/www.parrotcichlid.com/gallery_album...e_544.sized.jpg

 

[pelicans]

Well, I think the first step is to figure out what your fish actually are... Could they be jellybean parrots, maybe? This is what they look like:
http/www.parrotcichlid.com/gallery_album...e_544.sized.jpg

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Maybe, I thought they were troipical fish. Atleast, that is what they told me at the fish store. Theyr'e in a tank with all sorts of barbs.

I cant figure out what to do now that there are babies I took out most of them and theyre in a small gallon tank. I thought all tropical fish mothers eat their young. The mother is now going after all the barbs.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

1 ) parrots are tropical fish, but they are hybrids between two or more species of cichlids

2 ) cichlids are a group of fish species that are very intelligent and colorful. most cichlids are also aggressive and will fight to protect their territory. all cichlids are good parents and protect their "fry" (the word for baby fish). sometimes in small or overcrowded tanks, one of the parents will panic and start eating the fry. this generally results in terrible fighting between the two parents.

3 ) since your parrots are both small and have already bred, this makes me think that you probably own "jelly bean parrots". jelly beans are naturally a pale pink color but are often bought with brighter colors in stores. these bright colors are the result of dyes being injected into the fish and will eventually fade away as the fish ages.

4 ) if you own jelly bean parrots, watch out! one of the species used to produce the jelly bean hybrid is the Convict Cichlid. convicts are VERY aggressive parents and will kill anything that they percieve as a threat to their babies.

5 ) jelly bean parrots grow to be about 6" in length. as adults, one pair should be kept in a 30 gallon aquarium. and even that may be too small to keep them in a community setting. really, if you want to keep them with community fish like tetras or barbs, you should keep them in the biggest tank you can get.

6 ) if on the offhand chance these are actual "blood parrots", then you need to keep the pair in a 55 gallon aquarium. the blood parrot's adult size is 8 inches long! that's a big fish, so it needs a big tank.

 

[wixx]

i dont think id keep 2 in a 30g tank.. maybe a 33g, but 30gs usually arent 3 feet long like 33s are

 

[pelicans]

i dont think id keep 2 in a 30g tank.. maybe a 33g, but 30gs usually arent 3 feet long like 33s are

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Today, I went to a fish store that has been around for 50 years. It appears that I have two white convict cichlids. They said to keep whatever babies I put in the small tank away and feed them baby fish food. Whatever babies are left in the tank will be protected by the mom fish. But Im not sure if I should buy another larger tank and take the barbsand tetras out. Since the Convicts will get extremely aggressive as the babies get older. What do you guys think?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

well, what size tanks do you have currently?

 

[wixx]

if you take the babies out, the parents shouldnt be as psycho. they will still be mean, but not as bad as when theyre protecting babies. if you want to raise up the babies you could put them in another tank. or you could leave them in the tank and risk the other fish being killed/hurt.knowing tank size, and tank inhabitants will help in the decision though

 

[Ben]

remove the tetras and barbs immediatly
Im suprised your cons haven't killed them yet

 

[pelicans]

I have a 12-15 gallon eclipse tank. I think Im gonna get another tank today and get the barbs out of there.

Can I add more convicts to the convict tank?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

the minimum tank size for one pair of convicts is 30 gallons.

convict cichlids are terribly aggressive and, as mentioned, even mated pairs will sometimes turn on each other and fight to the death. please read this profile if you haven't already and browse through these topics in the New World Cichlids forum.

 

[pelicans]

OK I went out today and bought a 10 gallon tank set it up and put all the barbs in the new tank. After a half hour of fishing, the mom and dad convicts in the original tank are still aggresively protecting their babies.

1. I left the big placo in with the convicts because he appears not to be bothered by them. Not to mention, he has alot of dirt to clean and eat now?

2. Should I put the babies that I seperated previously back in the tank with their mom and dad since they are very protective of their babies?

 

[pica_nuttalli]

ok, you need to read up on plecos too. common plecos will grow to 12" long whether that fits in your tank or not. plecos also don't eat "dirt and stuff". they eat algae and leftover fishfood. the convicts shouldn't be able to kill him, but that might not stop them from trying.

i suggest that you put the other baby convicts back with their parents. they'll have an improved chance of survival but there's no guarantee that the parents will reaccept them.

 

[wixx]

i definately wouldnt put the convicts back in with their parents. everytime ive tried that, theyve eaten them. i tried it a few days ago actually, and daddy ate them all. i wouldnt risk it, it might entice them to eat the fry they have now also. i would keep them separate if i were you.

 

[Synirr]

i definately wouldnt put the convicts back in with their parents. everytime ive tried that, theyve eaten them.

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Considering the lack of a suitable tank, that might be a good idea.