I don't know what to do!

[sparklefuzz]

A couple of weeks ago I posted describing how my 4 blood parrots suddenly got TERRIFIED when we removed 2 oscars from the tank. Someone here advised we add some gouramis, which we did - it made no difference at all... except now the gouramis follw them when they panic and hide.

So, for nearly 3 weeks the parrots have SHOT behind the logs as soon as they sense movement in the room... They are disappearing so fast they bang into the tank.

Before we took out the oscars, these fish were SUPER friendly, they followed us around the tank, ate out of my hand, were ALWAYS at the glass fighting for attention... now, unless you're a fair distance away, we don't see them.

If I feed them, they wait for me to move before they come out - and they are greedy fish!

Then, today... with absolutely NO movement in the room, the fish went crazy, swimming around the tank like nutters, banging into one end before turning around and swimming (and banging) into the other end, finally after knocking the tank decoration all over, they hid... and they've stayed there the last 20 minutes.

The Parrots have been in this tank (40Gal) for 3 years with the oscars, who then outgrew it... we didn't set the tank up, so please no bashing for the size of the tank and 4 parrots, they've been very happy so far... it all started when the oscars were removed.

I keep having people come in and ask why we have an empty tank... someone please help, I want them to be happy again

 

[aardvarkfromspace]

Might have something to do with the tank size. They could feel threatened by you maybe. I really don't know

 

[GuppyDude]

purhaps wen u removed teh oscars they were like "how, if theres something big enogh to take out teh oscars there something big enogh to take us its very odd, i would assume that they would be glad to be rid of the extra oscars. maybe buy some more oscars? lol

 

[Ben]

Parrot Fish need dither fish, which are fish such as large schooling fish that are more active, and if they are active, they're sending out signals to the cichlids that everything is okay so its safe to come out, and they will

DD

 

[sparklefuzz]

The Gouramis we added are active and for the first 2-3 days they did they thing whilst the parrots hid... now, when the parrots hide, they scare the gouramis, so they follow them.

I'm at a loss, and I'm worried about how scared they seem to be, they've never been like this..

 

[GuppyDude]

well u tried to pry them out with other fish, but i guess the gouramis use the same method of keeping safe as the parrots do. i need some fish that are pretty fearless and dont hide because everyone else does. or maybe u can remove the parrots for a while, and then add them back in. that way the gouramis would ahve alredy been there and be used to the tank, then teh parrots will know its safe and come out more.

 

[Just40Fun]

I have 6 parrots, 4 frontosa and about 20 mollies as dither in the same tank. One day, I rearranged the tank decor, it took them a couple of weeks to feel comforable again.

So I don't think dither alone would solve your problem, just give them time and they will settle down again.

 

[dirtydogg]

my parrot gets scared sometimes too. don't know what causes it though. For a while it'll be fine with anything going on; movement, hand in tank, water change. Randomly though it'll get skiddish and freak out and hide even if something moves 12 ft from the tank. Still can't figure this out. BTW I keep 11 Black Skirt Tetra with him and he seems to do alright most of the time.

 

[aardvarkfromspace]

It is a very weird problem, my parrot fish are the most un-shy fish I've ever had... always at the top of the tank when anyone goes anywhere near, or even looks at the tank. Could it be water quality maybe? Could try some water changes and see... maybe they want some new friends? Who knows... fish have personality too!

 

[sparklefuzz]

The water quality is fine, nothing has changed in the tank except the removing of the oscars.... thats gotta be the cause... I just don't know what the solution is . I've started to feed them when the light comes on, hoping that they'll learn its food time and come out, but so far they still wait for me to move before coming out. They still hide at the slightest movement in the room. They don't seem quite as stressed - no black marks or anything, but they're still wayyy different to how they used to be.

 

[sylvia]

I would also suggest dither fish. I realy do think this would put an end to your problem. However, I'm rather reluctant in suggesting them - because you already have quite a few potentialy large-growing fish in there. Also, what kid of gourami did you add? Gouramies don't make good dither fish - they often require dithers themselves. What you need is some kind of schooling, non-nippy but relatively large barb such as a school of golden barbs or ember barbs (both get to 4" so should be large enough to not get eaten but small enough to live in the tank comfortably). Danios also make great dither fish but the non-nippy ones (ie: not giant danios) are likely to get eaten because of their small size. Some tetras and rasboras also work but only choose those on the larger side that school, don't nip and swim relatively quickly (in case a cichlid turns nasty). Avoid raibowfish. These are ok as dithers in larger tanks as they can then be kept in large gorups but a small tank calls for a smaller group and small groups of rainbowfish tend to be just as shy so of no use as dithers. Regardless of what you do, be very careful not to over-stock as bad water quality will not help solve your problem - more likely it'll make it worse. Also, I hope that you'll upgrade for your parrots if/when necessary as you did for the oscars (though it sounds like you will).