Parrot Fish And Behavior **updated**

[tameem]

**UPDATE**
So the cute parrot fish that I have (2) are starting to come out a little more. When I drop flake food and I stay way from the tank, they swim around, a little less shy. Even the one which was hiding inside the rock for two days appears sometimes.

My question is one of the parrot fish tends to chase often the other fish, it looks harmless, but I want to make sure this isnt a problem. Should I be concerned?


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I just bought a couple days ago two very cute blood parrot fish. They are a good 3 inches perhaps but incredibly shy! One of them stays for the most part behind the decoration hiding, near the substrate (however as I type this message and away from the tank, he has come out near the lettuce.) The other parrot fish for two days now have hidden himself deep inside the big rock decoration and has not appeared. Is this normal behavior for the parrot fish?? How long does it take to acclimate? They seem very shy.

I also purchased good quality chiclid pellets, floating type, and they didnt realy come to the surface. How do I make sure they get fed during this shy period? What kind of foods are best?

Last thing, I got medium size silver dollars also. Are these tankmates OK? Ususally I do alot of research before getting another fish, but most ppl I talk to say they are good fish and dont need real special care.

Thanks.

 

[tameem]

ok now that blood parrot was like leaning against the glass, really close to the substrate. I even came close to it and it didnt move much. but now it went back to its hiding place! I dont know if I have reason to be concerned, of this is normal? Ive heard they have interesting personalities. He is even peaking at me from a distance behind the rock decoration.

Of course the other parrot for two days now have hidden himself in the rock! Thanks again

anyone??

 

[Ripley]

You could try some frozen foods. Most will sink to the bottom so you could try getting some to the parrots.

 

[one_eyed_wonder]

give them a little time and im sure they will be fine, once they associate you with food they will be at the front of the tank begging all the time

 

[tameem]

Thanks for everyones reply. What kind of frozen food is best? Im concerned about the other parrot who has hidden inside the rock decoration for two days now. He looks like he is fine, just real damn shy.!
Also, i just got 5 silver dollars, talk about shy! They are just as bad right now!

 

[Ripley]

Bloodworms and Brine Shrimp are good and are they most common in stores.

 

[tameem]

I havent dealt with brine shrimp before. How do I feed that? I hear that if not properly done it can cloud your tank. Do I need a brine shrimp net? I bought good qualityu hikari ciclid pellets, but they are floating type and since the parrots are near the bottom (and one inside the rock), they didnt even notice it floating at the surface.

 

[Ripley]

Buy frozen brineshrimp. Thaw out the frozen cube in a cup with tank water in it. Then either pour small amounts in or use a seringe. Just feed small amounts at a time.

 

[tameem]

So should I do anything to get the other parrot out of hsi hiding place inside the rock? or would that stress them? I also noticed the silver dollars are hiding next to the parrot fish, they are all together. Sometimes I see the parrot show a little aggression to the silver dollars, but it seems harmless. The silver dollars are cute, they hide and peek from behind the decorations.

 

[Ripley]

I would say the best thing to do is just leave them be for a couple more days. Most fish will act this way when new introduced into a tank.
Do you have any pics of the tank/fish?

 

[Bella]

My blood parrots hid for weeks... they were really shy. But now they come out as soon as they see me. Some take longer then others.

I feed mine flake, frozen blood worms, krill and shrimp.... the krill and shimp I break up for them into small pieces. I also had the chiclid pellets... bought them in each size and they don't touch them.. I gave them to my sister for her oscar.lol.

If you feed them very very little when ever you come near the tank... they will associate you with food and start to come out more.

in reagards to the one that was just kinda starting off and not moving.... they look amlost dead when they sleep and sometimes sleep head down... really freaking the first time you see it... I thought one was dead the first time I saw that. lol.

I have my blood parrots with molies, swordtails, platties and plecos... for the most part they leave all other fish alone.. .giving the odd nudge to the pleco when they want his alg disk. lol.

 

[tameem]

Thanks for all the replies!

Ive got some algae wafers and also sinking wafers for catfish, do they eat these? I droped one earlier and the parrot was kinda eating it, but didnt look like he was real excited about it. I was just concerned that the parrot hiding inside the rock for two days now might start to get hungry and not notice when I even feed. They are so darn cute!!

I will take pictures of my tank. Its a 55 gallon, 3 clown loaches, 5 silver dollars and two blood parrots
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I also hear they produce a lot of waste, the blood parrots? Water changes once every week and half is ok?

What should I do if the one blood parrot continues to hide inside the rock decor? Initially when I first introduced them to the tank on the first day, both looked healthy and swam around together around the tank. And then later I noticed the one hide!

 

[silverrabbit]

My little parrot was really shy when I first had her, but a few weeks later she comes right to the front whenever someone comes near the tank - and she "dances" for me when she sees the pot of food.

As for floating pellets - Dot *HATED* them, so I moved on to slow-sinking ones, which go down a real treat with her and the tiger barbs, lol.

I've found that my parrot really appreciates the frozen muscles i got from the LFS - I chop them up into bitesize pieces and they disappear in seconds!

Oh, and LMAO @Bella: OMG when I first had Dot I was terrified i'd killed her when I saw her practically on her side, snoozing (I gave her an alarm clock of bloodworms, lol)

 

[Bella]

As long as your blood parrots are not constantly chasing the other fish.. more often the BP cant keep up... then the others should be fine... mine only peck at a molly if it is too close to thier bell they took over. other then that all my fish swim together and not bother one another....except two BP who never stop fighting no mater how much i move things around.

 

[milkton]

Well, you should try getting more blood parrots to enable them to be less shy. Try doing some water changes or checking the ph level or researching whether they like to be in a soft or hard water enviroment. And maybe try raising the temperature about 2 degrees higher so they can feel more comfortable. If that doesnt help then try adding some plants, rocks, or any other decoration, it helps the fish know its in a safe place.. i think.. haha!