Parrot Fish...hearts? Blood? O_o;; Ugh! Help @_@;

[PokeSephiroth]

The petstore here had two parrot fish selling for 210pesos (roughly $4.20 each) And I felt so sorry for them, that I bought them. They're now housed in a well planted 50gallon aquarium with plants and caves...tons of hiding spaces.

My question is, all they do is tend to just...stay in one spot. I've had them for 3 days now, and they still stay in the same spot ; ...is this normal? Are they ever going to recover??

Also, my heart parrot seems to have a hard time keeping its balance... sometimes I notice it upside down or it's head is touching the ground, making the heart shape look like a heart that's right-side-up, is THAT normal? I'm thinking it's just stress...

Those are the only two fish in the tank right now. I hope to add other fish as soon as they start to feel better, if ever...
when that time comes, I'd like to ask what kind of fish I could mix with parrots.. =) perhaps guppies for the parrots to eat, or feeder fish... something that can help stimulate them if possible. Thanks in advance!!

~Worried fish lover =P

 

[GuppyDude]

Parrot fish tend to be particularlly shy, and somtimes will take a little while to adjust to their new home and the people arouond it. They'll come out when they are ready.

As for the head standing, iv no clue.

 

[DiscusAngel]

as yourfish are dyed. they may have a disease. never buy dyed fish. return them to the store and get normal blood parrots. which are orange colours.

 

[dakotagirl]

When I first bought my parrots they did the same thing. They laid on their side on the bottom of the tank, hid in the corner, were upside down, and more than once I tapped them with the net to make sure they were not dying lol.

It takes parrots at least a week or two (maybe longer) to feel safe and come out of hiding. It's funny because at the store mine were swimming all over the place and then I bring them home and they run and hide. Didn't even know I had fish in my tank for the first 2 weeks.

They finally do start coming out after a while. At feeding time I sat real still on a chair and eventually they came to get the food and saw I wouldn't hurt them so they started coming out more. Any movement though and they were back in their corner. Alot of people suggest dither fish with them. After I got dithers my parrots were out all the time.

HTH,

Barb

 

[~T~]

Heart shape parrots have their tails surgically removed to make them this way and because of this many of them cannot stay upright in the water when resting.

 

[PokeSephiroth]

Heart shape parrots have their tails surgically removed to make them this way and because of this many of them cannot stay upright in the water when resting.

Thats sad!! =( And here I am, thinking that they were really like that (like some sort of different breed... such as with other fish, you have fantails, Lyertails [yes, I can't spell right now..XD], etc...)

Anywho, thanks for the information! How many would I be able to keep in a 50 gallon tank? Considering they are all about 3 inches long?? I was thinking about 3...so I might buy another blood parrot fish if it's possible. =)

When I first bought my parrots they did the same thing. They laid on their side on the bottom of the tank, hid in the corner, were upside down, and more than once I tapped them with the net to make sure they were not dying lol.

It takes parrots at least a week or two (maybe longer) to feel safe and come out of hiding. It's funny because at the store mine were swimming all over the place and then I bring them home and they run and hide. Didn't even know I had fish in my tank for the first 2 weeks.

They finally do start coming out after a while. At feeding time I sat real still on a chair and eventually they came to get the food and saw I wouldn't hurt them so they started coming out more. Any movement though and they were back in their corner. Alot of people suggest dither fish with them. After I got dithers my parrots were out all the time.

HTH,

Barb

That sounds exactly like the position I'm in! Thank goodness I'm not alone! hehehe, also I noticed that they would just "stop" ... as in none of their fins were moving, neither were their gills... I thought they died, by when I tried to scoop them up with the fish net, they sprang back to life! ...it was quite shocking actually...

Also, what kind of fish could I use as dither fish? Would guppies do the trick??

 

[vancouver]

They will just kill the guppies.. it wouldn't be beneficial in any way..

Let them settle down a bit.. they're obviously stressed out, so give them a week or 2 to calm down..

When they start swimming around a bit then think of adding some sort of dither..

Guppies would be totally pointless though and a waste of money.

 

[dakotagirl]

I have 3 australian rainbowfish in the tank with my parrots. They are big enough not to get eaten. My parrots must be happy because last night they laid a bunch of eggs in a hole in the substrate they dug earlier. I know they probably won't end up being fertilized, but it is so neat to watch them protecting the eggs and they just sit there and fan the eggs by moving an inch or so above the eggs and moving their fins back and forth. Anyway, that is another story.

After I added the rainbows and my parrots came out of hiding, they started eating out of my hand at feeding time. They love any kind of food I give them..bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, Omega One Cichlid flakes, and plankton. I have heard that parrots sometimes have swim bladder problems so if I don't hand feed them, I soak the plankton and flakes in a cup of tank water before I feed them, this way the food sinks and they aren't at the surface sucking air. They make the loudest sucking noise when they eat from the surface. Mine also eat zuchinni, cucumber, peas, and green beans. Took them a few times to realize it was food, but once they did, they loved the vegies.

It is kind of discouraging at the beginning with them hiding all the time, but give them time like everyone says and you will find they are some awesome fish.


Barb

 

[PokeSephiroth]

I have 3 australian rainbowfish in the tank with my parrots. They are big enough not to get eaten. My parrots must be happy because last night they laid a bunch of eggs in a hole in the substrate they dug earlier. I know they probably won't end up being fertilized, but it is so neat to watch them protecting the eggs and they just sit there and fan the eggs by moving an inch or so above the eggs and moving their fins back and forth. Anyway, that is another story.

After I added the rainbows and my parrots came out of hiding, they started eating out of my hand at feeding time. They love any kind of food I give them..bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, Omega One Cichlid flakes, and plankton. I have heard that parrots sometimes have swim bladder problems so if I don't hand feed them, I soak the plankton and flakes in a cup of tank water before I feed them, this way the food sinks and they aren't at the surface sucking air. They make the loudest sucking noise when they eat from the surface. Mine also eat zuchinni, cucumber, peas, and green beans. Took them a few times to realize it was food, but once they did, they loved the vegies.

It is kind of discouraging at the beginning with them hiding all the time, but give them time like everyone says and you will find they are some awesome fish.


Barb

Thanks again for the helpful advice!! =) It's really reassuring that they're really like that. =D Hopefully they don't die from the stress they've gone through, through the whole coloring process...the poor fish =(

Thanks also for keeping my hopes high!! Hehehe, I'm glad I invested in such wonderful fish ;;