The Blood Parrot Cichlid is a fish that courts some controversy within the hobby and can raise temperatures in an aquatic discussion.
Not naturally found in the wild, they are a hybrid creation created in Taiwan back in 1986. These should not be confused with saltwater Parrotfish that have a Latin name and are found in the wild.
Before we get into their care and keeping, we will review some of the reasons why they are considered controversial. While beautiful, they are very much a “love them or hate them” Cichlid because of these reasons.
So we’ll do some practical discussion next so you are more understanding of the stance some hobbyists might take. Ultimately a fish keeper should be informed about what they are buying. And as such, being captive carers of these fish, it is their responsibility to look out for their welfare.
Origins and Supply Of Blood Parrot Cichlids
Blood Parrot Cichlids are often just referred to a Parrots or Parrot Cichlids as over time, the industry has meddled with coloration, but initially, they were an apricot-colored fish that were rather expensive but looked stunning.
A hybrid species that is man-made, this fish has become extremely popular to export to the sellers that will sell them. Purists would argue they are an abomination with defective mouths and mutant shaping and want nothing to do with them.
But being so eye-catching, they often encourage more people to take up the hobby, which also means more people are educated on fish keeping and care.
The most popular version of their origin story is that a Redhead Cichlid and Midas Cichlid formed the parent species. So the following care guide is based on assuming they will tolerate conditions for similar keeping or a blended version of the care of the parent species.
Their hardy nature, not particularly aggressive behavior, bright colors, and winsome personalities make them a hard to resist freshwater fish that you can’t really replicate in terms of appeal.
Proponents of welfare will argue that the fashion for dying and tattooing outrageous patterns and items on fish has ballooned with the advent of the Parrots. Tail fin docking can also happen to ‘shape’ their tails artificially, which is another cruel practice, often done to give it a heart shape.
These practices are not limited to Parrots, but because of their size and round shape, they have been the subject of a lot of dubious human intervention. Any serious importer would do well to avoid these as nothing about it humane.
For the uninitiated, these stories do sound horrific because they are. But if you can source original type Blood Parrots that have been left untouched, they can be a magical addition to your tank and will be of endless fascination to visitors.
Just be prudent about choosing to do the right thing if you decide to forge ahead and fall in love with your Parrot Cichlid like so many do.
Blood Parrot Cichlid Behavior
These fish appear to be highly intelligent and naturally curious about their surroundings. They will recognize their owners and are often spotted looking outwards from the tank glass, checking out what is going on around them.
They will happily interact with others of their kind and other similarly sized fish. They are not aggressive hunters but keeping smaller fish out of harm is the best practice as they are opportunists like any bigger will be when presented with something smaller.
Their balloon-like rounded shape makes them less than agile swimmers, but ongoing hybridization seems to have decreased their swimming gaffes over time, likely to do a subtle evolution of their gene pool.
These are fish that are not for the novice, and you should ideally already have some other Cichlids experience before deciding to take one of these on.
Generally reported as being fairly peaceful, they could also be considered semi-aggressive fish because they can be unpredictable. If you have other aggressive fish in the community, they get quite stressed and will fight back.
These fish prefer to hang around the middle layers in tanks but are known to be prolific diggers when the mood suits them.
You should ideally provide some areas of cover where they can escape bullying fish, as when they know there is a spot to retreat to, it can lower the stress levels of these somewhat sensitive souls.
Blood Parrot Cichlid Lifespan
Surprisingly for hybrid fish, they can live for up to 15 years of age when looked after carefully. This is pretty lengthy for a captive freshwater fish, so do plan on having a long-term aquatic pal if you decide to go for it.
We will discuss more on tank requirements a little later in this article.
Blood Parrot Cichlid Appearance
Well, we know there is a lot out there color-wise, but we will avoid giving airtime to the artificially created colors and patterns that are never good for the fish involved, whether it be Parrots of other species unfortunate enough to be treated that way.
At full maturity, they are about 8 inches long, with almost cartoon-like features. A well-rounded body, extra large eyes, a large bifurcated caudal fin with smaller fins elsewhere, and a parrot beak-shaped mouth, their signature trademark.
The beak-shaped mouth is actually a genetic defect as a result of hybridization. This result means their mouths cannot fully close and can be prone to getting the right-sized gravel or stones stuck in their mouth from enthusiastic digging.
Their bodies resemble a balloon shape not naturally found in the wild, which also impeded their swimming capabilities but again, through selective breeding using less mutated individuals, they have improved as swimmers, and even mouth shape is less obviously odd.
The Parrots untainted by dyes have bright orange coloration. This can be seen in a solid variety but also in varieties that have the orange color broken up with white and occasionally yellow or red.
Males are generally a little bit larger than females.
Blood Parrot Cichlid Habitat And Tank Requirements
With no natural habitat to fully replicate, hobbyists have speculated and have now got good parameters that approximate the parent species marriage of needs.
Let’s look at some specifics that are needed.
Tank Conditions
Parrots are quite hardy as a result of their hybridization. They seem to be quite remarkable in terms of not being greatly affected by water chemistry.
As such, they have been seen to thrive in a wide variety of setups, including hard, alkaline water but then doing similarly well in soft, acidic tanks.
When it comes to nitrite levels, they seem to handle higher than normal levels on a pretty even keel too. But this doesn’t mean you should scale back on your cleaning schedule or feel free to skip a water change. Clean, healthy water conditions make for healthy fish!
You will need to have a suitably powerful filtration system as Parrots are so large, and like most Cichlids, on the messier side. An external canister filter would do the trick nicely, and an accompanying powerhead can boost overall water flow if you need it.
Substrate should ideally be sandy (remember that gravel problem with open mouths), and they do enjoy lush vegetation. Good plants to try include things like Java Moss, Anubias, and Hornwort that will need some anchoring from all of the rooting around.
Places to hide like clay cave pots, rocks, and driftwood will give your Parrots suitable cover to hide in when they’re feeling shy or vulnerable along with the vegetation.
Water changes will need to be done each week with at least 30% per change, and a heater is recommended to keep the water suitably warm and even.
Diligent care to remove uneaten food, plant debris waste can help keep water changes from becoming more urgent if you use a vacuuming tool.
Water conditions should be noted, tested regularly, and maintained as follows:
- pH of 7.0 – 8.0
- Water hardness between 5 – 25 dGH
- Temperature between 75 – 82ºF ( 24 – 28ºC)
- Lighting can be kept moderate to subdued
Tank Size
The minimum tank size needed is 30 gallons for a single Blood Parrot Cichlid.
For any additional Parrots, you need to increase the volume by 10 gallons per fish. As they do like to be social and are not best-kept solo, consider a tank size of 50-60 gallons to have interaction.
They need a lot of space to explore to keep them occupied, and the tank shape should ideally be kept rectangular and a minimum of 48 inches long or larger if you can afford it.
Choosing Tank Mates For Blood Parrots
Since they aren’t found in the wild, we take cues from the most likely species to be in their parentage.
Here are your best bets if you are taking on Blood Parrots into your tank:
- Tiger Barbs
- Firemouth Cichlids
- Dwarf Gourami
- Corydoras
- Clown Plecos
- Clown Loaches
- Bala Sharks
- Silver Dollars
- Honey Gourami
- Kribensis
- Angelfish
You will want to avoid any shrimp and most snails as they will be hunted down like prey and eaten. One snail you could include that is great for algae consumption is the Apple Snail, whose super hard shell will help them avoid the fate of other invertebrate mates.
It goes without saying that smaller fish will also be eyed up as a meal.
Common Health Issues Of Blood Parrot Cichlids
Ich is a common parasitic infection that can happen to any freshwater aquarium kept fish. White spots are what become noticeable and can lead to issues with respiration, so you must keep an eye out for those.
While Ich is highly treatable, it’s best to catch early as it can otherwise lead to more serious conditions. Isolation of any fish that are affected is best to avoid spread and can be treated with medication as prescribed.
Swim bladder disorders are often described, which affects their ability to stabilize themselves in the water. They will either sink to the bottom or be floating on the top, and neither is ideal. A fish specialist can advise on how best to remedy this situation.
How To Breed Blood Parrot Cichlids
There is not a lot that can be said about breeding these man-made fish. You cannot expect any breeding to be reliable as the males are usually infertile.
Females can spawn onto substrates like rock or a piece of wood, but this will usually occur with other suitable Cichlid species.
Obviously, if this happens, you are creating another cross-bred variety, but these fry can be interesting too. This happens a lot in the canine world, too, i.e., Cockapoos, Labradoodles, etc.
Females can be encouraged to spawn by slightly raising the tank temperature up to 80ºF.
If they are not fertilized, they will develop a white fungus-like coating which she will eat to protect the healthy developing eggs.
Parrots will be fiercely protective of their eggs, and if fry ever does manage to emerge, they will be cared for until they are about an inch in length. But to be clear, this is a real rarity.
Conclusion
So would you or wouldn’t you get a Blood Parrot Cichlid? The best thing to do is do your homework and form your own opinion on these fish.
As long as you have a suitably large tank size and can provide them with clean water and some love and attention, they should be a fun and energizing addition to your tank with their vibrant looks and inquiring character.
Some people won’t go near them for fear of perpetuating the industry in Asia that supplies the majority of farmed fish for captivity, but the reality is that they aren’t going anywhere.
If buyers of these fish stop choosing artificially dyed and tattooed specimens, it will go a long way towards enhancing their welfare and overall outlook.
If suppliers are savvy about their sourcing, ensuring that they get them from respected breeders doing it the right way should make the option of considering a Blood Parrot much more appealing.
