NetMax - Parrotfish

[Connie]

What about a parrot fish in a 29 gal tank?? With some of the fish you
listed?

Thanks,
Connie

[Connie]

Ok, this is what I got today :-)

1 small angel fish.
1 rubberlipped pleco (they are considerably smaller and do not get very big,
5 inches max)
2 gourami - both dwarf, a blue and a red fire
3 albino cory cats
2 swords (male and female)


I would like to add another 2 swords (is there a male/female ratio I have to
abide by?), and maybe some guppies.

Sound good so far??

Thanks,
Connie

[NetMax]

"Connie" > wrote in message
...
> What about a parrot fish in a 29 gal tank?? With some of the fish you
> listed?
>
> Thanks,
> Connie


Well, I don't remember what I listed anymore, but I can tell you a bit
about Parrotfish, or Blood Parrots.

These fellows are not listed in any fish book under a scientific name,
because they cannot be catalogued. They are not naturally evolved, but
rather, are the result of an artificial pairing (and perhaps a little
genetic tweaking too). Their parentage possibly includes the Red Devil
and the Green Severum, but it's a closely guarded secret. There is a lot
of controversy about these fish as they have a high level of mutations
(externally, you probably noticed that they cannot close their mouths,
and internally there is significant organ compression). Many fish are
line bred into mutations (ie: Celestial goldfish), but few have been
thrust into such a mutated form so quickly.

Because Severums are relatively docile plant eaters (think of Discus with
shoulder pads ;~), and Red Devils are relatively aggressive omnivores,
the Parrotfish's possibly parentage does not give you any clues about
their probable behaviour. They could go either way, though generally
they tend towards being relatively laid back and somewhat shy and
comical. Cichlids often establish pecking order through wrestling each
other with locked jaws, something a Parrotfish would have a hard time
achieving, so this leaves them low in the pecking order, staying
subservient (though it depends on your setup).

In a 29g, you wouldn't be able to put in any large aggressive cichlids
anyways, but a Parrotfish would take a big chunk of that tank's capacity.
It's a possibility, but then mixing fish with them, while not too
demanding, will lack some predictability. It's a ymmv scenario.

Here are a few links to familiarize yourself with them:
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gparrot.html
http://www.geocities.com/parrotcichlid/general.html
http://www.sydneycichlid.com/content/?page_id=11
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Elaine T]

Connie wrote:
> Ok, this is what I got today :-)
>
> 1 small angel fish.
> 1 rubberlipped pleco (they are considerably smaller and do not get very big,
> 5 inches max)
> 2 gourami - both dwarf, a blue and a red fire
> 3 albino cory cats
> 2 swords (male and female)
>
>
> I would like to add another 2 swords (is there a male/female ratio I have to
> abide by?), and maybe some guppies.
>
> Sound good so far??
>
> Thanks,
> Connie
>
>
So far, so good although that sure is a lot of fish for a newly cycled
tank! With swords, one male with two or three females is best. The
male can really harass the females and males fight each other.

Once you have the third swordtail, you only have room for a few more
fish. I would skip the guppies if you're still intent on getting the
black ghost since your tank is close to full (counting inches of adult
fish) and the guppies could be eaten.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[MarAzul]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
.. .
> "Connie" > wrote in message
> ...
>> What about a parrot fish in a 29 gal tank?? With some of the fish you
>> listed?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Connie
>
>
> Well, I don't remember what I listed anymore, but I can tell you a bit
> about Parrotfish, or Blood Parrots.
>
> These fellows are not listed in any fish book under a scientific name,
> because they cannot be catalogued. They are not naturally evolved, but
> rather, are the result of an artificial pairing (and perhaps a little
> genetic tweaking too). Their parentage possibly includes the Red Devil
> and the Green Severum, but it's a closely guarded secret. There is a lot
> of controversy about these fish as they have a high level of mutations
> (externally, you probably noticed that they cannot close their mouths, and
> internally there is significant organ compression). Many fish are line
> bred into mutations (ie: Celestial goldfish), but few have been thrust
> into such a mutated form so quickly.

I'm going to have to boldly go where no one has gone before, and disagree
with you on a few points... ;o)

There is speculation that BP's are a cross of 2 different species, but there
are are also groups that belive their a result of severly inbred Red Devils.
Also, when they were first introduced they had the misshapen mouths, but
recently I and other BP watchers have noticed that a lot more are being sold
with normal mouths. Whichever mouth it has, it's still fully functional. My
BPs can do anything any other cichlid can.

>
> Because Severums are relatively docile plant eaters (think of Discus with
> shoulder pads ;~), and Red Devils are relatively aggressive omnivores, the
> Parrotfish's possibly parentage does not give you any clues about their
> probable behaviour. They could go either way, though generally they tend
> towards being relatively laid back and somewhat shy and comical. Cichlids
> often establish pecking order through wrestling each other with locked
> jaws, something a Parrotfish would have a hard time achieving, so this
> leaves them low in the pecking order, staying subservient (though it
> depends on your setup).

BP's have great personality. On average, you're going to get a mix between
laid back, and incredibly dominant. I know people that can't keep their BP's
with any other fish while other can keep Oto's in the same tank with no
problems. One cichlid trait that is common with BPs is digging. I have never
met nor heard of a parrot that didn't dig and rearrange it's tank. Because
of this, a planted tank is not ideal, espacially for a beginner.
As for dominance struggles, most BP's can very easily hold their own against
the average cichlid. They have just as much fight in them, and physically
they're able to back it up.

>
> In a 29g, you wouldn't be able to put in any large aggressive cichlids
> anyways, but a Parrotfish would take a big chunk of that tank's capacity.
> It's a possibility, but then mixing fish with them, while not too
> demanding, will lack some predictability. It's a ymmv scenario.

BP's need at LEAST 15 gallons per fish. That's the bare minimum you can get
away with, and even then you'll have to upgrade once they get more size. The
average un-dyed BP will get about 8-10 inches long eventually. If you plan
on having more than one BP, it's better just to wait til you have more space
for them.


> Here are a few links to familiarize yourself with them:
> http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gparrot.html
> http://www.geocities.com/parrotcichlid/general.html
> http://www.sydneycichlid.com/content/?page_id=11
> --

I don't particularly like those links - the first and last are mainly just
anti-hybrid, and the second hasn't been updated in several years. Try this..
http://www.bloodparrots.co.uk/forum/ Created for and by people who own
BP's.


--
Mar
---------
VTIT

[coolchinchilla]

I've always wondered how parrot fish got their name? :-) Someone
told me that they have a "beaky-like" face. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I have a
parrot (bird kind) and I'd have to say that the fish's face looks
NOTHING like a bird's... but what do I know... Oh well...LOL

coolchinchilla

[MarAzul]

"coolchinchilla" > wrote in message
...
> I've always wondered how parrot fish got their name? :-) Someone told me
> that they have a "beaky-like" face. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. I have a parrot (bird
> kind) and I'd have to say that the fish's face looks NOTHING like a
> bird's... but what do I know... Oh well...LOL
>
> coolchinchilla

Here's an older pic of mine..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/darkmaidon/Fish/JB_BP.jpg

--
Mar
---------
VTIT

[Connie]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
m...
> Connie wrote:
>> Ok, this is what I got today :-)
>>
>> 1 small angel fish.
>> 1 rubberlipped pleco (they are considerably smaller and do not get very
>> big, 5 inches max)
>> 2 gourami - both dwarf, a blue and a red fire
>> 3 albino cory cats
>> 2 swords (male and female)
>>
>>
>> I would like to add another 2 swords (is there a male/female ratio I have
>> to abide by?), and maybe some guppies.
>>
>> Sound good so far??
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Connie
> So far, so good although that sure is a lot of fish for a newly cycled
> tank!

Hi Elaine,
Well - the first time I did a fishless cycle, it cycled enough I could add a
tank full of fish. So that is what I atempted to do the time before this
(where I bought all my fish, including the black ghost, and they all died).
Well - something happened to my cycle, I think it was my cheap filter, cause
I would bring home seeded media from my lfs, and all the good bio bugs would
die within a couple of days. THIS TIME, it finally happened, and I was sure
I got it right... hence an almost tank full of fish. They are fine... no
ammonia and it has been 24 hours. WOOPEE!!!! I am SOOOOO glad!!!


>With swords, one male with two or three females is best. The male can
>really harass the females and males fight each other.

Now does this cross the species line (not sure whether swords of a diff
color constitues a diff species like other fish). Like I have a pair of
marigolds. I wanted to get some of the red/black ones also. As long as I
have 2-3 females for the males will they still fight?

Thanks,
Connie


>
> Once you have the third swordtail, you only have room for a few more fish.
> I would skip the guppies if you're still intent on getting the black ghost
> since your tank is close to full (counting inches of adult fish) and the
> guppies could be eaten.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[NetMax]

"MarAzul" > wrote in message
news:aEWJe.35143$bp.33739@fed1read03...
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> .. .
>> "Connie" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> What about a parrot fish in a 29 gal tank?? With some of the fish you
>>> listed?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Connie
>>
>>
>> Well, I don't remember what I listed anymore, but I can tell you a bit
>> about Parrotfish, or Blood Parrots.
>>
>> These fellows are not listed in any fish book under a scientific name,
>> because they cannot be catalogued. They are not naturally evolved, but
>> rather, are the result of an artificial pairing (and perhaps a little
>> genetic tweaking too). Their parentage possibly includes the Red Devil
>> and the Green Severum, but it's a closely guarded secret. There is a lot
>> of controversy about these fish as they have a high level of mutations
>> (externally, you probably noticed that they cannot close their mouths,
>> and internally there is significant organ compression). Many fish are
>> line bred into mutations (ie: Celestial goldfish), but few have been
>> thrust into such a mutated form so quickly.
>
> I'm going to have to boldly go where no one has gone before, and disagree
> with you on a few points... ;o)

When everyone agrees, no one learns anything ;~)

> There is speculation that BP's are a cross of 2 different species, but
> there are are also groups that belive their a result of severly inbred Red
> Devils. Also, when they were first introduced they had the misshapen
> mouths, but recently I and other BP watchers have noticed that a lot more
> are being sold with normal mouths. Whichever mouth it has, it's still
> fully functional. My BPs can do anything any other cichlid can.

I suppose that this is possible, but I'd be a bit sceptical. It takes a
*lot* of selective breeding to cause traits of this extreme to appear
consistantly. Also, because of their pugnacious nature, Red Devils are not
the type of fish which long term selective breeding is typically exercised
on ;~), but then again, parts of Asia do have this facination with the luck
that the color red represents.

>>
>> Because Severums are relatively docile plant eaters (think of Discus with
>> shoulder pads ;~), and Red Devils are relatively aggressive omnivores,
>> the Parrotfish's possibly parentage does not give you any clues about
>> their probable behaviour. They could go either way, though generally
>> they tend towards being relatively laid back and somewhat shy and
>> comical. Cichlids often establish pecking order through wrestling each
>> other with locked jaws, something a Parrotfish would have a hard time
>> achieving, so this leaves them low in the pecking order, staying
>> subservient (though it depends on your setup).
>
> BP's have great personality. On average, you're going to get a mix between
> laid back, and incredibly dominant. I know people that can't keep their
> BP's with any other fish while other can keep Oto's in the same tank with
> no problems. One cichlid trait that is common with BPs is digging. I have
> never met nor heard of a parrot that didn't dig and rearrange it's tank.
> Because of this, a planted tank is not ideal, espacially for a beginner.
> As for dominance struggles, most BP's can very easily hold their own
> against the average cichlid. They have just as much fight in them, and
> physically they're able to back it up.

My experience has been a little different, but I don't have much exposure to
adult BPs. Juveniles seem to be plant-friendly and non-diggers (though I
don't doubt they would/could change with age), and the adults I've seen tend
more towards being marshmallows in personality (but they are often with
other large fish).

>> In a 29g, you wouldn't be able to put in any large aggressive cichlids
>> anyways, but a Parrotfish would take a big chunk of that tank's capacity.
>> It's a possibility, but then mixing fish with them, while not too
>> demanding, will lack some predictability. It's a ymmv scenario.
>
> BP's need at LEAST 15 gallons per fish. That's the bare minimum you can
> get away with, and even then you'll have to upgrade once they get more
> size. The average un-dyed BP will get about 8-10 inches long eventually.
> If you plan on having more than one BP, it's better just to wait til you
> have more space for them.

Agreed, though I've never seen a BP which approched 10". The largest I've
seen is about 5.5 to 6", but that's just indicative of my more limited
experience.

>> Here are a few links to familiarize yourself with them:
>> http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/gparrot.html
>> http://www.geocities.com/parrotcichlid/general.html
>> http://www.sydneycichlid.com/content/?page_id=11
>> --
>
> I don't particularly like those links - the first and last are mainly just
> anti-hybrid, and the second hasn't been updated in several years. Try
> this.. http://www.bloodparrots.co.uk/forum/ Created for and by people who
> own BP's.

One could argue that a BP forum would also be the best source of
'subjective' data, but people can all make up their own minds. Whatever
else can be said, BPs do have a wide variety of cichlid characteristics, and
cichlids are very neat fish.

ps: I use 2 different news servers and one has not carried this post.
Weird. I wonder what criteria causes that to happen or if it's random?

cheers
--
www.NetMax.tk

> --
> Mar
> ---------
> VTIT
>

[Indy]

I have had a Blood Parrot for over a year with little or no problems. I
know it is a mutant and most true Freshwater Hobbists would never have
one, but I like mine.

In my community tank the only fish that causes any problems is the Red
Talied Shark. Although the shark is one of the smaller fish he doesn't
seem to know that and chases even the biggest Oscar. It is actually
quite entertaining.

I have found anything is possible when stocking a tank. Each fish has
its own personality and will behave in its own individual way.



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