Archivarium 2004

PinkParrot · New Members Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Location: Canada

Hi Everyone Razz

,

I currently have a 25 gal tank and I only have four fish in it: 1 pleco, 1 corycat and 2 Parrot Cichlids. I bought them in April 2004 and they've grown quite a bit since then, they are about 3 inches long now (3 inches or more...). I would like your opinion of what size of a tank should I keep them in? Do you think they will be OK to stay in the 25 gal or should I upgrade my tank?

This question might seem quite simple to a lot of you but I don't know much about fish keeping Embarassed

and I really don't want to lose my fish because of misinformation Crying or Very sad

.

I was also wondering if someone knows how to tell if they are male or female. You can see pictures of my fish at

http://www.parrotcichlid.com/gallery/pinkparrot

I have read a lot of books on cichlids but they don't talk a lot about Parrot Cichlids. I feed them spiruline sticks, shrimp pellets, frozen beefheart and frozen bloodworms. They seem to like pretty much everything I feed them.

I'm waiting for your comments/suggestions...thanks!

PinkParrot

dr_fosg8 · Regulars Joined: 31 Dec 2004 Location: central Illinois

I would recommed upgrading to a 55 gallon tank. This would provide enough swimming and territory space for you parrots.

What kind of pleco do you have in there? If it is a common pleco it will outgrow even the 55. A bristlenose pleco would be better.

I would also add maybe 5 more cories.

esoteric · Members Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Location: Colorado

If you don't get a 55gal or bigger in the future, you will have very uncomfortable fish. I've seen Bp's get 10 inches! Of course it was 20 years old but they just need room. I have 3 BP's myself....they are great!
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"Workin' hard sometimes can help ya' maintain..."

PinkParrot · New Members Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Location: Canada

You just confirmed what I was already thinking about: I want a larger tank.

I was considering buying a 65 gallon set up for my 2 Blood Parrot Cichlids and it seems like it's gonna happen sooner than I expected Shocked

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The Pleco I have is effectively a Common Pleco and he is already quite big (and long). I will check with my pet store if they would ''exchange'' him for a smaller one (they've done that for me in the past). I've also noticed that he is starting to get a bit agressive towards the Blood Parrots, have you heard of that before??? He kind of swims between them while they're eating and he rams them... Twisted Evil

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Gettinf a few more Cory is a great idea, since they are bottom fish, I know they don't tank a lot of space in the tank and it would probably make Balais (broom in english) happier Very Happy

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Regarding the food... Anything wrong with what I'm feeding them?

PinkParrot...

esoteric · Members Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Location: Colorado

On the pleco getting aggressive, I have a pleco that does stuff like that but only when they get in "his" space. My pleco can RIP them up too! He did it to my darker smaller blood parrot and then the BP got ich and has spread it a little. I am treating the tank with Coppersafe.

As for what you feed them, whatever you want to is okay as far as I know but mine go CRAZY for freeze dried shrimp! They hit eachother and steal it out of eachothers mouths. Do you get such a reaction from yours?
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"Workin' hard sometimes can help ya' maintain..."

PinkParrot · New Members Joined: 23 Jun 2004 Location: Canada

Oh yes, they're like that everytime I feed them frozen food. They seem to love it so much. Its hard for me to tell when they had enough to eat and I'm scared to over feed them as well. So what seems to be working best at this time is feeding them a bit in the morning when I get up and a bit in the evening. I watch to make sure everyone had its share because the Blood Parrots are fast swimmers (mines are anyway Confused

).
I have two 30 seconds video of them but I don't know how to post them since they are not available online... Crying or Very sad

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What type of ''tank decor'' do you have for you Blood Parrots?

PinkParrot...

esoteric · Members Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Location: Colorado

My tank decor consists of many plants, a piece of fake driftwood, a ceramic jug and 2 pots (one is 3 in. and the other is 9 in.) I may break the 9 incher to take up less space though. All three BP's like the big pot and sometimes hang out together but sometimes the darker one gets kicked out. They really enjoy the driftwood cause they can hide and peek out from the bottom. I think I may have overfed them a couple times but I don't now. They have an ich outbreak right now but I will continue to treat the tank and change the water till everything is normal again. Oh there is a bubble wand in there too but they arent interested. I have had fish that swim in the bubbles but no one in this tank cares so I will downsize it a bit.
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"Workin' hard sometimes can help ya' maintain..."

puffermantis

I had a pleco in a 29g w/ tetras and barbs until he quit eating alae and started killing my fish. I watched him attack and suck a bloodfin until it was dead. He now is living with 3 large goldfish. They do kill and and I lost 15 tetras before I realized what was going on.
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John