# Blood Parrot



## ODST 223 (Aug 3, 2010)

Please discuss the food, conditions, lighting, and tank builds, not as in size though, for a blood parrot. And maybe the algae eater to go with it.*c/p*


----------



## kris_leonardi (Jun 28, 2009)

blood parrots are actually south american! 
but other then that, lighting really isn't a big deal, anything would work.
food, I feed mine just normal cichlid flakes. conditions basicially nitrates and nitrites should be zero and the pH should be over 8. also you might want to add cichlid salt after water changes, but obviously in proportion to the directions. 
I keep an exoctic pleco with mine, but any pleco should do.
and other then that, just some rock work with caves would do well.
hope this helps!


----------



## ODST 223 (Aug 3, 2010)

Thanks, and I am very sorry about the sub-forum miss. I knew they were hybrid but i didn't know the exact details.


----------



## Scuff (Aug 10, 2010)

Parrots are lovely fish, even if they do get a little large (8"-9" isn't unheard of). Are you planning on keeping just one, or a couple of them? In my opinion, they do well in small groups. They're not overly picky about pH (6.5-7.5, I've seen them living at lower and higher than that as well), temperature 76-80. Feed them a variety of foods; I feed a quality cichlid pellet diet, augmented with occasional meaty foods to keep it exciting for the fish. They like to dig, so whatever substrate you go with make sure it's of a slightly smaller grain than regular aquarium gravel, as I've seen them develop mouth problems with the larger stuff (as if they need even more mouth problems!)

Just about any species of pleco can go in with them, just make sure whichever you get that you have an appropriately-sized aquarium for its full size.


----------



## squishy (Apr 13, 2011)

i saw these in a pet store n fell in love with them b/c they always look happy to see you, though i have since learned on this forum that they can get pretty aggressive. how many of them would you be able to keep together in a 30 gallon tank? what other types of small fish could u keep with them?


----------



## rtbob (Jul 18, 2010)

A blood parrot is a man made species. A cross between a Flowerhorn and a Midas if my memory serves me correctly.

I would not keep one in anything smaller than a 55 gallon. Definitely do not mix this fish with African Cichlids of any species. They will eventually rip it to shreads.


----------



## tommy111 (Aug 10, 2011)

Blood parrots are semi aggressive fish. I have two in a 125gls long with mbunas and peacocks for over a year and they all get along just find. Blood parrots form a pair and will defend each other against other cichlids and by forming a tag team they become a force to reckon with. I have 32 cichlids in that tank and my two hybrid bloods don't take no ****.


----------

