# Parrot fishes acting dead



## aryan (Sep 7, 2012)

I purchased 2 Parrot fishes 2 days back. When I introduced them to my tank they were very active & started eating live tubifex instantly. 

But now they are always in hiding & their body positions are such it seems they are dying but they will again get up & start swimming.

Is this normal ?


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## jschwabe5 (Nov 26, 2011)

Can you tell us a bit more info? How big is your tank? is it cycled? temperature? 
Parrot fish do like to have a hiding spot, a clay pot or two and plant cover will make them feel more comfortable. They like a large tank - 30 gallons, larger the better. Feed them a variety of foods -all worms can be too much protein. Here is a very good website with some more info. Blood Parrot Care Sheet | A club for owners of Parrot Cichlids


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## aryan (Sep 7, 2012)

jschwabe5 said:


> Can you tell us a bit more info? How big is your tank? is it cycled? temperature?
> Parrot fish do like to have a hiding spot, a clay pot or two and plant cover will make them feel more comfortable. They like a large tank - 30 gallons, larger the better. Feed them a variety of foods -all worms can be too much protein. Here is a very good website with some more info. Blood Parrot Care Sheet | A club for owners of Parrot Cichlids


My tank is 18 X 18 X 12.
Temp : 26 C

I never cycled my tank. I have one 650L/H power filter installed. I do 50% water changes by vacuuming the gravel every week. All my other fishes are healthy. Where I live test kits are not available.
I offered them pellets but they wont eat. Now they have almost stop eating.


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## Kate (Mar 16, 2013)

Yes, I've had them in the past, and they do lay like that, because they want to hide! After they get used to you, they should come up to you asking for food! As said, they like to have hidey places!


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## aryan (Sep 7, 2012)

Kate said:


> Yes, I've had them in the past, and they do lay like that, because they want to hide! After they get used to you, they should come up to you asking for food! As said, they like to have hidey places!


Unfortunately both of the Parrot fishes have died. I guess the tank was too small for them.

Now I have a big tank & I will think about buying Parrots again.

Thanks for your reply.


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## Berylla (Mar 4, 2013)

African cichlids shouldn't really be eating high protein food. It gives them bloat. Food high in veggies is good for them, like Hikari. LIVE TUBIFEX worms are probably the worst fish food since they come with lots of nasty pathogens and parasites.


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## aryan (Sep 7, 2012)

Berylla said:


> African cichlids shouldn't really be eating high protein food. It gives them bloat. Food high in veggies is good for them, like Hikari. LIVE TUBIFEX worms are probably the worst fish food since they come with lots of nasty pathogens and parasites.


I have stopped feeding live tubifex to my fishes. Now I feed them Tetra Pellets.


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## Berylla (Mar 4, 2013)

aryan said:


> I have stopped feeding live tubifex to my fishes. Now I feed them Tetra Pellets.


Excellent. If you do a google search about tubifex, they raise them in...what I can politely say as "waste".

Even live black worms can be bad, even though they are raised in closed system water ponds. The only thing LIVE, that is really safe for them are worms that are non-water based, like earth worms.


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## Littlejemjem (Mar 19, 2013)

Parrot fish need a much larger tank! 
If the tank was never cycled then unfortunately they probably died due to a build up of waste in the water. Even with 50% changes per week, if the beneficial bacteria isn't there that's not enough. There isn't really any excuse for not having an api master test kit these days, you can buy them off eBay and get them posted to your door. 
Please please do some reading about a fish less cycle before you purchase some more fish


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