Parrot Fish Care Guide

Parrot Fish Care Guide

 a juvenile blood Parrotfish

                                  Parrot fish is one of the cutest, beautiful and controversial tropical freshwater fish one can have in their aquariums. Parrot fish is very colourful fish with a round body and a beak-like head with very large eyes usually seen in saltwater parrot fish. They mainly come in different colours like yellow, red/orange, white, etc. They are generally very peaceful. One species is also named as parrot fish but it is found in oceans all over the world. But saltwater fish is totally different from this human bred freshwater parrot cichlid. 

tattoo parrot fish

                                  It is not a naturally available species in the wild. Parrot fish was created by breeding two cichlids of different species and hence parrot fish is considered as a hybrid species. Some people are even against breeding this species and consider breeding parrot fish as unethical.

juvenile parrot fishes

                                   People oppose their breeding because the result of cross-breeding between two different cichlid species has resulted in parrot fish which is seen to have too many deformities in it which makes it very hard for the parrot fish to survive and compete in an aquarium with other fish species. These deformities include the small mouth which makes it difficult for the fish to feed itself adequately. It can grow up to 7-8 inches. 

                                   They can exist with many other aquarium fishes due to their peaceful nature. They are reported to have lived up to 10 -15 years. They should not be kept with aggressive species in any community tank as they are not well equipped to compete for food with other tank mates. But they can be kept with Tetras, Angelfish, Danios, large gouramis, Barbs, Catfish and many other species. They are also very intelligent species and can soon learn to recognise the one who feeds them and they'll come to the side of the tank during their feeding time. 

                                   Important factors & practices to keep your parrot fish happy and healthy are as follows:

Water Condition: Although they are known to be very hardy fish species a well-maintained aquarium will help them grow healthily. Hence you should always maintain the water condition of your aquarium with the temperature ranging from 25-27°C with the help of an aquarium water heater. Parrot fish needs at least 30 gallons of water for each fish in an aquarium with lots of hiding places, few rocks & clay pot pieces and a substrate because they like to dig holes.

Water Filtration: Parrot fish creates a lot of wastage hence a proper water filtration system should be installed in your aquarium which helps in maintaining the cleanliness of the aquarium and control the growth of nitrite & phosphate which can contribute to the growth of algae which can kill your fish. A weekly water change is also highly recommended to maintain the aquarium water.

pH Level: The ideal pH level of water for Parrot fish ranges from 6.5 - 7.5. 

Feeding: Being Omnivorous in nature parrot fish feeds on pellets, flakes, brine shrimps, bloodworms, etc. Just make sure you not overfeeding them which can cause ailments to your parrot fish. 

                                  

                                   In case you have any queries related to this post or if you want me to get any more information on Parrot fish, you can comment in the comment box & I'll try to answer your query at the earliest.