Parrot fish care and maintenance. Red three-hybrid parrot - a child of human hands

Parrotfish form a whole family in the order Perciformes. Why did scientists name the fish this way? Look at the photo of the parrot fish and you will understand everything!

These fish live in the waters tropical zones Indian and Pacific Oceans. Many divers dream of seeing this strange creature with bright colors in its natural environment, but this can cause considerable trouble for inexperienced divers. Indeed, in addition to its attractive appearance, the parrot fish has powerful jaws, which can cause damage to humans.

The fish got its name not only for the variegated color of its body and fins, but also for its “beak.” Yes, yes, on the head of the fish, in the mouth area, there is something like a beak, like a real parrot. This bone formation consists of small teeth that are located in a mosaic pattern on the outside of the jaws.

What does a parrot fish look like and what size does it reach?

As already mentioned, the parrot fish has a very bright appearance. Her body is painted different colors. Depending on the species, these fish are red, orange, and green. Often, against a general bright background, there are also patterns: blue, light blue, yellow. At first glance, this fish really resembles birds - parrots.

The length of the body of this fish grows from 30 to 50 centimeters. But among the representatives of this family there are also giants: the green parrot fish. The record length recorded by researchers was 1 meter 30 centimeters!

The body of the parrot fish has a wide and slightly laterally flattened shape. Thanks to its powerful side fins and tail, the fish can gain speed and move quite quickly underwater.

Parrotfish lifestyle and nutrition

For a comfortable stay, these fish often settle in coral reefs. Here they feed on coral polyps.

Parrot fish are the orderly of coral reefs.

Scientists assign these fish an important role in the existence of reefs. The fact is that with its “beak” the parrot fish scrapes off algae from the surface of the corals, which impedes the normal development of the reef. If it were not for these fish, then the coral reefs would experience something like “suffocation.”

This fish is also capable of turning stones into sand in a completely unusual way. How, you ask? She swallows a stone, and her digestive system dissolves it and brings it out in the form of sand. Some beaches on the Caribbean islands are created precisely from the sand that appeared thanks to this metabolism of the parrot fish. Scientists made calculations and found that one parrot fish can “create” about 90 kilograms of sand in a year! Just imagine - that's almost six buckets!

This fish has unique feature— she turns stones into sand.

The parrot fish is active during daylight hours and sleeps at night.

Except coral polyps, the parrotfish feeds on a variety of shellfish and worms.

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproduction of these fish in the natural oceanic environment. Researchers say that all parrotfish are hermaphrodites. At the beginning of life they are females, and then they turn into males, this is another amazing feature this fish.

Commercial value

In some countries of the world, parrot fish meat is considered a delicacy. But this ray-finned fish also has aesthetic significance - it is often kept in home aquariums as a pet.

Parrot fish is a popular aquarium inhabitant among experienced and not so experienced aquarists. A member of the cichlid family. Developed through selective breeding in Taiwan more than 20 years ago. It is characterized by a peaceful nature, so it gets along well with other species of the same size. Undemanding to the environment.

Description

The parrot fish has an extraordinary and bright appearance, which is remembered. Unusual shape bodies, flattened on the sides, funny cheeks, and often a slightly open mouth look intriguing. The outline of the head resembles the beak of a parrot, which is why the name itself comes from aquarium fish. Aquarium parrots grow up to 30 cm. Body size depends on the type of parrot. There are no red parrots in natural conditions. The fish in the pet store come from breeders.

Habitat

IN wildlife not found, artificially bred in 1986 by step-by-step crossing of several species of South American cichlids.

Varieties of shape and color of red parrots

The main color of these fish is a solid bright orange or red. It may fade a little over time, but in this case, to restore it, it is enough to add food rich in carotene to the fish’s diet (we will talk about this in more detail in the corresponding section of the article). Less common are albino or lemon-yellow fish.

All other various colors - crimson, violet, blue, blue, green - are obtained by artificial chemical coloring of fish, they are unstable, and besides, fish that have undergone this procedure lose immunity and are more susceptible to diseases.

What can we say about tattooed fish, on whose bodies various patterns are inscribed with special injections? You should not buy such fish under any circumstances, since many of them become infected during coloring and then die quite quickly. In addition, the demand for such animals creates supply and provokes their producers to disfigure and cripple more and more batches of fish.

In addition to plain colors, there are natural spotted ones - marbled and panda (white with black spots), as well as variegated diamond or pearl, obtained by crossing red parrots with another type of cichlases. Sometimes black spots suddenly appear in fish of the same color. As a rule, this is a reaction to stress, and after the disturbing factor is eliminated, the color is restored.

In addition to coloration, red parrots differ in the shape of their body and fins. The following varieties are distinguished here:

a heart in love - without a tail fin, the body is shaped like a valentine;
unicorn - with a growth at the base of the head;
King Kong - a heavily weighted fish with a fatty growth on the forehead;
red fortune - with elongated upper and ventral fins and a very large outgrowth on the forehead;
red ingot - with an almost disc-shaped body.

In short, when working with red parrots, breeders did not limit the flight of their imagination. Apart from parrots, only goldfish have such a rich set of deformities that seem cute to humans.

The Red Parrot is an enthusiastic fish that has the strength to stay active and mobile throughout the day. Keeping fish requires a large aquarium with free space for swimming: at least 200 cubic liters. It is recommended to build a pump with a current; all cichlids love underwater currents.

Proper care of an aquarium parrot involves maintaining acceptable parameters aquatic environment: temperature 23-26 degrees Celsius, acidity 6.5-7.5 pH. Aquarium parrots They prefer water saturated with oxygen, which requires high-quality aeration. Once a week you need to refresh half of the water tank, replacing some of the old water with fresh water. The red parrot is quite jumpy, so the tank must be covered with a lid so that the fish does not end up behind the “house”.

In order for fish care to be beneficial for it, you should not plant a lot of decorations in the aquarium. Many cichlids are indifferent to them, since they themselves are not averse to building something new in the form of a nest. The red parrot can coexist with peaceful big fish, so
some predators. Cichlid fish are not averse to eating small fish (neons, gracilis), so such stocking should be avoided. The red parakeet has a small mouth and can accidentally swallow small aquatic animals.

Recommended to be kept with arowanas, labeos, black knives, medium-sized South American cichlids, medium and large catfish, characins and large barbs. The parrot is a peaceful fish, so it will not attack the listed neighbors.

Nutrition

They consume all types of dry industrial feed and meat products. Protein supplements stimulate coloration and are more desirable than glamorous in the diet. It is recommended to purchase specialized food that takes into account the characteristics of the parrot fish, saving the aquarist from additional hassle in preparing food. Not all of the food will be eaten, be sure to remove any leftovers to prevent water contamination.

Reproduction

At good conditions maintenance, reproduction of parrots is possible without much effort; they often spawn in general aquarium. The main thing is to feed them heavily with live food, you will see how they gain color and begin to prepare for spawning. As a rule, the initiator of reproduction is the female, who, bending and trembling with her whole body, demonstrates her best colors. True, if this happens in a common aquarium, then the couple becomes aggressive and can be hard on the neighbors.

You can often see a pair of parrots cleaning out a shelter, throwing out debris and soil from it. As soon as everything is brought to the cleanliness they need, the pair lays eggs in the shelter, as a rule, this is 200-300 eggs. From this moment, until the fry can swim freely, the female remains in the shelter, and the male guards her (remember, they can beat their neighbors mercilessly).

The rate of development of the fry depends on the temperature. At a temperature of 29C, the fry will fully develop and swim within a week. You need to look closely, as it is dark and completely invisible against the background of the ground, and at the command of the female, the fry instantly hide. However, it is not difficult to understand that they swam, as soon as the female swam out of the shelter, that means.
4 month old juveniles:

The fry can be fed brine shrimp naupilii, very crushed flakes, or liquid fry food. In addition, the parents crush bloodworms in their mouths and spit them out into the middle of the flock with the fry, which looks funny. You need to feed several times a day, and a bottom siphon and water changes at such times are very important. This way, you do not allow waste to accumulate, which rots and poisons the fry. Both parents look after the fry, but sometimes they start to fight, in such cases one of the parrot cichlids needs to be removed.
Within two to four weeks, the fry will reach a size of 5 mm and can be separated from their parents. From this moment, the kribensis are ready for a new spawning, and they can again be placed in a separate aquarium.

Compatibility

Red parrots are peaceful creatures most of the time. The exception is the spawning period, when while protecting the nest they become very aggressive. You can keep them with equally peaceful fish of similar sizes. They are well compatible with catfish, labeo, medium-sized cichlids and characins. Avoid proximity to very small species, they may be mistaken for food.

Sex differences

Hybrid parrots become sexually mature by 1.5 years. Males and females can be distinguished by a conical anal tubercle; in the female it is pear-shaped. These differences are most noticeable during the spawning period. During this period, the fish begin to dig holes in the ground and can even dig up plants. To avoid such changes in the landscape, you can prepare a spawning site for them yourself. To do this, take a flat stone and place it in the corner of the aquarium (preferably under the aerator) so that its surface is approximately 45° with the ground surface.

Diseases

The immunity, like that of other cichlids, is strong. The disease goes away on its own. Treatment begins if symptoms of fish diseases appear:

white stool;
white lumps (like semolina) on the body and fins (ichthyophthyriasis);
blackening of fins (color change is a sign of intoxication);
lying on the bottom, spitting food (overeating, poisoning);
wounds on the body.

The main reasons are poor water quality, overcrowding of the aquarium, and contact with other sick fish. If you rarely change the water, then intoxication occurs with your own feces. Then the water change should occur twice a day every day.

For ichthyophthyriasis, it is effective to increase the water temperature to 30 degrees Celsius, as well as the use of drugs containing copper.

The aquarium must have places where the fish can hide. This will eliminate unnecessary stress.

Parrot fish is a member of the cichlid family. This aquarium fish was bred in Taiwan in the early 90s of the twentieth century by breeders. This species does not occur in nature. It is not known for certain what species of fish were used by breeders to create the parrot aquarium fish. This hybrid is a peaceful fish, but within its limits. If you put a parrot in an aquarium next to small fish, then, of course, he will eat them.

This beauty is best kept with large fish, such as African or American cichlids (Ostronotus, Elou, Zebra). The parrot fish got its name from its head, which looks like a parrot's beak. This is its distinctive feature.

The fish is very playful, which distinguishes it from many fish, and if you put it in an aquarium where some other fish already live, it will immediately begin to hide. But there is no need to be scared or worried about this. This fish is just very has a hard time with changing places of residence and new acquaintances with other inhabitants of the aquarium.

A parrot can hide in a grotto, behind plants. It is worth installing a shelter in the aquarium(plant, pots, castles) so that they can more easily endure stress and hide. Optimal water temperature for aquarium parrot fish 22-26 degrees. To avoid overheating of the aquarium, it is recommended to keep the fish at a temperature of 25 degrees. Weekly water changes are required, at least 30% of the total volume of the aquarium. If the aquarium containing fish is less than 200 liters, then changing the water becomes extremely important.

Reproduction

In fact, adults all spawn, but eggs always remain unfertilized. According to the most popular version, the males of this hybrid are sterile, that is, infertile. There is a very exotic version that all individuals of a hybrid parrot are females, and during spawning one of the females seems to imitate the behavior of the male. Such cases occur in the cichlid family, for example, in the well-known one. But this is not a proven version and is not the truth. Parrots have become very popular among aquarium hobbyists.

To maintain a monopoly in breeding this fish, Asian scientists keep the method of breeding these fish a closely guarded secret. This is most likely produced by triple crossing American cichlids. When parrot fish live together with other American cichlids, they create pairs and eventually produce offspring. However, these offspring end up completely different from parrots in either color or body shape. Although this also depends on what kind of partner the fish will have. By the way, there is still a tiny percentage of compatibility and the production of parrot-like offspring when crossing with American cichlids.

Coloring

I would especially like to note the coloring of this incredibly beautiful aquarium fish. The natural color is light orange of varying degrees of saturation. Fish come in a wide variety of colors:

yellow
red
violet
green

These are unnatural colors of the fish. It depends on nutrition. All green, yellow, purple fish are artificially fed using feeds high in carotenoids.

After 2-3 weeks, such a “painted” parrot, if this artificial coloring is not continued, begins to actively molt and becomes yellow with brown spots. Over time, these brown parrots will return to bright orange, red or other colors with appropriate nutrition. But this is a long process.

To maintain the bright beauty of this fish, it is best to immediately buy this special dyed food and watch how beautiful they become.

Also, for lovers of the truly exotic, there are so-called tattooed fish, on the sides of which flowers, inscriptions, hearts, houses are painted. These drawings remain almost forever. Tattoos are made with a special tool similar to a tattoo machine.

Black spots

In growing or adult individuals, black spots appear on the body over time, which then disappear on their own. It is impossible to say exactly why this happens, perhaps due to stress, but this is the norm for the parrot aquarium fish and there is no reason to worry. Photos of fish with such spots can be seen on the Internet.

aquarium catfish
young ostronotuses
barbs

But it is necessary to remember that all these fish grow large and they all need space. If you follow all the rules and care recommendations, the aquarium will turn into a friendly idyll for every fish. After adaptation the parrot slowly begins to recognize those who feed him and always swims to the front glass of the aquarium while feeding.

Parrots love clean clear water, therefore it is necessary to regularly maintain the aquarium, clean, add new water, filter. Adult parrots are constantly engaged in landscaping: digging, rearranging, pouring soil. Therefore, this point also needs to be taken into account when choosing decorations for the aquarium and it is necessary to place them firmly so that the parrot, having dug up the decorations, cannot overwhelm it.

Usually in aquariums with such fish do not contain live plants, since fish constantly dig them up, tear them off, and spoil the leaves. This is not a schooling fish. The parrot fish usually swims on its own, but at the same time, it feels more comfortable when it is not one, but a pair of individuals. It is recommended to keep either a pair or five fish, no less, because... if they create a pair, then one of the two aquarium fish will constantly “peck”.

Feeding

What and how much should I feed this bright, voracious fish? Ideal food - coretra, shrimp, bloodworms, granulated food. Due to excessive gluttony, the fish may die, so there must be a measure in this matter. As mentioned above, to maintain the color of the parrot, it is necessary to feed it with special food that colors the fish.

Parrot diseases

In general, this fish is characterized by strong health, it is quite resistant to diseases and viruses and can recover from them on its own, but infections that are characteristic of this hybrid are difficult to diagnose and treat. The following problems may occur with a parrot fish:

Intoxication, overfeeding - the fish lies at the bottom of the aquarium and practically does not swim.
Ichthyophthiriasis - white specks on the body of the fish.
Various wounds

The parrot is susceptible to infections typical of aquarium fish, which is often associated with poor water quality; the risk of disease also increases when the parrot is stressed and there are no secluded places in the aquarium. The easiest way to combat ichthyophthirosis is by raising the water temperature to 30 degrees, as well as with special preparations containing copper. I would like to say in conclusion that these unpretentious, very beautiful, bright aquarium beauties will decorate your home underwater world and they will always be happy for not one or two years, but will live for 10 years or more. With proper care, the aquarium parrot fish lives a long time and pleases its owner.

Red hybrid parrots are bred in Singapore and Thailand. This is charming peaceful fish obtained from crossing three species of cichlids: Cichlasoma erythraeum (labiatum) + + Cichlasoma “theraps” fenestratum.

The hybrid parrot's lips are curved so that it produces a smile that cannot leave anyone indifferent. What else attracts this fish? Firstly, she is large and peaceful, secondly, she is bright and very active, and thirdly, with proper care, she rarely gets sick, but if she does get sick, she can be treated. A definite plus - parrots are indifferent to.

This is what parrot fish fry look like

The most common types of parrots on sale are red, pink, orange and yellow. But the fry of this fish have a very inconspicuous, gray coloration. They become colored in the fifth month of life.

What to feed your parrot fish

Parrots are real gobblers, they always eat everything. Moreover, the first ones rush to the feeder and take food from other fish. You can feed them bloodworms, bark, shrimp, scraped meat and fish. Animal food can be alternated with artificial food for cichlids. You need to give limited quantity feed, otherwise overeating is inevitable and, as a result, the death of the fish is possible.

The parrot fish can grow up to 25 cm. It is so huge and harmless, and this is good news. There are also dwarf species hybrid parrots, the size of which does not exceed 10 cm.

Optimal conditions for keeping a parrot fish in an aquarium: water temperature 22-26℃, its constant aeration and filtration, as well as weekly replacement of 20-30% of the volume.

A pair of fish requires an aquarium with a volume of 150 liters. The parrot is a rather timid fish; at the first opportunity it hides in any shelter. These can be small structures, so it looks like she's stuck there. But as soon as you pour in the food, the fish is already “in the wild.”

Compatibility of parrot fish with other fish

His character is easy-going, so almost any neighbors will do. These can be small and medium-sized cichlids, catfish, barbs, and characins. Although they look ideal and get along with Cichlazoma severum and Turquoise Acara.

Sexual differences in parrot fish

With proper care, the red parrot fish lives up to 10 years.

Red parrot fish - video

Content:

The parrot fish is a species of fish from the cichlid family of the perciformes order, which belongs to aquarium hybrids bred artificially. Aquarium parrotfish went through a series of crossings and in 1991, after a long process of research, the red parrot species was bred. These interesting cichlids are quickly winning the hearts of aquarists and are widely popular due to their interesting appearance and habits. Easy to care for, peaceful nature and good compatibility with many fish give them a great advantage over other cichlids.

Description

Parrots have an elongated and high body, compressed at the sides. The most popular variety of aquarium parrots is the red parrot. A dark stripe runs along his body. The fins on the belly are bright red, and the back is dark. Parrot fish have one anatomical feature that often leads to their death. The fish have a beak-like head, which makes it difficult for them to eat food. Their small mouth also opens vertically at a shallow angle. Parrots often die of starvation from this.

Female parrots are smaller in size, but have greater body weight, as well as a different fin structure. The dorsal fin is highlighted with a golden frame and has several spots at the tip, while the caudal fin is chopped off and also has spots. Aquarium parrots can reach sizes of up to 15 cm in captivity. How long these fish live in an aquarium depends directly on their living conditions. Parrots usually live up to 10 years if they are cared for proper care. A red parrot can recognize its owner and show this with its spinning movements near the front wall. In addition to the red parrot, fish also come in other colors; there are orange, yellow, purple, and green parrots.

Aquarium fish parrots have a playful and inquisitive character, lead an active lifestyle and live happily with their relatives. To provide them with comfortable conditions, you need a large and spacious aquarium of at least 200 liters with a top lid so that the fish do not jump out of it. A filter that simulates flow is highly recommended in a container, since in nature cichlids live in flowing water. Basic water parameters: temperature 22-26°C, hardness 6-7.5°, acidity 6. Parrot fish will also need powerful aeration, since the water should be richly enriched with oxygen. One third of the water volume should be changed regularly, dirty water may lead to illness in the form of dark spots on their body.

The red parrot is not picky about the presence of living vegetation in the aquarium, but likes to build nests on its own, digging holes and thereby changing the landscape of the bottom. The lighting should be diffused, the soil should be small or medium pebbles. Proper keeping of parrots should mainly imply a sufficient number of hiding places for all the fish.

Feeding

The red parrot is not picky in its diet; it loves to eat live food in the form of bloodworms and small dry food. To avoid fading of the parrot's scales, it is necessary to feed it with special food containing carotene, which helps to acquire a reddish color to maintain the brightness of the fish's body color. Parrots should be fed several times a day in small doses and their diet should be supplemented with herbal supplements, vegetables and bread. But you should not overdo it with overfeeding these voracious fish, so as not to pollute the water. Leftover food may rot, but the fish will still eat it, which will lead to fish illness.

Breeding

Reproduction in aquarium conditions breeding parrots has still not been successful, no matter how favorable the parameters are created and no matter how hard experienced aquarists try. Male parrots are sterile and unable to reproduce. However, it is enough for the fish to slightly change the water parameters so that they instinctively begin to prepare for their reproduction by starting to build nests. Aquarium fish create holes in the ground and change the surface of the aquarium bottom.

It's very interesting to watch the process mating games parrots, after which sometimes females can lay eggs, which will remain unfertilized. However, some specialized companies involved in breeding these fish say that the hatched fry are gray-black in color and by 5 months they become multi-colored. On at the moment Western aquarists are fighting to stop the artificial reproduction of these fish.