Red Blood Parrot Fish. Description of parrot fish and how to care for them? Aquarium parrot fish how long does it live?

Red parrot fish is one of the representatives of the large cichlid family, obtained through breeding work. As a result of crossing various cichlids, this unusual bird-fish of the aquarium world appeared, which almost immediately gained popularity among aquarists. Parrots are relatively unpretentious, incredibly beautiful and very energetic - these advantages do not allow interest in them to fade, and more and more aquarium lovers are getting such original pets. But, like all artificial breeds, parrotfish have some features that owners should familiarize themselves with before introducing these beauties into their home tank.

The red parrot fish cannot be found in natural environment– it appeared as a result of the experimental activities of aquarists. The breed's homeland is Taiwan, where it was bred in 1964 using several species of cichlids, including cichlid severum and labiatum.

The fish are popular, so Asian breeders are in no hurry to reveal how they managed to get a new breed, and due to the inability of individuals to reproduce in captivity, their monopoly is maintained. They appeared on Russian territory in the 90s of the last century and quickly spread.

Description

Despite the fact that the fish almost immediately gained fans, debates about the advisability of breeding such hybrids do not subside, since representatives of the species have some disadvantages. For example, individuals have tiny mouth unusual shape. This undoubtedly complicates the feeding process and does not allow parrots to resist other fish with a large mouth.

As a result of genetic transformation, the spine and swim bladder of the fish were deformed, which affects their swimming abilities. Such hybrids cannot survive in the natural environment, and they also need certain conditions in an aquarium. The red parrot has a round torso barrel-shaped. This is a fairly large fish, good conditions growing up to 20-25 cm in length.

Due to the modified shape of the spine and small fins, parrotfish swim somewhat awkwardly. Their tail is no different large size. There is another hybrid species of red parrot - the heart-shaped one, which does not have a caudal fin; these individuals look even less graceful.

Because the fish nose humpbacked and in a certain sense reminiscent of a beak, they cannot be called cute. In some individuals, the canines and incisors show through. However, aquarists are more captivated not by the funny faces of the fish, but by their unusual, bright colors and funny habits, which cause a smile, and sometimes even tenderness.

Most often, the fish have a uniform color - red, yellow, orange. And since we're talking about about the artificial breed, breeders do not stop experimenting, giving the fish fancy shades, using chemicals. Dyes are added to their food, and they become the owners of original colors. But the new owner is often disappointed - after some time, without the “color doping”, the specimens turn pale and the color of their scales changes.

Based on red parrots, new hybrid breeds with a huge variety of colors were bred. Albinos are even often found among representatives of the breed.

Difficulties in content

Fish of this breed are unpretentious; even inexperienced aquarists can provide them with suitable conditions. The peculiarity of these pets lies, first of all, in the fact that their males are sterile, which means that it is impossible to obtain offspring of red parrots under normal conditions.

How and what to feed parrotfish

When these fish with an unusual mouth appeared on the market, the owners faced certain difficulties - not all food was suitable for feeding them. Today on sale you can find special ready-made diets intended for parrots.

Birdfish eat sloppily, leaving a lot of waste, so the tank will require frequent washing. The problem can be eliminated by adding non-aggressive medium-sized catfish to them - they will clean the bottom of food debris, preventing it from decomposing and rotting.

In general, red parrots are omnivores, and if the size of their food allows, they can eat both live and non-living foods. It is recommended to choose a flake, granular or tablet product as a daily diet. You can diversify the menu with the following food:

• live or frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp;
• live guppies and goldfish;
• shrimp;
• worms;
• vegetable and meat products.

Representatives of the breed lose their bright color with age, so experts advise including foods rich in protein and beta-carotene in the parrots' diet to maintain their rich color. Parrots are fed at least 2 times a day, giving food in small portions.

When breeding a hybrid breed, it was discovered that its representatives are prone to heterosis, that is, the fish are more viable than their ancestors. Parrots have good health, high immunity, and can tolerate changes in water parameters. All this allows us to recommend these fish to novice aquarists.

But there are still a number of requirements that should be adhered to when keeping pets of this breed:

• Parrots are large fish that leave a lot of waste and love to swim, so they need a large, spacious tank with a volume of at least 150 liters. In cramped conditions, their life expectancy is significantly reduced;
• water temperature varies between 26°-28°C;
• the maximum suitable stiffness is 5-7°, acceptable values ​​are 2-25°;
• pH value 6.5-7.5;
• the presence of nitrogen compounds - ammonia, ammonium, is unacceptable;
• nitrate level no more than 30 mg/l;
• water must be filtered and provided with aeration;
• lighting should be moderate; parrots look most impressive in the red spectrum;
• There are no special requirements for the soil, the main thing is that there are no sharp pebbles that can injure the fish;
• It is advisable to place living vegetation in the tank - parrots, unlike other cichlids, are not “vandals”, but it is better to plant plants in the background and on the sides of the tank.

There is one caveat - although these fish do not produce offspring, they prepare for spawning and spawn in specially prepared nest holes. While preparing them, parrots can dig up plants, but usually they make depressions in the same places. To save the vegetation, it is enough to transplant it to another area. Parrots need shelters - labyrinths, grottoes, snags, etc.

Who do red parrots get along with?

Relatives of parrots are cichlids, which are not particularly peaceful, but the bird fish themselves are quite calm and docile, so they can live in a common tank with other large inhabitants. The following fish can become “good” neighbors for them:

• angelfish;
• peaceful catfish - plecostomus, corydoras, Indian glass catfish, Kühl's acanthophthalmus;
• swordtails;
• tetras;
• dollar fish

If individuals of the above species nevertheless begin to show aggression towards the parrots, they may have to be placed in different tanks. At the very least, the owner should prepare for such a situation and at first carefully observe the pets and their behavior.

Sex differences

It is very difficult to distinguish females and males among young red parrots. More or less sexual differences appear in sexually mature individuals, and this occurs no earlier than 1.5 years of age. Typically, male parrots are larger, brighter than females, and have more pointed fins.

Breeding Features

The artificial origin of the breed is associated with the crossing of many species of cichlids. This resulted in male red parakeets being sterile. But this did not affect the instincts of the fish, and if the water temperature in the tank rises above 25°, they begin to prepare for spawning: they tear up the soil and dig holes. In addition, representatives of the breed independently form strong couples. However, the males are unable to fertilize the eggs and they remain nonviable.

Some aquarists manage to get mixed offspring if there is a fertile male of a species close to parrots in the aquarium, and he manages to fertilize the eggs. The fry will have similarities with the mother, and sometimes they are almost copies, but with defects in color.

Experienced breeders claim that the fry are gray-black in color until 5 months of age, and then become bright orange. They are fed in the same way as other aquarium offspring - Artemia nauplii or special liquid food intended for fry. In addition, the young animals are fed by the parents themselves, grinding pieces of food in their mouths and spitting them out in the center of the flock - this is a rather funny and touching sight.

The fry are fed 5-6 times a day. Also, do not neglect changing the water and siphoning the bottom - this will prevent the death of offspring from poisoning by rotting products. Parrots take care of the offspring, but conflicts and fights often arise in the pair. In such situations, it is better to remove the cichlids.

Red parrot fish are controversial aquarium inhabitants. They do not have grace, charming appearance or elegance, but their brightness, activity, and funny manners leave no one indifferent. In addition, they can live up to 10 years, which is quite a lot for such pets.

Photos of parrot fish

Video about parrot fish

In this article, we will talk about a popular representative of the aquarium world - the red three-hybrid parrot! I have mixed feelings about this fish. On the one hand, this is a bright, colorful, interesting and funny fish. On the other hand, it is the fruit of the wild imagination of Asian breeders: with a deformed body, doomed to infertility. Well, let's take a closer look at this creation of human fantasy.

Red Parrot Cichlid is the name this fish has abroad. It is immediately worth noting that there is some confusion among beginners in the aquarium hobby; there is another fish called the parrot - Pelvicachromis pulcher. Pelvikachromis pulcher is a completely different representative of the aquarium world, you can find out about it -.

Speaking about the red three-hybrid parrot, we need to start with the fact that it is an artificial breed. It was bred in 1964 in Taiwan by crossing various representatives of American cichlids. The exact name of the producers that the scientists crossed is kept secret by the latter. But, looking at the result obtained, one can guess that the genes of big-lipped labiatums also flow in the blood of parrots.

Summing up the results of the selection, we can say that the world saw a truly colorful aquarium specimen, which, of course, will always be in demand, both among beginners and professionals in the aquarium craft. But, probably, the fish itself is not happy with itself: a curved spine, an incomprehensible mouth, and the most offensive thing is that male red parrots are sterile, that is, they are actually incapable of spermatogenesis. The fish arrange mating games, dig nests in the ground, females lay eggs, but this is where the “celebration of new life” ends. The eggs remain unfertilized and die or are eaten by the producers over time.

Please note that all representatives three-hybrid parrots come to us from the hands of breeders Southeast Asia. The fish, or rather the females, have only one loophole - this is to enter into a mating union with another representative of the cichlid, which produces quite viable offspring, but, alas, they are far from resembling the mother parrot.

Parrots are primarily classified by body color. The standard color is red or juicy orange. There are other natural body colors: yellow, lemon, white. There are also subspecies of parrots, which are classified by color and shape of the fins: marbled parrot (marbled_parrot), panda parrot (Panda Parrot), unicornblood parrot, tailless parrot (One Finnage Red Parrot), King Kong parrot (King Kong Parrot) , Kavalan Red Ingot, Kavalan Red Mammon, Killin Parrot. In pet stores, you can also find artificially colored parrots; all the colors of the rainbow are represented here. Moreover, you can find tattooed fish.

Looking at latest photos, you can’t help but think about the perverted understanding of beauty in the minds of evil, Asian geniuses. The fish has already had a lot of trouble, but they still paint and tattoo it. The process of painting and tattooing is a terrible stress for the fish and a blow to its immune system. During the dyeing process, the fish is placed in an alkali solution, which dissolves the integumentary mucus; the mucus protects the fish from minor damage and infections. Afterwards, the parrots are dipped in paint or tattooed. At the end of the process, the fish is placed in a solution that irritates the skin, thereby causing it to produce mucus to restore the protective covering of the body. Few fish survive this terrible execution... :(Well, oh well. It’s a shame, but, unfortunately, it’s unlikely that anyone will be able to stop the “flywheel of commerce.”

Despite all the odds, this barrel-shaped fish lives ~ 10 years and can grow from 15 to 30 centimeters in length, depending on the size of the aquarium. She has a peaceful, fairly calm disposition, one might say very friendly and cheerful towards her owner.

Parrot fish are quite unpretentious to water parameters and living conditions. The most important thing to remember is that adults reach large sizes, so the aquarium should be at least 200 liters per couple.

Water parameters for Red Parrot Cichlid: temperature 25-28°C, hardness 5-7° (allowable 2-25°), pH 6.5-7.5. Actually, the water parameters are typical for most American biotopes. Good filtration and aeration is a must. The content of NH4, NO2, NO3 should be reduced to zero by high-quality water changes.

Sexual dimorphism in parrotfish is weakly expressed. It is possible to distinguish a male from a female only during the spawning period, when the female has an ovipositor and the male has a vas deferens. The vas deferens in males is sharp and narrow, and the ovipositor in females is wide and short, in the form of a tube.

The aquarium itself is equipped with non-sharp soil, stones, snags and shelters. During the spawning period, fish are quite territorial, digging the soil and moving decorations - building nests. In this regard, in an aquarium with parrots, it is quite difficult to maintain plants because the latter are often dug up. However, there is also successful examples keeping red parrots with representatives of the flora, as a rule, is , , .

Parrots are clumsy fish, so general aquarium they are kept with enough peaceful views cichlases or other moderately aggressive fish. For example, parrot fish look great with Denison barbs, Sumatran barbs, Congo barbs, as well as various types catfish-like fish: , , .

People often ask the question on forums: “The color of the parrot fish has turned pale, what should I do?” The recommendations here are quite simple. Parrots turn pale in bright light, so it is advisable to have lighting above the aquarium of ~0.3-0.5 Watts/liter. You can emphasize the beauty of the fish with a dark background and primer. It is also recommended to keep parrots in a temperature range of 27-29 degrees to enhance color. And, of course, the correct and balanced diet. Red parrots are omnivores and can be fed dry, live food, etc. There are specialized foods for parrot fish, for example, Tetra Red Parrot is the main food for red parrots. This food was developed taking into account the specific nutritional characteristics of these fish, this food takes into account the structure of the fish’s mouth, and the food also contains color enhancing substances - carotenoids.

Feeding aquarium fish OK must be correct: balanced, varied. This fundamental rule is the key to the successful keeping of any fish, be it guppies or astronotuses. The article talks about this in detail, it outlines the basic principles of the diet and feeding regime for fish.

In this article, we note the most important thing - feeding fish should not be monotonous; the diet should include both dry food and live food. In addition, you need to take into account the gastronomic preferences of a particular fish and, depending on this, include in its diet food either with the highest protein content or, conversely, with plant ingredients.

It should be noted that when purchasing any dry food, you should pay attention to the date of its manufacture and shelf life, try not to buy food in bulk, and also store the food in a closed state - this will help to avoid the development of pathogenic flora in it.

At the end of the article, we note that these amazing fish deserve special attention. Of course, like all cichlids, they tend to get sick and... no one is immune from this. But at the same time, parrots are shy and often stressed due to poor living conditions. Sometimes they become covered with black spots, which can be a sign of ammonia burn or a sign of basic stress from a nest you destroyed or because there are few shelters in the aquarium. Be extremely attentive to your pets and they will thank you with joyful emotions that only a fish can express.

All of the above is just the fruit of observing this type of aquarium fish and collecting various information from owners and breeders. We would like to share with visitors not only information, but also with live emotions, allowing you to penetrate the world of aquariums more fully and subtly. Register on, participate in discussions on the forum, create profile topics where you will talk about your pets in the first person and first-hand, describe their habits, behavior and content, share with us your successes and joys, share and learn from experience others. We are interested in every bit of your experience, every second of your joy, every awareness of a mistake, which makes it possible for your comrades to avoid the same mistake. The more of us there are, the more pure and transparent drops of goodness there are in the life and everyday life of our seven billion society. Interesting video about parrot fish

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 properly cared for. 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 is very interesting to watch the mating process of parrots, after which sometimes females can lay eggs that 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.

This photo looks like the result of Photoshop, but in fact it is a real fish called the Blue parrotfish. Amazing sea creature intriguing blue belongs to the Scarus family - perciform fish, numbering 10 genera and 80 species. The habitat of an unusual blue fish with a parrot-like beak is coral reefs in shallow waters in the tropical and subtropical regions of the western part Atlantic Ocean And Caribbean Sea. Some of its specimens grow up to 120 centimeters in length!

Description and habitat

Parrotfish have a powerful beak with many teeth on the outer surface of the jawbone. Thanks to their beaks, they feed by scraping algae and small organisms from corals and rocks, while spending 80% of their time searching for food. On average, the size of blue fish is 30-75 cm in length. As a rule, blue parrots live on coral reefs at a depth of 3-25 meters and are found in the western Atlantic Ocean, Bermuda and the Bahamas. Interesting fact: With the help of its powerful teeth, the parrotfish can grind small stones in search of food. On average, one such fish can produce up to 100 kilograms of sand per year, which over time leads to the formation of small islands and sandy beaches in the Caribbean.

Red parrot or parrot fish(Red Parrot Cichlid) - aquarium fish familiescichlids or cichlids (Cichlidae) .

Parrot fish- a hybrid of aquarium fish, artificially created by man. After numerous experiments, by the beginning of 1991, Taiwanese breeders managed to obtain offspring from crossing Cichlasoma synspillum and Cichlasoma citrinellum, which marked the beginning of an ever-increasing group of hybrids, united under the commercial name parrot fish. It is impossible to speak with certainty about the origin of the species, since the method of obtaining these hybrids is carefully protected by their creators and is a trade secret, but most likely the parrot fish was obtained by triple crossing South American cichlids .

Breeders from Southeast Asia are trying to maintain a monopoly on this type of aquarium fish, since these cute freaks have already managed to win the hearts of many aquarium lovers in all corners globe. Even though parrot fish when creating favorable conditions They are ready to reproduce and lay eggs; not a single experienced aquarist from other countries has yet managed to get offspring from these cute creatures. Thanks to its amazing and vibrant colors red parrot is in overwhelming demand, which brings considerable income to its creators, who breed this type only in their own country and are supplied to pet stores around the world. To the territory of Russia and former countries Parrot fish began to be supplied to the CIS in the 90s of the twentieth century and immediately won the hearts of aquarium lovers.

Appearance and sexual differences of Parrot Fish

Parrot fish is one of the most popular peace-loving cichlids. This type of hybrid does not have a Latin name - only its commercial name exists Parrot (parrot). Yours unusual name they received it, apparently, due to the shape of the head, somewhat reminiscent of the beak of a parrot, and the surprisingly bright and varied colors of the body. It is worth noting that, despite the apparent attractiveness appearance, parrot fish has a number of anatomical abnormalities that can sometimes be fatal for some individuals. In addition to infertility, such deviations include an unusual mouth, which the fish can open vertically only at a small angle. Therefore, feeding a red parrot is very difficult and, sometimes, such a deviation can lead to starvation of an individual. In addition, it is worth noting that the bright, varied colors of this species are also artificial, as supplier companies honestly admit. However, how the body is painted parrot fish, monopolistic firms prefer to remain silent, keeping trade secrets secret. Many enthusiasts from Western countries, guided by a humane attitude towards keeping and breeding pets, demand a complete ban on the breeding and sale of red parrots.

Parrot fish - extremely unpretentious and funny aquarium fish, which grows up to 10-15 cm. Anyone, even a novice aquarist, can easily keep these cute pets in his aquarium. Like all hybrids, parrot fish has a huge supply of vitality, extraordinary endurance and powerful health. Red parrot- a real decoration aquarium, since these touching creatures have an unusually bright variety of colors: red, blue, purple, cream, yellow, orange, green, etc. Sometimes you can find a “wild color”, which is similar to the color of some cancers and cichlases. It should be noted that over the course of life, the color gradually fades and to improve the color, the parrot fish should be fed with specialized food. For example, food enriched with carotene improves the red coloration of the red parrot's body.

Conditions for keeping Parrot Fish

Red parrot - a very active fish with a playful and funny character, therefore it needs free space for swimming. Contain parrot fish necessary in large aquariums with a capacity of at least 200 liters. In addition, it is advisable to create a current using a pump, since the ancestors of this species naturally live in reservoirs with running water. The most optimal water temperature for keeping parrot fish is 22-26°C with a hardness of 6.5-7.5 pH. Water in aquarium must be saturated with oxygen, so aeration aquarium, where it is contained parrot fish, is required. In addition, it is necessary to change up to 50% of the water in the aquarium weekly. It should also be taken into account that a red parrot, especially if the aquarium is small, can jump out of the aquarium, so it is better to cover the aquarium with a lid on top. The red parrot has no particular passion for aquarium plants, so you don’t have to worry too much about the design of the aquarium. The only drawback of this peace-loving fish counts great love to large-scale nest construction. Character red parrot simply wonderful and he easily gets along with many other species of fish, both peaceful and predatory. However, it is worth noting that despite their peaceful disposition, these fish should not be kept in aquarium with small fish (gracilis, young neon), since they can quite easily, despite their small mouths, accidentally swallow a small individual. The best partners for parrot fish are arowanas, black knives , labeo, medium and small sized South American cichlids, large and medium catfish, large barbs And characin fish . Red parrot He is not picky about food and eats both live and dry food with great pleasure. However, the parrotfish's favorite treats are floating pellets and bloodworms. After some time, they recognize their benefactor-owner and, flirting with him, begin to spin around the front wall of the aquarium. At proper care and maintained, a red parrot can last up to 10 years (that’s how long parrotfish live) and delight its owners with affection and rather funny behavior.

Breeding

Although males parrot fish are sterile and incapable of reproduction, as soon as the water temperature is slightly raised above 25°C, the instinct to reproduce immediately awakens in the fish and intensive nest building begins. At the same time red parrot capable of digging quite large holes in the ground and significantly changing the topography at the bottom of the aquarium. IN mating season parrot fish can watch with interest the ups and downs family life this fish. Sometimes females even lay eggs, however, males cannot fertilize them, and they remain non-viable. According to monopolistic companies that breed and supply red parrots, the fry of these fish are gray-black, but by about 5 months they acquire a bright orange-red color.

Diseases

Although parrot fish were bred artificially and did not undergo thousands of years of natural selection, they turned out to be immune to various diseases and viruses. The immunity of their parents, South American cichlids, probably affected them.

The first sign of health problems is a change in color; spots appear on the bright body of the parrot fish. Such symptoms indicate an increased concentration of nitrates in aquarium water. It is necessary to check the water for nitrates and if suspicions are justified, replace the water by at least 50% and rinse the soil. If the cause is nitrates, changing the water in the aquarium helps and the bright color returns.

The appearance of white dots in the form of a rash on the body of a parrot fish indicates infection with ichthyophthyriasis. To treat the disease, siphon the soil, change or wash the filter and replace a third of the water. Next we use Sera costapur, an excellent remedy for ichthyophthyriosis, which does not affect the water balance in the aquarium. Sera costapur decomposes in light, so it must be used at night or the aquarium must be carefully isolated from daylight. Medicine is added at the rate of 1 ml. (20 drops) per 40 liters of water. Every day we change the water by a third and add Sera costapur based on the amount of water changed. As a rule, after a week of treatment, the symptoms of ichthyophthyriosis in parrot fish disappear. The manufacturer of the product provides detailed instructions for the drug; read it carefully before use.