Blood Parrot Questions?

Question

I have brought a few Blood Parrot 2 days ago.. But they seem to just hide at one corner and not swimming around.. What happen to them and what should i do? Any other fish species could share a tank with them?

There are 5 parrot fish inhabitating in currently. Fish tank size is a 2.5 litres fish tank. No gravel. Has been set up for 5 days.

It is a 20 litres fish than sorry for the typing mistake

Answer 1

First, you NEED gravel in the tank. Gravel allows a natural biological filter to establish and helps decompose the fish feces, uneaten food, etc.

Second, Parrots need shelter. They need places to hide in order to feel secure. A heavily planted area, or better, a cave, is perfect. Once they have a safe area, they will be braver, and come out for feeding, etc.

Third, believe it or not, parrots like friends of a different species. I'm totally serious. A few smaller, non-aggressive fish will make the parrots feel more social. I'd suggest a few female golden or blue gourami, or a few gold rams.

Be advised, parrots can grow to 7-8 in diameter, and they eat a lot, but they are peacful, and since they can't bite, they can't hurt other fish.

PS - you may have introduced the fish too soon, or shocked them with a PH change. Generally with a new tank the water is very alkaline (PH is very high.) Did you test it before dumping in the parrots? You should always add a few, hardy, inexpensive fish first until the biological filter gets up and running.

Answer 2

2.5 liters is not a fish tank - it is a vase!

Please return all the fish to the store unless you can buy them a proper home - for 5 blood parrots this needs to be a 300 Liter tank or preferably larger and the tank needs cycling or the fish will die from the pollution of their own wastes.
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Answer 3

I have also notice this behaviour especially in the young, having more BP in the tank will help, but you might then have a problem of having too heavy a bio-load for your tank.

Give them a week more to get use to the new environment, they might loosen up a bit. Also when they grow bigger, they do become more adventurous.

Answer 4

Without knowing what size tank it is and how long it has been set up it's kind of hard to tell you what's wrong and if anything else can be with them.

Answer 5

blood parrots are shy. try adding addt'l Cichlids. Hap Ahli, Yellow Labidochromis, Silver Dollars, Red Hooks. the more fish in the tank, the least likely the parrots will be to hide.