Red parrot (parrot fish). Parrot fish - a peaceful cichlid for the general aquarium Parrot fish interesting facts

In warm tropical waters among coral reefs, fish swim with a very unusual appearance- parrots. They got their name for the shape of the mouth, in which the fused teeth form a kind of bird's beak.

With its large incisors, a parrot fish easily bites off the branches of polyps, and in the depths of its mouth it has so-called pharyngeal teeth that grind corals into sand. Sometimes the fish feed on algae, which are scraped off rocks or sedentary invertebrates.

One of the features of parrots is that as they grow, they change color. The fry are more solid with stripes or spots on the body, red, brown or purple, and adult fish are full of green, blue, orange, yellow and red colors. The difference in color once made it possible to describe and systematize about 350 species, but when biologists figured out the patterns of color change as development progressed, the figure decreased by 4.5 times. Today, there are only 80 species of parrot fish from the perciform family. All of them are quite massive, body length varies between 13-130 cm.

Parrot fish are solitary, they live in a limited area and have a permanent shelter for the night. By the way, the fish prepares for sleep in a special way, it secretes a special mucus that envelops the body and protects against nocturnal predators. It takes about 30 minutes for a parrot to prepare a cocoon, and the fish spends about the same amount in the morning to release from under the “blanket”.

Like the rest of the scarid family, parrots are hermaphrodites. Their future sex depends on the ratio of the number of males and females at the place of residence and may change several times throughout their lives.

Many, for sure, have heard about the parrot aquarium fish, but despite the similar name and common features in appearance, marine life they are not related. The freshwater parrotfish was bred by Taiwanese breeders who still keep its origin a secret.

Parrotfish are friendly and calm, not shy, making them one of the most convenient for photographing. Still, divers are warned to keep an eye out for them. There have been instances of frightened fish hitting naive scuba divers hard or even biting them.

Many others interesting articles about fish can be found on the site

The red parrot (English blood parrot cichlid) is an unusual aquarium fish that is artificially bred and does not occur in nature. It is characterized by a barrel-shaped body, large lips folding into a triangular mouth and a bright, solid color.

In English-speaking countries, it is called Red Parrot Cichlid, we also have a three-hybrid parrot.
Don't confuse it with another cichlid, a small and colorful fish that is also called a parrot.

Cichlids are not selective in partners, and form pairs with others like themselves, and with other types of cichlids. This feature made it possible to obtain many hybrids, from different types fish.

Not all of them turn out to be successful, some do not shine with color, others after such crossing become sterile themselves. But, there are exceptions...

One of the well-known and popular fish in the aquarium is the three-hybrid parrot, namely the fruit of artificial crossing. Also, he is a child of genetics and perseverance of Malaysian aquarists. It is not clear exactly what cichlids this fish came from, but apparently a mixture of Central and South American cichlids.

Aquarium red parrot fish will be a wonderful acquisition for lovers of large, conspicuous fish. They are shy and should not be kept with large, aggressive cichlids. They love aquariums with many shelters, rocks, pots, into which they retreat when frightened.

The red parrot fish (Red Parrot Cichlid) is not found in nature, it is the fruit of genetics and experiments of aquarists. Their homeland is in Taiwan, where they were bred in 1964, not without and.

Although whether it is worth breeding such hybrids (and there are flower horn) is still controversial, animal lovers are worried that they have disadvantages relative to other fish. The fish has a small mouth, of a strange shape.

This affects the diet, in addition, it is difficult for him to resist fish with a large mouth.

Deformities of the spine, and the swim bladder, affect the ability to swim. Of course, such hybrids are not able to survive in nature, only in an aquarium.

Description

The red parrot has a round, barrel-shaped body. At the same time, the fish is about 20 cm in size. Life expectancy according to different information over 10 years. We can confidently say that they live for a long time, more than 7 years, since I myself was a witness. They would have lived longer, but died from the disease.

It has a small mouth, and small fins. The unusual shape of the body is caused by deformations in the spine, which led to a change in the swim bladder and, as a swimmer, the red parrot is not strong and even clumsy.

And sometimes they also remove the caudal fin, which is why the fish resembles a heart in shape, which is what they call a heart parrot. As you understand, this does not add grace to them.

The color is often uniform - red, orange, yellow. But since the fish artificial breeding they do whatever they want with it. Draw on it hearts, stripes, symbols. Yes, they literally draw on them, that is, with the help of chemicals apply paint.

Classical aquarists are jarred by this, but if people buy, then they will do it. They are actively fed with dyes and the fry turns out to be bright, noticeable, sold. Only after a while it turns pale, changes color and disappoints the owner.

Well, various hybrids, color variations, albinos and more.

Difficulty in content

The red parrot fish is unpretentious, and suitable for beginners. Because of their mouth shape, they have difficulty with certain foods, but special foods are available that first float and then slowly sink to the bottom.

After feeding, there is a lot of waste left, so get ready to clean up the aquarium.

Feeding

What to feed red parrots? They eat any food: live, frozen, artificial, but because of the shape of the mouth, it is not convenient for them to pick up all the food. They prefer sinking granules to floating granules.

Most owners list bloodworms and brine shrimp as their favorite foods, but familiar aquarists fed only artificial ones, and quite successfully. It is preferable to give artificial foods that enhance the color of the fish.

All large foods are suitable for them, from shrimp and mussel meat to cut worms.

An aquarium for red parrots should be spacious (from 200 liters or more) and with plenty of hiding places, as the fish is shy. At first, you will not see her, as soon as someone enters the room, they immediately hide in the available shelters.

In my practice, it took about a year to get used to, after which the parrots stopped hiding. Not setting up shelters is also not an option, as this will lead to constant stress and illness for the fish.

So you need pots, castles, caves, coconuts and other shelters. Like all cichlids, red parrots like to dig in the ground, so choose a not too large fraction.

Accordingly, an external filter is also needed, as well as weekly water changes, about 20% of the volume of the aquarium.

As for the parameters of the content, red parrots are very unpretentious, the water temperature is 24-27C, the acidity is about pH7, the hardness is 2 - 25 dGH.

Compatibility

Who does he get along with? It must be remembered that although it is timid, it is still a cichlid, and not a small one. So everything small fish she perceives as food.

However, in my practice they got along with, but here, as luck would have it, they may well score parrots.

Sex differences

Individuals of different sexes are almost identical. A female from a male in a red parrot can only be distinguished during spawning.

Breeding

Although red parrot fish regularly spawn in the aquarium, they are mostly barren. Sometimes, there are successful cases of reproduction, but more often with other, excellent fish, and even then, the children turn out to be colorless, ugly ..

Like other cichlids, they look after the eggs very jealously, but gradually the eggs turn white, become covered with a fungus and the parents eat them.

All fish sold here are imported from Asia.

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Red parrots are cichlids, but cichlids are unusual. They possess all positive qualities cichlids - intellect, interesting behavior, bright appearance. Here we will talk about how parrots appeared and what care they require.

These fish look like cartoon characters - bright colors, an unusual body shape, a touching cheeky face with a completely non-fish expression. You look at them and think: what a miracle nature has created! But the miracle in this case was not created by nature, but by the efforts of Asian breeders who obtained this hybrid by crossing two or three types cichlase.

The exact number and names of the parent species are unknown because they are a jealously guarded trade secret. Aquarists have various assumptions about this and there is evidence that someone allegedly even managed to repeat this crossing and get red parrots, however, all representatives of these fish sold in our pet stores and bird markets were imported from Southeast Asia.

Varieties of the 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 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, purple, blue, blue, green - are obtained by artificial chemical dyeing of fish, they are unstable, besides, fish that have undergone this procedure lose their immunity and are more susceptible to diseases.

What can we say about tattooed fish, on whose bodies various patterns are bred with special injections? In no case should you buy such fish, since many of them become infected during coloring and then die rather quickly. In addition, the demand for such animals creates supply and provokes their producers to mutilate and mutilate more and more new batches of fish.

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

In addition to color, red parrots differ in the shape of the body and fins. Here are the following varieties:

• a heart in love - without a tail fin, the body is shaped like a valentine;
• unicorn - with an outgrowth at the base of the head;
• king kong - a heavily weighted fish with a fatty outgrowth 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 a word, working with red parrots, the breeders did not limit the flight of their imagination. Such a rich set of deformities that seem cute to a person, except for parrots, only goldfish have.

A trihybrid parrot with a love heart body shape.

Behavior and Compatibility

Watching red parrots, sometimes you begin to doubt that their ancestors were only fish, and there were no dogs, for example. These creatures recognize their owners and joyfully greet them from work, beg for food and perk up if they see that the owner has opened the refrigerator to get them food. And how they care for partners and scare rivals, build nests and take care of caviar! It is simply impossible to break away from the aquarium.

If we ignore the enthusiastic lyrics, then it should be stated that the red parrots are not too active and fast due to the structure of their body, quite peaceful and accommodating, but nevertheless they sometimes show territoriality. Therefore, it is better to keep parrots either as a pair (male and female), or in a group of at least 5-6 individuals, so that the dominant pair does not terrorize the rest of the fish, and be sure to equip shelters.

If a newcomer enters the aquarium with an established group of fish, it is better to place him in the water in a special plexiglass jig for the first day so that the old-timers cannot offend him and at the same time get used to him. Another option is to temporarily restrict a part of the aquarium for a new fish with a partition with holes, this will also protect it from attack by other fish and allow it to develop part of the territory.

Another one feature red parrots - their fearfulness. Once in a new aquarium, they can run wild and hide for two or three months. In some cases, the presence of not too large active neighbors helps - seeing that other fish swim and feed calmly, parrots also become bolder.

Parrots can share an aquarium with most fish, as long as the neighbors are not too small and do not fit in their mouths.

Although the aggressiveness of the three-hybrid parrot is not as high as that of large parrots, it is still recommended to keep it in a species aquarium with other cichlids, since this fish is predatory and territorial. In large aquariums, it is able to exist with other large cichlids:, and. The parrot is able to fight back most aggressors, so slow-swimming giants are ideal neighbors for him.

Care should be taken to settle it with nimble fish, such as African cichlids and Sumatran barbs. These inhabitants quickly and actively eat food, while the parrot in the meal is leisurely, and may be completely left without food.

Neighborhood with small and peaceful inhabitants, for example, with most small haracins: neons, amanda tetras, erythrosonus, etc., is highly discouraged. It is not recommended to settle it with small platies: guppies, platies, mollies. They will become easy prey for a predatory parrot.

In general, the issue of compatibility is individual in nature and depends on the temperament of a particular individual. Some parrots can live quietly in herbalists with angelfish, while others are able to set their own rules in the aquarium, dig through the ground and disperse other inhabitants into the corners.

During the spawning period, trihybrid parrots can become extremely aggressive.

Aquarium equipment and water parameters

Like many hybrids, red parrots exhibit such a phenomenon as heterosis - an increase in viability compared to parental species. Thanks to this, parrots have excellent health and immunity, tolerate some deviations from optimal conditions well, so they can be recommended to beginner aquarists.

The main requirement for keeping red parrots is a spacious aquarium from 150 liters per couple.

Since the red parrot is a large, corpulent fish (usually 10-15 cm in size, but can grow up to 25 cm), and is also very voracious, in smaller aquariums, the concentration of fish waste in the water will be too high, which can lead to poisoning. In addition, the fish will not have enough space for swimming, and for aquarium fish Movement is life. Although parrots are considered strong and tenacious, a pair of such fish will not last long in a thirty-liter aquarium, despite all the assurances of illiterate or dishonorable sellers.

Water parameters:

• temperature 26-28°C;
• stiffness - optimal 5-7 °, permissible 2-25 °;
• pH 6.5–7.5;
• the content of nitrogen compounds - ammonia / ammonium - 0, nitrites - 0, nitrates - no more than 30 mg / l.

In the aquarium, powerful filtration and aeration are required.

Parrots prefer moderate lighting, from 0.25 to 0.5 W per liter, their coloring looks most advantageous under the light of red spectrum lamps.

Soil fraction size of great importance does not, the main thing is that the particles do not have sharp edges and cannot injure the fish.

Live plants are highly desirable. Red parrots, unlike other cichlids, usually do not spoil plants, but it is better to plant the latter along the back and side walls of the aquarium so as not to take up space for swimming. In addition, during the spawning period, fish actively dig nests in the ground, and all plants that interfere with them are ruthlessly dug up. But since the holes are usually made in the same places, the plants can simply be transplanted to another part of the aquarium, where they will be safe and sound. To decorate an aquarium with three-hybrid parrots, it is better to choose hard-leaved plants with a strong root system, for example,.

Parrots are territorial fish, with a built-in hierarchy within the group, so it is necessary to build a large number of shelters in the aquarium.

These can be shards, grottoes and halves of a coconut shell, but it is best to place several long winding snags in the water closer to the back wall of the aquarium and intertwine them with each other in the form of a kind of labyrinth, thus creating a whole system of passages and caves where you can hide.

Feeding

One of the cute deformities of the red parrot is its very small mouth, opening only vertically to a slight angle. Some sources indicate that because of this structure of the mouth, the parrot is doomed to starvation if it does not receive special small granules produced specifically for this species as food. This claim seems somewhat exaggerated. I have never seen a red parrot starving for lack of these pellets. Moreover, feeding only dry food is just as harmful to them as it is to any other fish, although Red Parrot specialized food is highly desirable as part of the diet.

Red parrots are rare gluttons who gladly eat almost any dry food (for example, they have been repeatedly seen stealing slightly soaked catfish flakes), love finely chopped fish and shrimp, chopped vegetable food - peas, zucchini, red pepper. The latter, like red fish and shrimp, contains a large amount of carotenoids, which enhance the brightness of the color of these fish. Therefore, such products must be present in the diet.

Feed red parrots once or twice a day in small portions. In the evening, you need to feed long before turning off the light in the aquarium, and be sure to make sure that everything is eaten, otherwise in the morning the fish can finish eating yesterday's already spoiled food and get poisoned. Once a week there is a fasting day.

Spawning

Due to their hybrid origin, the males of this species are sterile and cannot fertilize eggs, respectively, the reproduction of red parrots is impossible. But despite this, they form pairs, arrange mating games, build nests, lay their eggs and guard it intensely, fanning them with their fins. After a few days, all the eggs turn white and are eaten by the parents.

Sometimes female red parrots form pairs with males of other types of cichlids (for example, diamond cichlids), and in some cases they manage to get quite viable offspring from them, which, however, do not look like parrots.

Diseases of red parrots

As mentioned above, due to heterosis, red parrots have excellent health and strong immunity, and in good conditions practically do not get sick, and when they get sick, they can be successfully treated.

They are most often found the following diseases:

1. . This is generally one of the most common diseases of aquarium fish caused by ciliates. The body and fins of a diseased fish are covered with white tubercles the size of a semolina grain. I must say that in red parrots that came from Asia and were not quarantined, sometimes there is a tropical, fulminant form of this disease, from which the fish die literally within a few hours, so treatment should begin immediately after symptoms are detected.
2. Hexamitosis. Caused by flagellates that infect the intestines of fish. Symptoms are whitish slimy feces, food refusal or spitting out, and then small pitted ulcers on the fish's head.

A fairly common problem is also the poisoning of red parrots with nitrogen compounds, usually ammonia, due to incorrect start-up of the aquarium or too high stocking density of fish. At the same time, the fins of the fish turn red or blacken and become emaciated, the fish begin to suffocate, so they stay in the filter jet or at the surface of the water with protruding gill covers. In this case, you can help them with frequent (several times a day) water changes. Between changes, hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, methylene blue or specialized aquarium preparations such as Antiammonia are added to the water.

These problems and diseases will bypass your parrots if they are kept according to all the rules, which are not so complicated. In a large, well-equipped and neglected aquarium with clean water these fish with a bird name, cartoonish appearance and dog habits for a long time - and parrots live up to 10 years! - will bring you only joy.

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

Red parrot fish can not be found in natural environment- it came about as a result experimental activities aquarists. The breed originated in Taiwan, where it was bred in 1964 using several types of cichlids, including cichlid severum and labiatum.

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 breed in captivity, their monopoly remains. They appeared on the territory of Russia in the 90s of the last century and quickly spread.

Description

Despite the fact that fans almost immediately appeared in the fish, disputes about the advisability of breeding such hybrids do not subside, since representatives of the species have some drawbacks. 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 need certain conditions in an aquarium. The red parrot has a round torso barrel shaped. This is a fairly large fish, in good conditions. growing in length up to 20-25 cm.

Due to the reshaped spine and small fins, parrotfish swim somewhat clumsily. They don't even have a different tail. big size. There is another hybrid species of the red parrot - heart-shaped, without a tail fin, these individuals look even less graceful.

Because the fish nose humpbacked and in a certain sense resembles a beak, you cannot call them pretty. In some individuals, fangs and incisors look outward. However, aquarists are more captivated not by the funny muzzle of the fish, but by their unusual, bright color and funny habits that cause a smile, and sometimes tenderness.

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

On the basis of red parrots, new hybrid breeds have been bred with a huge color variety. Among the representatives of the breed, even albinos are often found.

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 get offspring of red parrots under normal conditions.

How and what to feed parrot fish

When only 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 designed for parrots.

Birdfish eat carelessly, leaving a lot of waste, so the tank will require frequent washing. You can fix the problem 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 omnivorous, and if food size allows, they can eat both live and non-living food. As a daily diet, it is recommended to choose a flake, granular or tablet product. 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 color brightness with age, so experts advise including foods rich in protein and beta-carotene in the diet of parrots in order 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 found that its representatives are prone to heterosis, that is, the fish are more viable than their ancestors. Parrots have strong health, high immunity, can tolerate changes in water parameters. All this allows us to recommend these fish to novice aquarists.

But still there are a number of requirements that should be followed 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 most suitable stiffness is 5-7 °, permissible indicators are 2-25 °;
• pH 6.5-7.5;
• the presence of nitrogen compounds - ammonia, ammonium, is unacceptable;
• the level of nitrates is not more than 30 mg / l;
• water must be filtered and aerated;
• lighting should be moderate, parrots look most impressive in the rays of the red spectrum;
• there are no special requirements for the ground, 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 give offspring, they prepare for spawning and spawn in specially prepared holes-nests. During their preparation, parrots can dig out plants, but they usually make indentations in the same places. To save the vegetation, it is enough to transplant it to another site. Parrots need shelters - labyrinths, grottoes, snags, etc.

Who do red parrots get along with

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

• angelfish;
• peaceful catfish - plecostomuses, corridors, Indian glass catfish, acanthophthalmus Kühl;
• swordsmen;
• tetras;
• dollar fish.

If individuals of the above species nevertheless began to show aggression against parrots, they may have to be planted 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 happens no earlier than 1.5 years of age. Usually, male parrots are larger, brighter than females, and their fins are more pointed.

Breeding features

The artificial origin of the breed is associated with the crossing of many types of cichlids. This led to the fact that the male red parrots were 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 the ground, dig holes. In addition, representatives of the breed independently form strong couples. However, males cannot fertilize the eggs, and they remain unviable.

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 almost copies are obtained, but with defects in color.

Experienced breeders claim that fry up to 5 months of age have a gray-black color, and after that they become bright orange. They are fed in the same way as other aquarium offspring - brine shrimp nauplii or special liquid food intended for fry. In addition, the parents themselves feed the young, grinding pieces of food in the mouth and spitting them out in the center of the flock - this is a rather funny and touching sight.

Fry are fed 5-6 times a day. Also, do not neglect the change of water and the siphon of the bottom - this will exclude the death of offspring from poisoning by decay products. Parrots take care of the offspring, but often conflicts and fights arise in a pair. In such situations, it is better to transplant cichlids.

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

Photo of parrot fish

Video about parrot fish

Aquarium fish are the most unpretentious pets. They do not require constant care, do not make sounds, but only please with their beauty, having a relaxing effect on the nervous system.

Necessary care limited to feeding and cleaning the aquarium.

Fish with bright colors in light water look especially cute. They are smart, inquisitive.

Important distinguishing feature- comparatively long term life, these individuals, called parrots water world, stable, and more likely to live with the owner for many years.

The color of the fish

Parrot fish are bright and unusual. In addition to the color, the owners are captivated by their face. It is because of her that the pets got the name parrot.

It has the same shape and proportions as the pied birds, except for the absence of a beak. Chubby cheeks and a childish expression of the muzzle evoke tenderness in everyone who was lucky enough to see them.

Color varies from bright red to white.

Fish can be naturally of several color shades:

• Red.
• Orange.
• Yellow.
• Pink.
• Raspberry.
• Fiery red.
• Marble.
• Pearl.
• White.

The latter color is extremely rare in nature. White parrots are considered albinos, their body structure and head shape are no different from others. prominent representatives kind.

Absence pronounced color is due to a genetic feature associated with the production of pigment.

Other colors are less common:

• Blue.
• Violet.
• Green.

Shades of these tones not natural, if you bought a fish with this color, it is dyed. Sellers of aquarium animals use dyes that are resistant to the aquatic environment.

They are relatively safe, but still negatively affect the fragile body of an aquarium fish. The water will dissolve the artificial paint after a few months.

There are varieties with bright black spots. over marble. These parrot fish are called pandas. Black spots have correct form are located in different locations.

Another variety that deserves attention is the unicorn. The shape of the head is distinguished by a characteristic protrusion, which makes the sea parrot look like a unicorn.

Interesting fact! Breeders bred all these varieties by crossing.

In the course of the experiments, such rare varieties were bred as a fish with a fatty layer, called King Kong, and a fish that completely lacks a fin on the tail of the body.

Parrots are quite capricious in terms of content. To keep these pets in good health, follow the rules that are appropriate for keeping all similar types fish.

5 basic rules for keeping aquarium parrots at home:

№	Care rules	Notes
1	Water temperature should be between 22 and 28 degrees	Temperature fluctuations in summer or winter time should not violate the temperature limits, otherwise the fish will get sick or die
2	1 time per week the water is changed by a third	Periodically it is worth carrying out a complete cleaning of the aquarium, the fish are resettled in another container in the same water
3	Feeding is carried out in accordance with the characteristics of this species.	Do not feed the fish with “foreign” food or something else
4	The width of the aquarium - from 70 centimeters	Minimum size for comfortable living aquarium fish medium size
5	Availability of devices necessary to maintain a normal microclimate in a liquid medium	Thermometer, compressor, pump, filter, lamp

For this species, it is important to have places, where you can hide. Soil, stones, driftwood are placed at the bottom.

The relationship system assumes that each individual has a house. They live separately, without comfortable living conditions they can get sick.

The container is kept under a special lid, which ensures that the pets do not jump out, pushing off the surface of the water.

Parrots can do this, they tend to do this. Also, the lid will protect them from the sudden eagerness of the cat to hunt in the aquatic environment.

Who do parrot fish get along with?

These pets are friendly, they are devoid of aggression, unlike their closest relatives.

Compatibility in terms of neighborhood will be ideal if you add some similar individuals to them:

• Somiki.
• South American cichlids.
• Arowana.
• Black knives.

Angelfish are not a good choice for the neighborhood, as they feed on algae, which serve as a home for parrots. Small fish will simply become food.

Any neighborhood possible only if there is free space. A cramped aquarium will limit the freedom of individuals, which will cause stress.

Breeding Secrets

Reproduction of individuals is possible only in a laboratory where breeders work.

At home, females lay eggs in the second year of life. They choose a male and carefully protect offspring. The eggs die in the process because fertilization does not occur.

Males of this species Initially, they enter pet stores sterilized. There is no chance to breed this type of living creature on your own.

Lifespan

Parrots, when properly kept, show high level resilience. They are able to live for about 10 years. Average age death - 7 years.

Important! Life expectancy depends on factors, including genetic predisposition, conditions external environment, food.

Features of feeding

Parrots cannot open their mouths wide like other types of fish. This makes eating difficult. To prevent starvation of pets, feed them only small food.

A monotonous diet is not allowed in the form of dry food. The body of pets requires a balanced diet.

Finely chopped worms, shrimp will do. Use vegetables: zucchini, bell pepper, chopped peas.

Manifestation of stress and disease

Watch out for the first signs of illness in your pets. They are expressed by white excrement and white spots on the fins. Treatment should begin immediately, this will save the life and health of pets.

Poisoning occurs with a small amount of water and in large numbers inhabitants. If water changes are rare, the fish are poisoned by their own waste.

To maintain health pets should be provided with more space and frequent replacement of the third part of the water.

Useful video

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