Hi, new owner here!

[julia75]

Hi everyone, I've been lurking here for the past 2 weeks but decided to join tonight. I am a new mom to 3 Cichlids. 2 are blood parrots and the other is a Convict.

I got my tank over 2 weeks ago and I only had 1 Blood Parrot and my Convict. I felt that my Blood Parrot needed a companion based on what I read, so after a week I purchased my 2nd Blood Parrot. I also have different things in the tanks like "coral", plants, etc so they each can have territory.

Well since I've done that my original BP wont come out of her castle when I'm around. she creeps out to eat and the second she sees me she hides. Before she loved me and would come to the front of the tank and watch me watch her. Now she's all reclusive and scurries even if I come near the tank or in the room. At first I thought it was because of the other BP but they get along ever since they had their first spat. My convict doesn't bother her either. What is up with this?

Oh and my other BP Sunset likes to sleep against the tank in the plastic plants nose faced down in the same spot every night. It looks like she's playing dead but she is fine. She eats, swims, and seems happy. Why does she do this??

 

[Homedog98]

Well, when did you set up your tank? How big is it? Did you know about cycling? Sometimes fish act funny if they have bad water. If you own a test kit what are your water parameters? Sorry for all the questions, and welcome to AA!

 

[tyspot1000]

Welcome to AA!
Enjoy the forum

 

[medic747]

Welcome to AA

 

[cmor1701d]

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard.

 

[julia75]

Well, when did you set up your tank? How big is it? Did you know about cycling? Sometimes fish act funny if they have bad water. If you own a test kit what are your water parameters? Sorry for all the questions, and welcome to AA!

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!! To answer your questions: I set my tank up February 7, 2011. I did a 25% water change on the 12th because I got freaked when I tested the water and it tested high with nitrates for some reason. My tank is a 10 gallon starter. it's sitting at 76 but I turned on the heater because I read Cichlids do better in around 78-80. My filter came with the tank and the water looks good. I want to get a bigger tank but I have to get this fish care down before I buy a bigger one. My test results:

Nitrates: less than 20 but over 1
Nitrites: 3
total hardness: 300
alkaline: off the charts
ph: 8.4

I don't know what to do because these are the same reading I got even right after I did the water change. Should I just buy distilled water for my tanks because my tap water is so hard. I did treat my water before I used it with Ammonia Clear Tabs. But it's still not right. I was reading to lower ph I could use plants. Well I have live plants growing in there now. They are starting to show roots. I thought they would help, should I take them out?

 

[Krissy]

I'm no expert with Cichlids but have seen this -

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/cichlid/bloodparrot.php

Just states that blood parrots, if kept, should be in a tank of at least 55gallons for at least one. Only because they can grow up to 25cm.

Have a look at the above site! Has given me lots of info as thinking of changing my current fish community a change and giving Cichlids a go!

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium

 

[julia75]

Thanks for your response Krissy. Looks like I'm going on a shopping for a bigger tank. I just thought that I didn't need a bigger one until they got bigger. But I'm learning just how fast they grow. I just did a water change and Tropicana (shy one) came out of her little cave and she was visibly bigger and man she looked BEAUTIFUL! All her stress spots were gone and she is so BRIGHT! Like really vibrant. She also tried to nip the net I had in the tank, so I am thinking that's really good.