Parrot Cichlids Layed eggs!

[mamarobin777]

My parrot cichlid layed eggs last night. The man at the pet store said that they could not fertilize there own eggs. The Red Devil fish is the man for this job, he said. Now how will I know if he did his job? How long does he have after she lays her eggs?

 

[ferret]

Parrot fishes are unnatural hybrids (Ie, some human somewhere forced two fish that normally don't mate, to mate). Much like mules (From horses and donkeys), they are sterile.

I doubt the eggs can be fertilized.

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya mamarobin777 and welcome to Aquariumadvice

As with all fish, the eggs must be fertilised as they're layed; if the male doesn't fertilise them while the female is laying, they won't be viable eggs. Generally cichlid eggs are somewhat translucent; if they are opaque and white they aren't fertilised.

I'm guessing you're talking about the blood parrot. They aren't usually fertile anyway (even the females) as they are either a crossbreed or a mutation, although it does happen from time to time.

 

[mamarobin777]

Thanks to all. The eggs are cloudy.

 

[mamarobin777]

What about the Red Devil fish?

Was the pet store man right?

 

[Allivymar]

Hard to say mamarobin; theres a lot of controversy over what a blood parrot IS. Some say its a cross breed between a number of different fish (severums, red devils, synspilum, quetzel, etc, etc have been mentioned LOL) or a mutant severum. Because there is no definitive answer (I tend to think its a mutant severum myself) its difficult to say what a right answer is.

 

[Terry]

IMO i think that the parrot cichlid is a cross between a Red Devil and a Severum, I have had parrots in the store on several accasions and they have also layed eggs. I have never had any of the eggs hatch so i would think that it is right to say they are sterile. i had one pair that use to lay eggs every 4-6 weeks and each time they would not hatch or the parents would eat them after a couple of days. I do remember once reading an article on the parrot cichlid when they first appeared in the hobby and it had an heading "DO NOT BREED THIS CICHLID". If they were saying that maybe it men't that they could be bred, but to be honest i don't know as i have never had any success.

 

[ferret]

I've also heard convict cichlids are used in the cross-breeding.

 

[Allivymar]

Heh, that's exactly what I mean. Lots of rumors, but not solid facts. My thought is, if it is a severum hybrid, we should see occasional fertile pairs, but if there's been cross breeding between other species the chances are more limited.

I still don't understand why its such a mystery tho. I've read the asian breeders are trying to keep the market cornered so they leak out false information (hence the many different combinations), but wouldn't someone have tried those combos and figured out which works by now?

 

[Terry]

I think Alli, that it is just down to money, this is a multi billion $ business and the more secret someone can make it the more money they make.

 

[Allivymar]

I agree Terry. Just drives me nuts; all the mentioned fish that make up the supposed parentage of the blood parrot are all pretty common. Why is it no one has hit on the right combination in a home tank? Understand I am NOT a fan of hybrids and personally don't like the blood parrot LOL, but I also hate mysteries *grin*