My parrot fish is laying eggs! What can I do?

[mugenakuma]

Well for the second time in the past month and a half my parrot fish is laying eggs. She has spread an entire flat slate rock with her eggs, small little white balls. Earlier my tire track eel was trying to eat them but my parrot fish successfuly stopped the eel.

Is there any way I can get these eggs fertilized and hatched?

Any help would be appreciated. I can also provide pics if anyone is interested.

 

[Allivymar]

Not much you can do mugenakuma for a number of reasons.

Assuming you are talking about a blood parrot, they are either a crossbred cichlid or a mutated cichlid (there's some controversy about this). Either way, they are mules and are rarely fertile.

Even if it is a "true" parrot cichlid (Hoplarchus psitticus) one requires a male as well as a female; the male must fertilise the eggs as soon as they are laid.

Obviously, no matter what type of parrot it is, without a male there is no chance of the eggs being fertilised; however, she must be pretty happy in your tank to think its a fine place to lay eggs!

 

[mugenakuma]

Yea I am talking about a blood cichlid. I got it from Petco. Any way to tell if it's a true parrot cichlid.

too bad about the eggs. Oh well. I agree that she must be happy.
This is the first parrot cichlid I have had and I am hooked! They are great looking fish and seem to have real personalities. She's a lot of fun to watch.

It was so funny watching her push at my big tire track eel as he tried to eat the eggs.

thanks for the info Allivymar