Need advice on a Cichlid??

[tmoore2018]

I recently started up a 55 gallon freshwater tank, my boyfriend went to walmart and got a parrot cichlid. It was orange in in color in a tank full of black ones and was getting picked on really bad, so he felt sorry for it. The cichlid is doing fine and finally starting to swim about the tank, but I was thinking of putting it in its own tank and was curious if anyone knew about the parrot cichlid and if there was a way to tell male or female so I might be able to get it a mate? If not what other cichlids would be ideal for a 30 gallon tank devoted for 2?

 

[hdultra]

You might want to post a picture.

 

[tmoore2018]

This is a picture of my parrot cichlid, can anyone tell if its a male or female?

 

[Tom-tom]

To me that looks female, but it's not always easy to tell, her bottom fin is more round and generally that's female, and male more pointed... Generally

 

[brandonvos]

...could be the photo, but it does seem a little dull compared to mine.

 

[loveconvicts]

It does look female but from my understanding these fish cannot breed with other parrots. You'd have to get another non-hybrid male cichlid. For instance a male midas!

 

[tmoore2018]

I don't think I'm going to worry about breeding her, but I do feel bad because she seems so lonely. I do want to get a pair of cichlids for my 55 gallon but really like her, if I get convicts do you think they would hurt her?

 

[brandonvos]

I think Parrots are pretty unpredictable- probably from being a mix. In my African tank, I have one Parrot that hides all day and one that is a bully.

 

[ronnieroach]

i have 2 parrots.. one was a panda parrot, like i believe yours is.. he was white w/ black spots for about 3 weeks then as he grew, he turned orange.

and i had a pink convict in my tank and he didnt bother either of my parrots but he did mess w/ my giraffe & my jewel cichlids.