SEVERELY Aggressive Blood Parrot. .

[aquamami8326]

Hey Cichlid enthusiasts! I'm wondering if any of you have any experience with severely aggressive Blood Parrots? Mine is quite large now and trying to kill the only fish in the tank bigger than him. I'm going to post a video of the big blood parrot trying to pester my ghost knife. I'm seriously worried that the ghost knife will end up injured. . He's a sweetie pie. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I swear I can SEE the confusion on the ghost knifes face, he doesn't understand why. Im not as worried about the blood parrot, even if he does get injured I think he might deserve it I'm at my wits end. They obviously need to be separated, but do you think the ghost knife will even survive another month or more? They do this almost CONSTANTLY. If they don't up injured, they are definitely already stressed to the max. I just don't know what to do

 

[sinibotia]

How big is your tank? Both of those fish need a lot of space and are territorial. I would guess there's just not enough space for the both of them.

 

[mikem691]

Most don't realise that the blood parrot mix is aggressive and if it wasn't for the deformed mouth would probably be an out right killer.

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[Brookster123]

Most don't realise that the blood parrot mix is aggressive and if it wasn't for the deformed mouth would probably be an out right killer.

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Now they just try and gum you to death ({()).
Op- more details but it sounds.like ultimately one needs to.be moved.

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[aquamami8326]

@ Sinibotia- The tank is 55 gallons, so it IS small for the fish I have in there now. However, when I adopted the ghost knife last year at 10", he was in a 15 gallon tiny cube (dear god, I know). I decided when the ghost knife reached 14" and started to have a harder time turning in the 55, I would make the switch to a 180 gallon or larger. That would then leave 2 Blood Parrots in the 55. The ghost knife is MORE THAN CONTENT, besides the fact he's being bullied lol.
If this blood parrot really thinks he needs more than 55 gallons though. . I won't be able to give it to him that's for sure!

@mikem - After buying my first blood parrot, I did the research to see what kind of fish are usually bred together to form the hybrid. This one definitely has a lot of devil in him, that's for sure. The deformed mouth is the only reason my BGK is still whole, I imagine. Do you think the Blood Parrot will be able to do any damage at all until I can move him?

@ Brookster - LOL pretty sure the fish is going to gum things so much he gums himself to death. I've posted the details for this tank a few times, so I wasn't going to write it all out again. Any questions for info are welcome though! Just to check, I did a test on the water at noon today, I tend to have high nitrates because of our lake water so ended up doing a 25% change. Before & After Parameters-
Before
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrate 30 ppm
Nitrite 0
Ph approx 7.5

After
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrate 20 ppm
Nitrite 0
At this point, I completely concur. The big bully blood parrot needs to be moved. Im just worried about what's going to happen before I can do that.

 

[mikem691]

They will ram or head but the other fish. I would give the knife a tube to go into that the parrot can't fit.

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[aquamami8326]

I tried to post a video and it's just not working, but here is a still picture from it. Hopefully it works. If I got a smaller tube for the ghost knife, he wouldn't fit. . But he doesn't stay in the tube, he gets angry with the parrot poking at him. They are headbutting, the blood parrot is trying to lock lips I think, the ghost knife has even bashed the blood parrot down into the sand. It's terrible. I couldn't stand it anymore so the blood parrot is having a time out in the 3 gallon water change pail Maybe when I turn the lights off Ill put him back in there, and he won't be soo psychotic in the dark. I don't know.

Edit: the picture is really dark, sorry, the ghost knife isn't fond of bright lights. I'm gonna post that video on my Facebook and try to give you guys a link.

 

[mikem691]

Yea I think your going to have to rehome one of them or get another tank. Or a divider.

 

[Nils]

While the blood parrot is in there over night put a towel over so he can't jump out. Also it might be a good idea to add a heater, don't know how cold it might drop.

 

[mikem691]

While the blood parrot is in there over night put a towel over so he can't jump out. Also it might be a good idea to add a heater, don't know how cold it might drop.

Good thinking nils.

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[aquamami8326]

Our house temp is staying around 72 right now, and I put a heating pad under the 3 gallon pail with the psycho blood parrot. Temp is steady at 76 for the last hour or two. . He tried jumping out of the pail right aways so I sacrificed a Tupperware lid that fit on the pail, cutting 1/2 inch air holes all over it. Then made sure there were no sharp pieces that the fish could hurt itself on if it tried to jump again. Gah. Thanks so much for all the input guys!! I definitely feel a buttload better about the whole situation figuring things out here. Although I still feel terrible leaving him in the bucket I just can't even bring myself to put him back in the tank yet

 

[aquamami8326]

As luck had it, I actually found someone who could give the blood parrot a good home!! They have a 75 gallon tank with various other cichlids, including a blood parrot around the same size. It looks like it's very well set up with all sorts of Cichlid stones and caves to hide in. My fiancé is taking the fish to them this morning, and peace has finally returned. . Thanks so much everyone for all of your input

 

[mikem691]

That's good news

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[katiekelsey]

Not all parrots are aggressive. I have three of them and they get along with the other fish in the tank that also has silver dollars, angels and firemouths. They all get along just fine.

 

[TMRC Exotics]

For now

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