Hello,

I have been reading numerous posts for the last 4 hours about BP and JB fishes. A lot of fine and educational reading but I need pictures that "show me" (no I'm not from Missouri) the physical differences in the two species. On impulse, I bought 3 Jellybeans at my LFS. (Yes, Impulse! Along with a new tank and set-up. Lucky my fish didn't die from new tank syndrome) I only have experience with guppies and such, so a lot of the information about body shape, colors and demeanor of cichlids are a little foreign and confusing. I believe that 2 of my 3 JB may be blood parrots. I think that the 3rd one is a Jellybean. He or she is more round and flat than the other two.

I'm almost 4 weeks into raising them. I am feeding them frozen bloodworms twice a week, shrimp 3 or 4 times a week along with flakes, cichlid sticks and pellets. (I really think that they are raising me. Yesterday I went out and bought dried brine shrimp eggs and set up a hatchery.) I also added new tank mates, 3 small angels and 4 gouramis. So far everyone is doing fine except for 2 angels that are stressed. They perked up today when I fed them my first batch of shrimp.

Recently, the 2 that I believe are BP, have gotten chummy and rub against each other. They both attack (or should I say nub) the third one and wont let him swim out in the open. They are moving rocks around and have formed a pit underneath a shelter that I set up. The lovers both have a white tube extending down in front of their anal fins. Which one is the boy and which one is the girl? I thought that only females had a tube.

Any help would be appreciated. I will try my best to take pictures and post them later today.

Thank You
Beth

Here are the pictures of my fishes. If anyone can confirm that they are BP or JB, it would be appreciated.

Thank You
Beth

These are dyed blood parrot cichlids which is bad thing. The colors will fade away in a month or two. It appeared that they are young ones. You don't say how big is your tanks? Blood parrots can reach 10inch long and angelfish need high tank since they can be 6-8 inch tall. And you don't say what kind are your gouramis? You need really big tanks to handle big fishes... Are your tank cycled. You shouldn't be hurried up for add fishes to the tank while it is cycling.

Thanks for answering Butch,

I am known as the "tree hugger" in my family. I would never had bought the fish if I had known the process in which they received their coloring. However, I will not euthanize them nor can I take them back to the store. (against their policy) When I bought them, they were not near this bright or colorful. The blue(Rizzo) was actually grey, the gold(Danny) was a light greenish color and the pink(Sandy)was very pale with black splotches. They got brighter after I placed them in the tank.

I have 3 small angels, 2 honey gouramis, 2 dwarf angels? in the same tank. I did have striped danios and a couple gold barbs but they moved way to fast for the purpose of the tank. (soothing and relaxing) So after the tank finished cycling, I put those in my community tank and replaced them with the angels and gouramis.

My tank is 20G/76L tall. (I bought the tank for fish that weren't suppose to grow larger than 5 inches.)
Reagent testing:
NO3/NO4: 0
NO2 : Less than .3ppm
Ph: 7.4
Temp: 82F/28C

Can anyone tell the sex of the gold and blue? They both have white tubes that are extended.

Thank You
Beth




This post has been edited by justonemorefish: Apr 2 2008, 11:46 PM

Its pretty much impossible to sex blood parrots without actually seeing them spawn. Although rule of thumb with cichlids is male has thin pointed tube and female has thick blunt tube. Btw im sure you know but your tank is grossly overstocked, 2 adult BP's require at least a 55gal tank.

Hi T,

Unfortunately, I am so very aware of the inadequacy of my tank. Until I can afford a large tank, they have to stay in the little one for a while. Well, maybe longer than a little while. I don't even know where I would put such a large tank. Do you think that a 29G long will work for one BP with a couple of angels thrown in? The 55G will have to wait until later this summer when I can save up for it.


When I get a larger tank, what would be an appropriate mate for the female? A breed that is easy to care for (for a beginner) and will not produce a butt ugly brood?


Got to go tend the fishes.
Thank You
Beth

IF your parrots and angelfish survived (from dyeing and stress)......A 29gal plan won't be work, even in short terms and you can't just threw bunch of angelfish in that too. Angelfish are big cichlids too and need tallest tanks. And angelfish are very poor fighter if parrot decided to take over the tank. I suggest you that you need to save money for 75gal tank for house parrot and angelfish in.

And make plans for what you do with the fry if you want breed. Get rid of rest of fishes and leave whole tank to the female parrot and the male (?) since the parents would kill any fish that share tank with them. As for sell fry, I won't trust your LFS since they sell the dyed fishes then they might mislabeled your hybrid fry as they can be dangerous to the purebred cichlids. I'm not against hybrids as long as they are under management and keep it under control.

Convicts are easy to breed so you can use male pink convict to mate with the parrots. Flowerhorns, terrors and red devils are another choice for breed. But I would go with the convict as they are easy to breed.

But I don't think you are ready for the breeding business yet till you know how to keep the fish happy and alive.

Butch,

I've been out of town for a few days and haven't had access to a computer.

I am not planning to breed any of my fishes, (except those damn guppies) I was just curious about compatible mates for bloods. I just don't have the time or room for breeding fish. I did remove my angels and place them in the community tank and they seem to be doing all right, one of them is still stressed. I'm hoping they take care of my exploding guppy population.

Is it possible to put a pregnant guppy in with the blood parrots? and not have them attack the momma?

I have also been pricing larger tanks and they really aren't that pricey. Just the stands and all the equipment that go with them. LOL.

Thanks
Beth

That's just like saying my dog won't attack a wild rabbit. Which happens to be a lie. lol.

You know, I wouldn't trust parrots with anything except other cichlids, and other fish around their size. I'd say very bad choice putting in the guppy, despite your parrot's small size.