Parrot cichlids and flowerhorns?

My boyfriend has a 450L tank and is planning on getting blood parrots, oscars and a flower horn. He is wondering if they are compatible and if any other species can go with them. He has a pictus catfish, shark catfish and fire eel (10 inches) that he would like to have in the tank aswell.

Thanks

Nala

450l is too small to keep all three or even two. IMO blood parrots and flowerhorns are horrible hybrids that should never have happend. Oscars are fine but I wouldn't bet on the long term survival of any of the three tankmates

Here are the following steps you should take:

Step 1: Give him a good clip around the ear.
Step 2: Tell him to \"SNAP OUT OF IT !!\" repeatedly.
Step 3: Repeat 1 & 2 until desired effect is reached.

Please don't waste a tank with so much potential on such ugly hybrids. Also Parrots & Flowerhorns commonly run into swim bladder problems.Be careful of dyed Parrots too. Don't get me started on Oscars!!!!

End of random rant.

Peter OB wrote:

Here are the following steps you should take:

Step 1: Give him a good clip around the ear.
Step 2: Tell him to \"SNAP OUT OF IT !!\" repeatedly.
Step 3: Repeat 1 & 2 until desired effect is reached.

Please don't waste a tank with so much potential on such ugly hybrids. Also Parrots & Flowerhorns commonly run into swim bladder problems.Be careful of dyed Parrots too. Don't get me started on Oscars!!!!

End of random rant.

Parrots get all sort of internal organ problems, never mind curvature of the spine. Essentially all the internal organs are compressed and Peter is right in saying that the swimbladder is usually the first to pack it in. And he's also right that they are more often than not dyed.

Have not heard of ther same problems with flowerhorns. They are just big, awful fish. Why doesn't your boyfriend go for a real Central American cichlid species? There are many just as nice in colouration as any Flowerhorn. And you will find them a lot easier to breed if you desire to do so.

You could keep a pair of oscars in that tank but that's it. Very boring IMO but that's only a personal opinion. Just don't buy any of the long finned variety that have come on the market recently.

They're hybrids, neither of us care about that. Look at telescope eye goldfish with their visual handicaps, look at bulldogs that can't breathe properly, look at thoroughbred racehorses with legs that snap like twigs, look at daschunds with their delicate backs, look at Basset hounds with eyes so droopy they have sight problems, all of these are man made. I guarantee that a large proportion of people that complain about hybrids own a pedigree dog, each breed with its own set of problems. Having said that man-made creations are not all bad, in many countries with steep mountains or dangerous terrain mules are used as beasts of burden- donkeys are too stubborn and horses stumble too easily.

However one thing I will NOT tolerate is dyed fish. There are limits, and injecting fish with dye is plain wrong. I have seen terrible photos of blue, purple, green parrots- awful. Are the orange ones (literally the same colour as an orange) OK? I have seen photos of fluorescently dyed orange parrots

I asked whether the fish I mentioned in the original post could be kept together. I bought my boyfriend a fire eel as a gift and he has decided he would like to keep similarly coloured fish together with it as a theme for his tank (apart from the catfish).

Hi Nala.
Welcome aboard. I have kept Trimacs and red Devils before. These are two of the fish(allegedly) that are used to produce the Flowerhorn.
They do reguire harder water than Oscars for a start and will absolutely hammer him. Flowerhorns are extremely aggressive.
I would go for Trimacs which are almost identical to Flowerhorns and they don`t get those over exagerated Nucual humps. They are hard to come accross. Most Trimacs being sold are through backs from Fowerhorn parents.

I have a friend who keeps 4 Oscars in a 300l tank and they are
fine. Personally I would go for either smaller Centrals or south American cichlid or an African cichlid set up.

Holger + Peter
I don`t like the replies which both of you have offered.
It is bordering on bullying not matter how intended it have
seemed when you wrote it. Nala is a new member and I want her to feel welcomed and not imtimadated. I know you both
mean well and I aggree with you on the Hybrid issues but
a lot of members here are afraid to post or have left the forum because of posts like this.
The reason I did not send a pm is because this applies to everyone. If I see a beginner or any member being lambasted
I will be forced to take action.
Please be more tactful with your answers.
Anthony.............

Ps. sorry for any spelling mistakes as the weekend has left the brain a little number.

Fair Enough.

Apologies to Nala if it was taken the wrong way. Just my opinion.

@Nana,
Anto has a point. Maybe I came across a bit strongly. My apologies if that was the case. One of the main if not the main message this forum wants to get across, is that the welfare of our fish is our predominant reason d'etre. Some of us have been into fishkeeping for decades and have seen all sorts of fads come and go and all of them bad.
Parrot cichlids have been around for donkey's years and some people such as yourself seem to like them. Same goes for flowerhorns. Essentially I do not have an issue with flowerhorns so long as you do not crossbreed them with pure strain cichlids. Some people here will want to tar and feather me over this statement alone Flowerhorns don't have any obvious genetic defects that causes them discomfort. Parrots have that is why I am categorically opposed to them. IMO just because there are other types of hybrids other than fish doesn't mean that it justifies keeping parrot cichlids. Then again I don't like dachshunds either....
OK, back to your original question,
the three fish your boyfriend has in his tank at present will not stand up to any of the three cichlids, especially the flowerhorns and oscars will shred them in very short order.

Hi Nana,

I am probably taking a risk to become very unpopular on this forum, but if it makes you feel better I can show you my 450 L tank with 12 blood parrots and flower horn. I kept flower horn with parrots till he got big enough and started to dominate in a tank. To solve the problem I replaced him to the separate 250 L tank He is my most favourite fish I ever had, very healthy, very interesting and intelligent! He is 7 years old now and still playful and full of life. I still have 12 nice king-kong blood parrots in the tank and had no diseases or losses since tank setup (nearly 3 years). Blood parrots are 5-6” now and since I took flower horn away I never added any other fish, except pleco. Blood parrots do well in a soft and slightly acidic water and they are the happiest on their own or with other peaceful fish (example severum). Flower horn could be kept together only in that case if he is still very young and introduced to the tank later than blood parrots. But I wouldn’t recommend keeping them together, as you will probably have aggressiveness problems sooner or later.
I agree with the other comments regarding dyed fish, but regarding hybrids – they are the products of careful selection trying to improve existing qualities (shape, colour, size etc.) which requires many years of experience, knowledge and a lot of time and love dedicated to a hobby. 80% of dog breeds are cross breeds, result of mix breeding and very careful selection to achieve wanted qualities. For example, I have Great Dane and it’s original ancestors were mastiff type dogs. Result is – elegance, impressive size, reducing aggressiveness and even changing dog’s purpose from aggressive hunter to friendly companion. Same should apply to other pets including fish. Main fish purpose in fish keeping is ornamental. So, if cross breeding (hybrid) gives more coloured, impressive size and shape, increase in resistance to environment instability and disease – who can give me reasonable argument why shouldn’t I keep these fish?
If you like – I can show you my hybrids and I can guarantee you – you’ll absolutely love them!

Chris

good post chris. nala i know that one of the owners of petshoponline is big into flowerhorns and parrots i know some people dont like to buy from online but they do have a showroom if you want to check it out.
www.petshoponline.ie/customer/home.php?cat=703

Hi Chris,

I don't think you are risking becomming unpopular. You are entitled to keep whatever fish interests you. Other people don't have to agree with you, but they should respect your opinion.

If this was a cichlid forum the hitmen would be out already:laugh: I do agree that you should be able to keep the fish you want. As I already said I don't particularly like Flowerhorns but I'm Ok with people keeping them as long as they don't crossbreed them with pure strain fish. Or worse try to flog them off as a new species (unfortunately this is attempted quite regularly by some scrupulous idiots).

I draw the line at parrots though and I am not bothered by the looks of them per se. But due to their body shape they are prone to numerous health issue that stem from their shape. And before anybody starts calling me bigot or worse, am also opposed to any balloon variety of whatever fish you can get now. Anybody who saw the pictures from the last Aquarama in Singapore of pearl gouramies, rams, mollies, etc. will know what I am talking about

Everyone is entitled to keep what they like.
Personally I don`t like Parrots and am against the whole
concept of keeping them.Flowerhorns are a little different.
I actually like some of them but would not keep them.

Talking about Great Danes. They only live for about 10 years
due to their over size but this is for a dog Forum.


If you keep Fish for just astetic purposes then that is no problem, when you start breeding and selling Hybrid fish that is another story.

Enjoy your fish and keep them healty, This is the most important aspect of fish keeping.

hey Chris,
i saw your parrots and flowerhorns already when i bought the Juwel 96 litre tank off you, it was your tanks that gave my boyfriend the idea! Neither of us had heard of flowerhorns before.

Nala

Nala,

Sorry, I didn't know it was you.
I was just trying to bring some democracy to the forum. All hobbies start from search and learning. But when it comes to experience - it's very easy to become hard on beginners or those who have less knowledge. Advice is valuable when it’s based on proper argumentation or explanation not on personal opinion only. I am glad that on this forum we can deal with the opposite opinion in a very friendly manner.

Chris

Well said chris

Just to echo what was said earlier,as long as fish are kept well there should be no problem,other than prestige etc which is a personal preference thing.If hybridising improves a species then so be it.My feelings on the subject is we (humans)play God too much and use excuses such as prevention against disease to justify medaling.There were enough fish to fulfill needs before hybrids were \"invented\".
In saying all that they are here and here to stay.As long as healthy gene pools are not violated then thats a good thing.In saying that hybrids need to be looked after and it takes all sorts to make the world go round.....as long as they are cared for they don't bother me.
Having seen Chris's Flowerhorns and Parrots I was very impressed.They were lovely well cared for fish,who obviously enjoyed alot of care and attention.I wouldn't go out and buy them but if I had to, Id look after them every bit as much as my prized fish.I think alot of people (myself included) would think \" Hybrids are an abomination and I would not keep them\"!My mind was changed very easily!!