Blood Parrot Cichlid Anatomical Deformities

School Blood Parrot Cichlids,Blue, Green and Pink Have Been Injected with Food Dye

Blood Parrot Cichlid Anatomical Deformities 

The blood parrot cichlid is a deformed hybrid the most glaring and obvious deformities is its mouthwhich has only a narrow vertical opening, this makes blood parrots somewhat harder to feed and potentially vulnerable to malnutrition which promotes disease or death.

Known Blood Parrot Anatomical Deformities

• Mouth

• Swim bladders,

• Spines,

• Eyes,

• Irises; your blood parrot cichlid could have some or all these deformities. 

 

 If you have decided this is the only cichlid for your home aquarium than your blood parrot cichlid aquarium minim size should be 100 gallon =378.5412 or 379 liters; aquarium minim dimensions should be 60"L x 18"W x 20"H or bigger.  Remember the blood parrot cichlid female can grow to 8" and the male blood parrot cichlid can grow to 10" they are large cichlids and if  you want to add blood parrot cichlid tank mates such as the Angelfish, Corydoras, Glass Catfish, Kuhli Loach, Swordtails, Tetras, Plecos, Silver Dollars all of these fish can become large. However like the Angelfish which are cichlids they can and usually do become as large as the blood parrot cichlid so the size of your tank will matter.

Feeding your blood parrot cichlids to keep them healthy-raise your own live food-feed them live food like white worms, brine shrimp and water fleas as well as large flakes that your blood parrot can nibble on additionally this cichlid will require constant mentoring and you should think about a school of the parrots. The parrot is messy eater and you will have to do water changes and bottom cleaning hoses often.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

By Dr. Sengai Podhuvan

Blood Parrot Cichlid Photo with/Iris's and Mouth Deformities

The blood parrot cichlid (also known as parrot cichlid and bloody parrot; no binomial nomenclature) is a hybrid cichlid. The fish was first created in Taiwan in around 1986.

The Blood Parrots parentage consists of the Midas cichlid and the red head cichlid. Blood parrots should not be confused with other parrot cichlids or salt water Parrotfish (family Scaridae).

Because the blood parrot hybrid cichlid has various anatomical deformities, controversy exists over the ethics of creating the blood parrot. One of the most obvious deformities is its mouth, which has only a narrow vertical opening. This makes blood parrots somewhat harder to feed and potentially vulnerable to malnutrition. Some cichlid enthusiasts have called for their removal from the market and organized boycotts against pet stores that sell them.

• Description

• Genetic defects

• Breeding

• In home aquarium

Picture of a pair of blood parrot cichlids

Blood parrots are often bright orange in coloration, but there are other colors that they can have naturally, such as red or yellow. Other colors may be produced by dyeing the fish, which can shorten life expectancy. Some fish have been injected with a colored dye by the breeder like the blue, pink, purple or green. As the press has brought this practice to light, the majority of fish stockists will no longer sell these modified fish. Adult fish can grow to a length of 8–10 inches (20–25 centimeters) and reach an age of 10 years or older,

Genetic defects

As a result of careless inbreeding, the fish have several anatomical deformities, including a beak-shaped mouth that cannot fully close, which they compensate for by crushing food with the throat muscles. Some commercial foods have been developed specifically to be easy for blood parrots to ingest, and recently some blood parrots have been selectively bred to be able to completely close their mouths. Blood parrots sometimes can have deformed swim bladders, causing an awkward swimming pattern; abnormal spines, contributing to the unique shape; and unusually large, and often deformed irises.

 

Breeding Large Blood Parrot

Male blood parrots generally are infertile, but successful breeding has occurred. Normally, a female blood parrot lays eggs on a hard surface, and both parents guard the eggs unless the brood develops fungus, at which time the eggs will be consumed by either the parents or other fish.  However, fish farms have begun introducing male blood parrots injected with a hormone to increase fertility. Most female blood parrots are fertile.

 

Blood Parrots Tropical Fish Aquariums

Blood parrots are hardy and may be housed by enthusiasts singly, in schools, or with complementary species under a variety of conditions. Sufficient lighting can be provided by a variety of compact fluorescent lamps without the use of T5 or halide fixtures. The blood parrot cichlid are tropical fish and are voracious eaters they generate significant uneaten debris during feeding. High volume filtration and frequent substrate suctioning is recommended to minimize nitrates.