Parrot Cichlid

The parrot cichlid (AKA the bloody parrot or bloody parrot cichlid) is an absolutely unique fish. It’s one of the most docile and shy fish in the entire Cichlid family.

They’re not picky about food and have been known to eat pellets, flakes and brine shrimp amongst other vegetables. They also don’t mind the company of different tankmates. They’re not aggressive by nature so they’ll do well with other similar fish.

Be careful pairing them up with other larger or more aggressive fish though. They won’t do much to protect themselves.

Breeding Parrot Cichlids

Here’s an interesting fact for ya… the male parrot cichlid is said to be infertile. Kinda strange, right? How is it that these fish even exist if the males are all infertile?

Well, I did a little research and it seems that back in 1986 this fish was “created” by cross-breeding. As a result of this “Frankenstein experiment”, the males were left infertile.

But, amazingly enough, there have been some successful attempts at breeding. There’s really no skill involved and it will come down to luck of the draw based on the parrot cichlids you have.

To enhance your chances, you first need to be sure you have a male and a female which can be extremely difficult to determine. It’s best to trust the judgement of a breeder. Once you’ve introduced them to your tank give them a few days to acclimate. Then, bump up the temperature 2 or 3 degrees.

This will mimic the warm-up in climate that happens in spring and summer and could help trigger spawning. That’s all you can do. Sit back and let nature take it’s course.