Parrotfish belong to the cichlid family, perch-like order, they come from West Africa, where they live in forest reservoirs. The fish got such a strange name because of the colorful coloring and the peculiarly curved head, which vaguely resembles the head of a parrot. Many of us prefer to keep hybrids obtained by artificial crossing of three species in aquariums.
Aquarium parrot fish are very popular with aquarists all over the world, but no matter how hard they tried to get offspring, it didn’t work out, so breeders from Southeast Asia keep the conditions for successful breeding in the strictest confidence, supplying pet stores with these beautiful fish. Their anatomical feature in the form of a non-standard head very often prevents marine life from eating normally. The mouth opens at a small angle and only vertically, so the fish cannot absorb food normally.
Parrotfish need a spacious aquarium because they are very playful and agile. Their house shouldbe at least 200 liters in volume and 0.7 m long. To simulate the flow, install a pump. Since the fish came from warm countries, the water temperature should be at the level of 24 - 28°C. Small and medium pebbles are used as soil, water hardness should be in the range of 6.5 - 7.5 pH. High-quality aeration affects the he alth and lifespan of aquarium fish, so you need to take care of the constant saturation of water with oxygen.
Parrotfish are very sensitive to water quality, so you need to change about 30% weekly. This species has a habit of bouncing a little, so if the aquarium is too small, then it must be covered with a lid. You should definitely put snags at the bottom and build caves where the fish can hide during spawning. Due to its docile and peaceful nature, the parrot fish gets along well with almost all predators and "calm" representatives of similar sizes. Aquarium life involves the presence of several species in one house, and in order to avoid unpleasant situations, it is better not to add too small fish, because parrots can accidentally swallow them. This species is friendly, only during the spawning period males are very irritable, so it is better for them to coexist with fish swimming in the upper layers of the water. Ideal compatibility is observed with catfish, barbs, tarakatums, arowanas.
Aquarium parrot fish is unpretentious to feed, so you cangive both live and dry food. Over the years, the color of the scales can change and fade, so that this does not happen, it is necessary to give only high-quality food suitable for this particular type of fish - it must contain carotene. Fish absolutely can not overeat, so watch their diet! If any changes are noticed in the behavior of the parrot, it has become lethargic, swims close to the bottom, then it must be planted separately from other inhabitants of the aquarium. In the jig you need to add daily half a tablet of metronidazole and 0.5 g of kanamycin. In a week the fish will recover. Good care and quality food will allow you to enjoy the sight of these funny fish for years.
