Do Blood Parrot Cichlids need heater, filter & lights

Do Blood Parrot Cichlids need an aquarium filter, heater, & lights?

Blood Parrot Cichlid is a hybrid breed of the Cichlidae family. Parrot fish was first bred in Taiwan around 1986. Do not confuse this fish with other parrots or salt-water parrotfish. Blood Parrot Cichlids are available in red, yellow & grey colours. Breeders inject the rest of the colours.

The scientific name of Blood Parrot Cichlid is Amphilophus citrinellus x Vieja synspilum. Other names of Blood Parrot Cichlids include Bloody Parrot Cichlid, & Blood-Red Parrot Cichlid.

Buy a large fish tank for Blood Parrot Cichlids. They can reach a length of ten inches. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase at least a 42-gallon aquarium if you wish to keep just a single fish.

Do Red Blood Parrots need a tank heater, filter & lights?

Do Red Blood Parrot Cichlids need an aquarium filter?

Install a large canister or hang on back filter in Red Blood Parrots Cichlids aquarium.

Blood Parrot Cichlids are big fish so they eat a lot. They also have the habit of digging which stir up detritus & algae. This is the reason why they need a big filter. A large canister filter will wipe out organic waste, leaving the water crystal clear. Buy a hang on back or canister filter, & install it outside water. Do not add anything that goes inside gravels, as Parrot Cichlids will simply disturb its functioning.

If you want to learn how to setup an aquarium for Red Blood Parrot Cichlids, then watch the video below:

How to setup a fish tank for Red Blood Parrot fish?

Do Red Blood Parrot Cichlids need an aquarium heater?

Install a heater in the Red Blood Parrot Cichlids tank.

Parrot Cichlids need a stable temperature b/w 24 to 29 °C. Hobbyists breed Parrot fish in captivity, in warm water. However, if you keep temperature below 27 °C, then your fish will become less social.

 

Do Blood Parrot Cichlids need aquarium lights?

Install lights in Blood Parrot Cichlids aquarium.

Blood Parrots need light for growth. Aquarium lights will let you see the beautiful colours of your fish. Avoid adding blue light in Blood Parrot’s aquarium as it could dull the colour of your fish’s scales. Do not add very bright lights, as Cichlids live in dark waters in their natural habitat. The wattage of light should be kept b/w 0.5 to 1 watt per gallon.

Do not leave your lights on for longer than twelve hours per day. Blood Parrots live in dark waters in the wild, so we recommend you to mimic their natural habitat inside your aquarium. Too much light can cause abrupt growth of algae. Do not keep your fish tank in a location facing direct sunlight, as it will increase the water temperature, & cause abrupt growth of algae. In addition, it is recommended to change the light bulbs if they are older than a year.