Parrot cichlid? in cichlid tank? Please help!?

I'm not quite sure how some people figure these things without having ever kept the fish, but I think CC is sending you to the right place at least. If you do any research on cichlid keeping, you want to go to cichild-forum.com. I don't keep Parrot's but I do keep and breed several different species of Africans like CC does too. At least in our case, you are getting advice from experienced breeders.

A 30 gallon tank would have to be a longer tank to work out with Parrots, but keep in mind these fish are also very slow moving. I would not house Parrots in with faster more aggressive types. Parrots have a deformed mouth and some are deformed so bad to the point where they cannot eat food even. If you have a single Parrot in a 30, that shouldn't be too bad, but the tank would be better off as a long then high.

Rams and other Apistos would work out fine. I wouldn't try mixing in anything bigger due to waste output and spacing. If you want to add in more then that, you'll have to move the tank size up. For now, you can go with bottom dwelling types.

Research buddy...And as you will find cichlids have varying personalities so you cant really say this will go with that etc. All i can say is stick the one region (malawi for eg) and don't mix 'New' and 'old' species. And lastly be willing to take a new fish back from where you got it....some are not all that friendly. Best of luck mate Angel

edit: like stated by the lovely catx look at smaller cichlids. This is one ive always had somewhere in my tanks and has low agression, very beautiful fish...http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_labido.php

30 gallons is too small for a Blood Parrot Cichlid, they need 55 gallons minimum. They get up to (and sometimes over) 8" long.

Look into smaller american cichlids.

I have seen parrots kept in with cichlids like severum's, angels, keyholes, dwarf pikes, and other similar temperament cichlids. You can keep them with other cichlids, but I would definitely get a larger tank if doing so. Check out these profiles, but remember to compare info on various sites

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/new_world_ci...

Parrot cichlids are wimps.There realy cool and not aggresive... but there and easy target.Mine got attacked a few days ago and I put him in a new tank.Don't get them unless you don't have very aggresive cichlids that will pick on eachother.

You can keep blood parrot cichlids with a variety of smaller community fishes. They can’t catch most of them. And their weird mouths keep them from threatening most fishes. We kept them with African cichlids in a 55, until the Africans started beating on them.

For Blood Parrots, you will need a larger tank for them, my 2 are in a 55 gallon. You might not want to put them in with any other specie of cichlids besides their own, Blood Parrots cannot open their mouths or defend themselves. They do have attitude, as the saying goes, their "bark" is bigger than their "bite"!!

This is a pic of my Gimpy:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29583684@N07/27797505...

and Jack:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29583684@N07/27815091...