Blood Parrot Cichlid
Hybrid (no wild scientific name)
The Blood Parrot Cichlid (Hybrid (no wild scientific name)) is a hybrid; semi-aggressive fish that's best left to experienced keepers. Give it a tank of at least 120 litres (32 US gallons), water held at 75-82°F, and a pH of 7-8.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
Central America
- Central America & Mexico
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Blood Parrot Cichlid Tank Setup
Give them at least 120 litres (32 US gallons). Cichlids are territorial and produce plenty of waste, so strong filtration and some rocks or wood to break up sight lines both help. Aim for 75-82°F and a pH around 7-8. They reach about 20 cm as adults, so don't be misled by the small juveniles sold in stores.
What Do Blood Parrot Cichlids Eat?
They're not fussy eaters - feed a varied diet, rotating good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods rather than the same thing every day, and match the food size to their mouths.
Blood Parrot Cichlid Tank Mates
Robust, adaptable Central American river cichlid - far more tolerant of varied water chemistry than Rift Lake species, but grows large and needs a correspondingly large tank. Territorial and increasingly aggressive with size and age; best kept singly or as an established pair. The Blood Parrot Cichlid is hybrid; semi-aggressive/territorial, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. It's a known fin-nipper, so avoid bettas, guppies, and other slow, long-finned fish. At around 20 cm fully grown, it needs tank mates that can hold their own against its size and appetite. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Blood Parrot Cichlids Good for Beginners?
Not a sensible first purchase. Get the tank cycled, keep easier fish stable for a year, then revisit if you still want the extra work this species demands.
Blood Parrot Cichlid - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Blood Parrot Cichlids need?
Blood Parrot Cichlids need a tank of at least 120 litres (32 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
What water parameters do Blood Parrot Cichlids need?
Keep them at 75-82°F with a pH of 7-8, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Blood Parrot Cichlids eat?
Blood Parrot Cichlids are omnivores and aren't fussy eaters. Feed a varied mix of good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods, and match the food size to their mouths. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Blood Parrot Cichlids good for beginners?
Blood Parrot Cichlids are not a beginner species. They need precise conditions and consistent maintenance, so build experience with hardier fish before keeping them.
Common mistakes with Blood Parrot Cichlids
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 120 litres (32 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
- Mixing with long-finned fish - Blood Parrot Cichlids will nip at bettas, angelfish, and other fish with flowing fins, causing stress and infection risk.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Check Blood Parrot Cichlid against any other fish → Compares water parameters, predation risk, fin nipping and tank size, and draws both at life size.
Fish to avoid mixing with Blood Parrot Cichlids
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- Pea PufferPredator - Pea Puffer will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Neon TetraSize risk - Blood Parrot Cichlids will likely eat Neon Tetra at adult size
- Bronze CoryIncompatible temperament or care requirements
