Cichlid I think

[nortonpie]

Hi I am completly new to fish keeping and am worried about this one it is quite large-- some eight centimeters long maybe more. Been fine for six months, now he/she has black marks around it's lips.. He may have been digging in the rocks, but to be honest I don't even know what he/she is.

Can anyone Please identify this fish for me and help with the black lips??

Tanks to all.

[bevoman]

It seems to be a parrot cichlid.

[nortonpie]

Thanks for your input. Thats a great start Do you have any Idea why He/She has black lips.

Thanks Again

[Rex Karr]

Yes you have a Blood Parrot cichlid. The black marks are a natural part of the coloration, they will come and go. As the fish matures his adult coloration will begin to set. He will most likely not have the black marks as an adult, but if he does it would not be unusual.

[nortonpie]

Thanks so much I feel better you have been great and my Wife is thrilled..
Thanks again..

[the209jungalist]

I just wanted to say welcome Nortonpie!
Glad you can share the wonderful fish world with us!:dance:

[Rudy]

Very cool. I like the

[Vip]

dont worry about the marks, mine had them so bad once it looked like he was a dog after digging up a bone, the Blood parrot that you have there is a cross breed between two cichlids, a Red Devil and a Gold Severum, so they are as strong as a Red Devil but peaceful as a Severum (only because they cant open there mouth that much to do damage) they grow to about 30cm or so but my mates dad had one at almost 35cm!! what tank size have you got him in?

[Vip]

you can also get them in differnt colors

[jennigypsy]

2qik...
are these your fish?

[Vip]

nopers, i wish they were, would be cool haveing them all in there colors tho tru :)

[Vip]

ever seen what happens when you put a RD in with a BP??
its like they dance, they wack each others head with there tales for ages and wobble there bodies up against each other.

[jennigypsy]

" nopers, i wish they were, would be cool haveing them all in there colors tho tru "-2qik4u

Do you really? Do you know how those fish get to be that color?? They're dyed. It's really a cruel process...look up the thread 'jelly bean parrots'..or something close to that, you'll read some sad stuff.

[Vip]

OK OK i take it back.

Dipping - As barbaric as dye injections seem, this practice is even worse. The fish are first put into a caustic solution that strips off their protective outer slime coating. They are then dipped in dye, or injected with dyes, after which they are dipped in another chemical that irritates the flesh to stimulate re-growth of the slime coat. This method is very stressful, and has a high mortality rate.
poor things

[Vip]

how do they get albino fish? like oscars?

[jennigypsy]

Yah, the dye-thing is really yucky. The colors are something, but what they go through is so sad...and sadly with Easter coming, I wonder how many people (who aren't aware) will buy them thinking 'how cool! easter eggs for the tank!'
I think they breed for the recessive traits...(albino is recessive or a fluke of nature I think)

[Vip]

i know what i would say if i ever see one here in australia, i will tell them how they get that color even if it means they kick me out of the shop

[jennigypsy]

you go!! :)
The fish lady at Wal-Mart just rolls her eyes when she sees me....

[Vip]

LOL!! what do you do???

[jennigypsy]

I've given them some hell in the past about their fish dept..how they keep the fish, the fact that they sell 'painted glass fish'..she argues with me...one time when I was a little kid, she worked at another pet store (SAME LADY, can you beileve it!!) and argued with me over sexing gouramis..said you can't tell the difference. I was 10 I think, and I knew how to tell. She rememebrs me..and I'm 30 now. LOL

[stoopid]

She needs to find a better career.

BTW, 2qik4u, most specie of albino are natural/'found in the wild' from my understanding...

I mean, hate to see how they get those eyes all glassy!

Dunno about the Oscars though, hate to think they're being dyed.

[cichgirl]

Albinos occur naturally... There are albino people, dogs, horses, (used to be buffalo) cats, dogs, mice, chickens, you get the idea... I think it's a recessive trait that pops out every now and again if both parents carry it...

The day I see a blue or purple oscar I think I'll cry & buy it to make sure it gets a good life from there on in..... I know they're just fish, but I can't help it...

[Vip]

there are blue dyed oscars, well from what i just read there are

[Rudy]

The day I see a blue or purple oscar I think I'll cry & buy it to make sure it gets a good life from there on in..... I know they're just fish, but I can't help it...

Go to Big als. The blueberry oscars are the new flavor over there.

Right next to the froot loop tetras and the unidentifiably flowerhorn that they are trying to hawk for $249.99.

[cichgirl]

I know they exist, but I haven't seen one. If I went and bought up all the tortured fishies in the world just because I knew they existed, I would be looking very seriously at your stamp idea, Rudy... :hehe: It's harder to walk away when you actually see them.

[RedParrotBubbles85]

if you get a parrot get the ones that are juvies and they are brown and then they will eventually change to yellow red or orange. they will l ive longer b/c they did not go through the dying process.=)

[crazyfishlady]

Originally posted by cichgirl
I know they exist, but I haven't seen one. If I went and bought up all the tortured fishies in the world just because I knew they existed, I would be looking very seriously at your stamp idea, Rudy... :hehe: It's harder to walk away when you actually see them.

Yes but you would also be providing a market for that type of fish. If they sell, even if it's to people who are outraged & want to rescue them, they will continue to be made.

Supply & demand.