Order Perciformes ( Perciformes )
Family Cichlidae ( Cichlidae )
Cichlasoma hybr. “Red Parrot” — Red, triple-hybrid parrot cichlid.
This beautiful cichlid was artificially bred in Asia and is named the “Red Parrot” or “Blood Parrot” in English-language literature. This fish is called a parrot not because of its bright coloration, but due to the special structure of its jaws. The fish’s mouth is reduced to a minimum, and the jaw lines are curved, as if the fish received a blow to the nose and remained in that deformed state. This curvature somewhat resembles a parrot’s beak, and the high, separated anterior rays of the dorsal fin resemble a crest.
Bright, ornamental fish with unusual body outlines, featuring a rounded, spherical body shape. There is a characteristic hump on the fish’s back. The dorsal and anal fins are broad, with the last rays elongated into thread-like filaments. The caudal fin has a straight edge without a notch. The color of the fins matches the main coloration. Sexual dimorphism is most clearly manifested during the spawning period: the female has a pear-shaped genital papilla, while in the male it is conical.
It is worth noting that despite its seemingly attractive appearance, the parrot cichlid has a number of anatomical abnormalities that can sometimes be fatal for individual specimens. These abnormalities include the unusual mouth, which the fish can only open vertically by a small angle. Therefore, feeding the Red Parrot is greatly hindered, and sometimes such an abnormality can lead to starvation and death. They are undemanding, omnivorous, and highly resilient.
The Red Parrot is a hybrid rumored to have been first produced in Taiwan in the late 1980s. Few know that it actually originated elsewhere. According to Cher Chan in “Cichlids in Taiwan”, his first experience with them was in 1986. The parents of this hybrid were kept secret at the time, but today many farms in Taiwan produce them from male Cichlasoma citrinellum and Cichlasoma synspilum. Although the author doubts the purity of the parental roots. Below are various options for parent species, with strong arguments for each. • 1. Cichlasoma citrinellum and Cichlasoma synspilum. • 2. Cichlasoma erythraeum (labiatum) and Heros severum. • 3. Cichlasoma erythraeum (labiatum) and Heros severum “Gold”. • 4. Cichlasoma erythraeum (labiatum) and Heros severum + Cichlasoma (Theraps) fenestratum.
These fish are imported into our country from Southeast Asia, where they are grown in outdoor ponds. For this reason, as well as due to transportation shock, the fish often arrive infected with various parasites, especially Ichthyophthirius and Oodinium. Therefore, it is recommended to purchase these fish only from well-known traders, quarantine them for 10-14 days after purchase, and prophylactically treat them with an anti-protozoan medication, such as Costapur by Sera.
Red Parrots belong to large cichlids. Actually, these “freaks” are not so much scary as they are cute — a sort of swimming head with large eyes, a triangular mouth, and a tiny tail. When kept in an aquarium, the Red Parrot grows up to 15 cm in length. In a large aquarium, they can grow up to 25 centimeters (there are dwarf forms whose maximum length does not exceed 10 cm). This is a massive, big-headed fish with yellow or orange body and fin coloration. Among imported fish, there are minor differences, mainly regarding the mouth shape (in some shipments, the fish have “pouty” lips).
The fish is attractive due to its bright and uniform coloration. The coloration of the fish varies greatly, with orange and yellow forms being the most common. A “wild” coloration—similar to that of certain cichlasomas and acaras—is also encountered. It is now known that juvenile Red Parrots color up regardless of size at 4.5–5 months of age (moreover, feed quality and composition have little effect on reducing this timeframe!).
Mainly orange and yellow forms of parrots are imported. Bright red, purple, and crimson fish (“Jellybean Parrot”) can often be purchased. These fish have no natural coloration of their own; 90% of the “Red Parrot’s” color is due to colorants introduced into its body from the outside. This coloration is maintained through specialized “color-enhancing” foods containing large amounts of carotenoids that boost red colors. For the fish to retain its natural color, it must be fed foods containing high amounts of these dyes, and strictly brand-name ones—when fed homemade foods, the fish’s coloration inevitably fades and changes depending on the pigments contained in the feed.
If no colorants enter the body, the Red Parrot inevitably turns pink first, then dirty pinkish, and rarely yellowish. Bright red, purple, and crimson parrots eventually transition into the orange form. Blue and black color variations of parrots are imported less frequently. These colors take a back seat to red shades.
There is a variety with a complete lack of a tail (“Love Heart Parrot”), which is achieved simply by tail docking at a young age (like in dogs). Asian craftsmen have learned to dye these parrots in green, brown, and purple tones. Their skin is not bleached; instead, dye is injected directly into it, under the scales. However, in this case, the result is only partial: the fish grow, but the amount of injected dye remains unchanged. Accordingly, the fish’s coloration is seemingly diluted by uncolored body cells, like water. Over time, the tattoo spots blur, fade, and may even disappear entirely, leaving minor blurred patches.
They are very popular for several reasons. Firstly, many people like the coloration of large American cichlids, but when it turns out that their territorial aggressiveness prevents keeping more than 1-2 fish in an aquarium, the choice in most cases is made in favor of peaceful fish. Secondly, large red aquarium fish are a rarity. And besides, the undeniably attractive behavior of Red Parrots in the aquarium leaves no one indifferent.
Identification: Red Parrot — Cichlasoma Red Parrot.
Keeping Red Parrots in an aquarium.
Keeping “Flower Horn” cichlids in an aquarium. 
