Can parrot fish and flowerhorn breed? What do their babies look like?

Thanks for reaching out about this. Unfortunately this questions is more indicated towards a fish biologist than a veterinarian. Consulting a local fish breeders club for more information would be recommended. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about your aquarium. Parrot fish do possess teeth-like apparatus on the upper and lower jaw, capable of chewing invertebrates and coral. Using tongs to reach in for plants and other "furniture". Adding a male flower horn could interrupt the dynamics of the group, but also they could get around well. Human bite wounds from fish can possibly lead to infections from the water column, so cleaning your hands with soap and water anytime you enter your hands into the tank is recommended. When adding new fish, especially if concerned about aggression, providing plenty of hiding spots is important and monitoring the fish for aggression is mandatory. Be prepared to remove fish if aggression occurs. Good luck.

Vitamins will not aid in fertility. Being a hybrid species, most male blood parrot cichlids are infertile. Some breeders will use hormone injections, however, this should not be done without the advice of an aquatics specialist.

This "lip wrestling" can indicate aggression if you have two males or if you have a male and female, it may be breeding behavior. You'll need to watch them to differentiate between the behaviors. Males may need to be separated or placed in a larger tank. A female parrotfish will lay eggs on a hard surface in the tank and the pair will take turns caring for the eggs.

I do not think it is advisable. Blood parrot fish need a different temperature range from Discus fish. It is also likely that the parrot fish will bully the discus fish, which would stress them extensively possibly even causing their eventual death.

Hello and thank you for your questions. Here is a helpful link about Blood Red Parrot Cichlids: https://www.petsmart.com/fish/live-fish/goldfish-betta-and-more/blood-red-parrot-cichlid-4034863.html Here's another link about cichlids in general: http://www.tetra-fish.com/fish-type-landing/cichlid.aspx These fish can grow to be large so you will want to start with a 30 gallon tank minimum. I recommend to start with 3-4 fish. These can be housed with other fish but they need to be within the same 'community'. Decorations are important because they give fish a place to hide. Provide a few large rocks, arches and covered areas where fish can hide. Then you can place the plants around the structures. Live plants can aide in providing healthy water. Tetra is a good fish food brand. They have been around a long time and have many varieties to chose from to meet your fish's needs. Make sure to supplement with fish as described in the article as well. Lastly, the frequency of water changes depends upon your tank including water hardness, number of fish, size of tank, filtration system and if live plants are present. A good rule of thumb is a 25% water change every 2 weeks. Cichlids may not be the best choice for a first time fish owner without doing some prior research. I recommend to read up on general aquarium care, cichlid care and to stop by your local aquarium store to discuss any issues specific to your location (such as water hardness, mineralizations within the local water or low/high pH levels). Local stores that specialize in fish and aquariums are often dialed into the local water and can provide a lot of helpful information. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

She may spawn (lay eggs) about once a month. The male will then pass over them and fertilize them. Most male parrotfish are infertile, so be prepared to not have any viable eggs. Unfertilized eggs will turn opaque or cloudy after a day or two due to fungal growth. If the parents don't eat them, remove them to prevent fouling the tank.