Can red blood parrot and Discus fish live together in one tank?

Thanks for using PetCoach. There really is no solution other than a bigger tank. 50 gallons is likely too small for 6 parrot fish once they reach full size. If you cannot get a larger tank asap, I would recommend setting up several smaller tanks, or returning or rehoming the fish until you have the correct set up, A good rule of thumb is 30 gallon for one and 10 more gallons for each additional Blood Parrot. As with any fish, the bigger the tank the better. Overcrowded they are going to fight and become stressed which can lead to disease and possible death. Here's a bit more info. http://www.parrotcichlids.com/parrot-cichlid-tank-setup.asp Good luck.

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.

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.

As long as thee oscars are small there will be no problem, however they grow very fast and they will eat all your other fish except the gouramis. So yes, you will need a separate tank for them and preferably at least a 40 gallon tank. The same is true for the parrots, another cichlid species.

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.

Thanks for your questions about your tank. You have a number of fish in your tank already - a general rule of thumb is 2.5 square centimeters of fish per 3.8 liters. Depending on how large your fish are, you may be close to the carrying capacity of your tank, and you will also need to plan on how the fish in your tank will grow over time (mostly the rainbow sharks). If you are looking for tank mates for discus, it is best to look for fish that are housed in the same temperature zone, and occupy different areas in the water column than they do. Examples would be bottom feeders like cory catfish, those that live on the sides and bottom such as plecos, and those that are in the middle of the water column like some species of tetras. For the question about vacation - I would not recommend leaving your tank for that long without someone checking on it regularly. Power outages can be detrimental for tanks, and water changes or additions would likely be required. Also, automatic feeders also have the potential to fail, and this could cause a large spike in ammonia if a large amount of food was fed, and starvation if there was no food dispensed over a long period. I hope that helps to answer your questions, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for reaching out about your fish. Dermatitis can be caused by poor water quality, bacterial infections and parasitic infestations. Checking water quality first, is the easiest. Correct any concerns. A skin scrape and microscopic examination is needed to diagnose parasites, as different parasites require different treatments. Antibiotics would be needed to treat a bacterial infection. Seek an examination with an aquatic veterinarian. Good luck.