Yesterday I was gifted 4 juvenile (3 inch minus tail) parrot cichlids!

I put them into a cycled 55 gallon tank that contains large rocks that make up lots of hiding nooks. I've read that parrots can be shy in new environments, but these guys make themselves invisible, hiding sideways under sponge filters, in tiny spaces (dangerously?) close to their heater, generally inhabiting tiny spaces in uncomfortable looking positions.

I also read that they appreciate dither fish, to be convinced that the area is safe so I swiped two juvenile giant danios from another tank in my home (yeah, I know I should have 6 or more danios together, but I don't want to accidentally cause a nitrite spike . . . I cycled/maintained the tank with 25 guppies, not a hippo) -anyway- the danios seem fine, but the parrots aren't taking the hint.

I'm impatiently waiting for my beautiful (non jellybean/dyed) parrots to stop freaking out. I've kept freshwater fish for over 10 years, but this is my first experience with any kind of cichlid.

I'm also obsessed with the idea of getting a very young oscar and ultimately having the excuse to get a 100+gal tank. I know of oscar/parrot bff pair that were raised together, 2.5 later they're very happy together in a double-filtered 55gal, but I know this might be the exception to the rule rather than a good idea.

In short (too late!)
Is a baby tiger oscar a bad idea for a group of 4 shy young parrots in a 55gal? And how many months/years until I would need a bigger tank for them?

I double filter my tanks and tend to obsess about fish health, my brain says 'no' buy my inner child says 'yes".

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current tanks:
20gal: one small fancy goldfish, 4 mystery snails
10gal: many mystery snail hatchlings & 2 female guppies
55gal: 4 juvenile blood parrots & 5 giant danios, 2 gold tetras.
55gal: 10 mystery snails, 1 CAE, 7 guppies and 6 cory cats
wishlist: 75+ gal for BPs before they get big

Parrots are very shy and it may take them a month or longer to become comfortable in a new environment. Once they are though, they are a hoot to watch. I have 3 of them and love it! So be patient and give them time. They will come around. As far as an oscar with them.......I wouldn't. Enjoy your parrots. They get along very well with angels and rainbow fish.

I'm so impatient. It has been four days, and my young parrots still make themselves TOTALLY invisible. I had to do a 20% water change because I noticed that they have not been eating most of their pellets. How long can they go without eating before it is a problem?

I have papered over 1/2 the 55gal to give them some privacy, removed some of the rock formations 'cause rotten food was getting caught in them. I left their favorite huge holey rock and they tuck themselves into crevices sideways, like little tapes in a VCR. I keep the lights off on the un-papered side in the hopes that they feel a little safer.

Would it be a bad idea to remove their favorite rock (there are still lots of bundles of fake plants and some not-so-stealth hiding places) so they are sort of forced out into the open? Or would that just prolong the freaking-out period?

I have to wonder if these little guys are a little off - their three siblings act the same way at my friend's house . . . and she's successfully raised a HUGE 10 year old parrot who eats from her hand.

Or perhaps I'm just used to other tropical fish who don't seem to mind me, my mooch-y guppies, and my fancy goldfish who seems to thrive on attention of any sort.

Any additional information on how I can best help my fish friends get comfortable would be very very welcome.

I'm currently off the idea of getting them an Oscar. It'd break my heart if an Oscar learned to freak out from the Parrots. (I once had a nutty guppy that stressed her tankmates to the point they were nearly nuts themselves, as soon as she went into quarantine, everyone else settled down.)

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current tanks:
20gal: one small fancy goldfish, 4 mystery snails
10gal: many mystery snail hatchlings & 2 female guppies
55gal: 4 juvenile blood parrots & 5 giant danios, 2 gold tetras.
55gal: 10 mystery snails, 1 CAE, 7 guppies and 6 cory cats
wishlist: 75+ gal for BPs before they get big

I know it is hard to be patient! But please do. I would remove the paper and just let them be. They will need to get used to their outside surroundings and keeping them covered will just prolong the adjustment period. I would suggest getting them something to hide in totally. I bought a big log at Petsmart with holes in it so mine can retreat into the holes when they feel insecure. I also bought urns with holes in them for the parrots to hide in. It helps them feel better and mine started coming out more. I would worry about putting an oscar in with them just because everything is lunch for the oscar! Let me know if this helps!

thanks for the suggestions! I love having an excuse to make fish-related purchases.

I think I"ll take the rock out that they have to turn sideways to hide in when they have new bigger things to hide in.

I'll post again soon!

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current tanks:
20gal: one small fancy goldfish, 4 mystery snails
10gal: many mystery snail hatchlings & 2 female guppies
55gal: 4 juvenile blood parrots & 5 giant danios, 2 gold tetras.
55gal: 10 mystery snails, 1 CAE, 7 guppies and 6 cory cats
wishlist: 75+ gal for BPs before they get big

I've removed all but a tiny stripe of the parrot's privacy paper and fed them bloodworms today. One actually came out of hiding for a moment while my arm was still in the tank! After 10 minutes they came out, but I was far enough away that I don't think they knew I was home. I'm so relieved that they are acting somewhat normal! And actually eating something!!

I couldn't find a log/cave that wasn't totally horrible looking so I purchased two large glazed strawberry pots from the hardware store. One is currently soaking in aquarium water and I'll re-rinse it several times before trying it out in the tank, (assuming that the glaze isn't going to be a problem) I think that they will make great hiding caves. I have an old aquarium decoration that has a glaze finish on it, so I assume that glazed plant pots are alright??

Steer me in the right direction if I'm headed for disaster, eh?
thanks!

__________________
current tanks:
20gal: one small fancy goldfish, 4 mystery snails
10gal: many mystery snail hatchlings & 2 female guppies
55gal: 4 juvenile blood parrots & 5 giant danios, 2 gold tetras.
55gal: 10 mystery snails, 1 CAE, 7 guppies and 6 cory cats
wishlist: 75+ gal for BPs before they get big

sheesh updating myself again. I'm acid-testing the glazed pots I used, if vinegar water doesn't eat away any of the glaze within 48 hours I'll continue to scrub and soak them before putting them in the water. I think I'll end up chickening out and putting something food-safe in there for the fish to hide in, like an old teapot.

__________________
current tanks:
20gal: one small fancy goldfish, 4 mystery snails
10gal: many mystery snail hatchlings & 2 female guppies
55gal: 4 juvenile blood parrots & 5 giant danios, 2 gold tetras.
55gal: 10 mystery snails, 1 CAE, 7 guppies and 6 cory cats
wishlist: 75+ gal for BPs before they get big

An old teapot would be perfect! I think the flower pots would be fine though. But I know how you feel about chickening out! I am glad they are showing you their cute side. Stay with it and you will be much rewarded!

I took their favorite hiding rock away and ended up putting it back after a few hours, since they've been hiding for over a week now I'm just getting used to the fact that they hide. I ended up returning the strawberry pots; after soaking one of them for over 24 hours (with more than 10 water changes) I thought I faintly smelled fertilizer or something gross like bug-killer on it. The teapot sat in the tank for a few hours but I removed it 'cause I kept getting startled by it being in the tank instead in my kitchen.

I hope that I don't stress them into illness but I've decided that I really don't like the blue gravel in their tank and I've put brown back in 1/3 of the tank and plan on doing the rest in increments so not _everything_ is changing all at once.

I'm going to start a new thread asking about how to build their tank properly, thanks for your help, Syd!

__________________
current tanks:
20gal: one small fancy goldfish, 4 mystery snails
10gal: many mystery snail hatchlings & 2 female guppies
55gal: 4 juvenile blood parrots & 5 giant danios, 2 gold tetras.
55gal: 10 mystery snails, 1 CAE, 7 guppies and 6 cory cats
wishlist: 75+ gal for BPs before they get big

Sounds like you have a plan! Good luck!

I wouldn't be changing gravel/taking out and putting in new decor right now.
Just wait a few weeks to let them get adjusted. Be patient. I recently got my first Blood Parrot and I find that keeping the tank light off for longer periods then at night (for their night cycle), makes her more active and not hide. And it also helps if the room your tank is has the lights off/is dark while your tank light is on.

If you want a reason to buy a bigger tank you could try smaller cichlids, such as Angelfish, or Rams.