The Red Parrot Fishes.
4 months ago my dad handpicked himself a pair of red parrot fishes. They look cute – he thought. What luck, it turns out to be a pair of female and male….
It was Lunar New Year when the pair had their first offspring. Some were eaten, some just died, some nip to death by tiger barbs or angels… Desperate, I seperated the parents and last baby into another aquarium. Anyway, the last fry died in the end =(( but that begins my fond liking for red parrot fishes.
The aquarium comprised of shells and pebbles picked from Langkawi (pic below hehe), glass bottle, leafy green for them to nibble and air filter. Very economical setup. Gonna zhng it and make a more comfy tank for my parrots asap..
2 weeks ago, I discovered white eggs all over the aquarium’s bottom. New spawns ! now i know that it is possible for parrot fishes to become sexually mature at tender young age. second batch of offsprings, horny ah. The obvious sign of expecting new offsprings is when the father parrot starts to dig and move pebbles around the tank. A. LOT. Just like some men who paint their baby’s room with great eagerness and anxious for his child’s arrival. To an extend that the noise really annoys me especially when it is night. Did i mention the fish tank is inside my bedroom ?
Check out the fries darting around the aquarium. About 30 or so.. mum and i lost count.
The parents are very attentive and protective of their kids. It shocked me initially when i saw them swallow their babies and spit them out again at the nursery corner. Moreover the parents’ appetites drop a great deal over the past few days, I was worried that they are going to feast on their own kids. I read at some aquarium forums that it is normal for cichlid parents to lost appetites during incubation period… which i hope is true in the case of my red parrots.
I have no idea what/who to thank for letting me care for 2 innocent parrot fishes. cleaning the aquarium every 2 or 3 day is quite a chore due to hectic schedules. but somehow no qualms about that, i enjoy the process.
Signing off. gonna wake early for seng’s 4th year anniversary later. just told drago that i think i forget how seng looked like… boy, i miss you !!!
lngsng 
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