red parrots

Question
QUESTION: my boyfriend and i just got a 10 gall tank, we have maybe 6 neon tetras, a pleco, and a pair of red parrots. i just got them they day before yesterday and i don't know much about them. i know they are cichlids, or relatives or cichlids, and I've heard different opinions. the lady at the store said that they were aggressive and had to be by themselves but i talked with a lady who had two who got along great with all of her community fish. I'm not so much worried about the tetras, but i would like to know that my tank is big enough for them, that the tropical food I'm feeding them is correct. and they do this thing were one of my tank decorations has a hollow inside and one of them keeps squeezing itself inside and gets stuck :(

ANSWER: Hi Maggie,
 They may be okay for a short while, but keep in mind that a parrot cichlid grows to 6 or 8 inches in length.  A 10 gallon tank is not going to be large enough for them for very long.  You need at least a 29 gallon tank.

 I strongly suspect that your tetras will disappear over the coming weeks.

 Tropical flake food is fine.

 A fish shouldn't get stuck.  Is it being chased into the hole by the other fish, and trying to hide?

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: well they both seem to be hiding under the decoration, yea i can see me upgrading to a 30 or 40 gal tank. are cichlids tankmates or will they not last either?  maybe ill just get more when i get the big tank?

Answer
HI Maggie,
 I would not put any more fish in the 10 gallon tank.  You MIGHT be able to put some other fish in the larger tank.  Parrot cichlids, like all cichlids, are territorial.  

  The hiding behavior is likely just because they are new to the tank. They should get used to it after a couple of weeks.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>