# Jellybean Parrot Fish Question



## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Okay so I have a juvenile Jellybean Parrot Cichlid. (He seems to be more convict though because his mouth isn't as deformed) He's about 4 inches I would say from tip to tail

15 Gallon Tank
Aqueon 20 Filter (Soon adding my Whisper 10 to add more filtration)
Bubble wall airstone to help oxygenate the tank.
100 Watt Heater (Water kept at 80 F constant)
Gravel Substrate
25% Water changes and gravel vacs once a week.
Fed 2 Cichlid pellets and a frozen baby shrimp twice a day (Does dances for more)
He's solitary because he ate his dither fish (3 zebra danios) whole.

My question becomes, would he eat a small crayfish? Or would it hurt him?
I know most cichlids just flip em over and eat them, but seeing that he's a hybrid I wasn't sure if this trait typically carries over into this species.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

A better picture


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

That looks more like a pink convict than a jelly bean, but I've seen them labeled the same way in the LFS.

I would not add a crayfish. I think it will become a snack. Not really fair to the crayfish!


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## JamieH (Nov 30, 2006)

It definately a parrot, just a very pale one...


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

It could be a cross ... around here jellybeans are pink convict x fake parrot mixes.


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## steve_58 (Jan 20, 2009)

All the jellybean's i've seen look like a pink convict with a stockier body. They're mouths are almost the same as a convict. I have a pair of jellybeans that were never dyed and if anyone asks what they are i tell them they are pink convicts that are on steroids,lol.
They do breed like convicts but they're temperament is much more mellow than convicts.Not near as aggressive in my oppinion.

That one in the picture looks to be more parrot than jellybean or convict.At 4" it's deffinately not a juvenile jellybean .


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Just as a clarification - I was going to use the crayfish as a treat for him, because he tries to eat anything that comes into the tank (including my hand when i do cleanings / water changes). As my info said this included his 3 zebra danio dither fish (within 2 hours I might add). Would he actually be able to eat the crayfish becomes my question


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> Would he actually be able to eat the crayfish becomes my question


Yes, he would...If not immediately, at the first molt...

Not something I would do at all. Crayfish carry alot of diseases, and besides that, I really don't think it's fair to the poor crayfish. :roll:


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Okay 

Thank you


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

If you want to feed him crustaceans or whatever the heck shrimp/crayfish are categorized as you should get a little 5g tank and set up a Red Cherry Shrimp tank.

I don't see how feeding shrimp/crayfish is any different then using feeder fish and for that reason I would suggest raising your own if you're going to do it - you could even breed some guppies with the shrimp for a more varied live food diet.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

illy-d said:


> I don't see how feeding shrimp/crayfish is any different then using feeder fish and for that reason I would suggest raising your own if you're going to do it - you could even breed some guppies with the shrimp for a more varied live food diet.


It isn't any different. I don't use feeders, either...At least, never intentionally!

But I do advise to raise all your "feeders" yourself. That way you know their health is good!


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

^^It's weird I don't like to use live feeders either - but if one of my dithers gets eaten I don't feel bad... I tried breeding convicts to use as feeders and when the young I left with the parents got eaten I didn't feel bad... When it came time to actually start catching babies and dropping them in for lunch I couldn't do it. I ended up giving them away to other hobbyists.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Would my jellybean parrot breed with a pink con perhaps?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> Would my jellybean parrot breed with a pink con perhaps?


Possibly...


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

He's a male i know that, I've heard that male jellybeans are more likely to be fertile than male blood parrots, is this true?


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> He's a male i know that, I've heard that male jellybeans are more likely to be fertile than male blood parrots, is this true?


No idea. There is one way t find out add a female convict! Just remember that if he is fertil you may have a hard time getting rid of the fry.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

I've heard that if you leave them in with the fry that eventually they'll end up eating them?


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

If you're lucky .
Convict fry are amazingly resilient... And they can be prolific. I had two con fry spawn when neither were more then 1.5" TL.


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

Will he mate with the convict? Or will he kill it? Should the convict be close to his size?


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## Chubbs the Jellybean (Jun 16, 2009)

???


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

You guys do know that these so called "Jelly Bean Cichlids" are merely a pink convict with a back deformity or a dyed parrot right? A convictxparrot does not make jelly bean parrots, and shorten/crooked back deformity to make the fish short bodied is a selectively bred trait do to inbreeding.


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

Chubbs the Jellybean said:


> Will he mate with the convict? Or will he kill it? Should the convict be close to his size?


Who knows... Cichlids of various species will often do one or the other... If it was me I would probably get a mature female if possible and try introducing them with a divider (or at least have one handy).



gage said:


> You guys do know that these so called "Jelly Bean Cichlids" are merely a pink convict with a back deformity or a dyed parrot right? A convictxparrot does not make jelly bean parrots, and shorten/crooked back deformity to make the fish short bodied is a selectively bred trait do to inbreeding.


I have no idea what they are for certain - other then that they are a 'designer' or 'man made' fish.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

your fish is a Blood Parrot, or being it has a closed mouth could potentially be a King Kong Parrot.

therefore, there is about a 1% chance of him being fertile. very, very low. however, if it turns out it is female they are generally fertile (able to lay eggs that are able to be fertilized).


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## Hubbynz (May 10, 2008)

these fish are an abomination


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hubbynz said:


> these fish are an abomination


yup and really should be in the CA forum to boot.

But i'm trying to mellow and follow the philosophy of "if you have got anything nice to say....."
Sometimes I even manage to do this, but sometimes I say something really stoopid.

BTW *Hubbynz* I have 20+ dorsigera between 4cm and 5cm TL for sale up here at $12 each and no ones even remotely interested. I'm gutted to say the least. Well there is interest from northern NSW or up north. But the cost is prohibitive to send them by courier or send interstate.


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

gage said:


> You guys do know that these so called "Jelly Bean Cichlids" are merely a pink convict with a back deformity or a dyed parrot right? A convictxparrot does not make jelly bean parrots, and shorten/crooked back deformity to make the fish short bodied is a selectively bred trait do to inbreeding.


I guess it depends where you are. Here, in downtown seattle ... both stores that specialize in FH have male pink cons with female fake blood parrots in breeding tanks, and are selling these young as 'jellybeans.' Not saying that this is what is 'excepted' by the hybrid community, but it does happen.


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

it's very possible, dwarfpike, but most of the time you see jelly bean it is just a pink convict.


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