Hoplarchus psittacus “True Parrot Cichlid”

The True Parrot Cichlid, Hoplarchus psittacus, is native to the black waters of South America. They prefer soft, acidic, and very clean water, and do not tend to do well if pristine conditions are not met.True Parrots have a reputation for being notoriously difficult to spawn, lending to their rare offering in the aquarium trade. Males and females are nearly indistinguishable, both as juveniles and as adults. Juvenile specimens have camouflage coloration with dark green splotches alternating with light bands. At about 3-4 inches the fish begins to change to adult coloration, solid iridescent green.These fish require large spaces, as they reach an adult size of 10 to 13 inches. Not less than a 55 gallon tank is recommended for juveniles. The tank should be decorated with plenty of wood and other cover as they tend to be timid. They can also be finicky eaters, but will benefit from a varied offering of foods like spirulina, krill, cichlid pellets, and frozen foods as well.