Right Plants for Blood Parrot?

[momjtac]

Can someone tell me what the best plants to use in my 55 gal aquarium for my Blook Parrot? I adopted him 2 weeks ago, setup the new tank and trying to keep everything natural. I bought a couple of plants both Java ferns and he keeps nudging them out of the gravel/sand. I put in an really nice piece of driftwood (which has leached tannins) I am ok with that.  I want the tank to have a good eco-system (no plastic), and I would like to order some plants from Aquarium-coop but just not sure which are the correct ones. I am a novice the biggest tank I have had is my 25 gal with the glow fish and it has the plastic stuff in it. With this big fish I wanted to do it the right way. 

Thank you

Noel 

 

[ange]

Blood parrots are known for "redecorating" their homes so if you want to have plants with him I would recommend going for plants that attach to hardscape. Java ferns are a great choice and you can attach them to your driftwood with either super glue gel or a piece of thread. Most plants in the "epiphyte" category will attach to hardscape (though most can also be planted directly in the substrate as well).

Another option would be to grow plants on a mat. I've successfully grown dwarf sagittaria and several types of moss on plastic gutter guard and then placed it in the tank later on. I wouldn't recommend using this to plant anything in the substrate since your parrot likes to dig, but it's an alternative to gluing/tying on plants and you may be able to get yourself some more variety that way.

[Fonske]

On 3/23/2022 at 5:20 AM, momjtac said:

best plants to use in my 55 gal aquarium for my Blook Parrot

My parrots quickly destroyed all the plants in the tank, including large attached anubias and  java fern, and floating hornwort and elodea. They just enjoyed ripping the leaves and stems and everything off the poor plants until nothing was left. Hope your parrot is not as destructive. 

[momjtac]

Actually he is he is constantly attacking the plants, uprooting them and I’m daily having to pull out pieces parts. I was told by this one guy at the aquarium store just not to have any real plants in there with him and put in plastic but I thought he was just trying to sell me the plastic stuff. But maybe he’s right. Thank you for your input I really appreciate it.

[Fonske]

On 3/23/2022 at 9:13 PM, momjtac said:

I was told by this one guy at the aquarium store just not to have any real plants in there with him and put in plastic

Plastic plants might get attacked as well. I would choose a really sturdy ones, just in case. All of my parrots hate and bite everything in their tanks, including filters, airstones, magnetic glass scrapers, and siphons.

There is a possibility to have real plants with blood parrots though,  if the plants are protected by something like a tank divider or other enclosure so the fish can't get to them. Not the prettiest option, but would help with the water quality.

[H.K.Luterman]

Not only will they try to move plants around, they love to dig as well! I have had to put a rock over the base of my red tiger lotus to prevent my blood parrot from uprooting it.  The only plants she doesn't bother with are long established crypts and my giant amazon sword. She's constantly trying to rearrange the plants by her vase/cave, which have all had to be rhizome types glued to rocks and decor; bolbitis and windelov java fern. You can see the ditch she dug in front of her vase in this pic. There's also a deep ditch behind it that reaches the bottom glass. 

 

She hasn't been able to rip up the rhizome plants, but she's definitely rough with them.

 

[Fonske]

@H.K.Luterman, gorgeous tank!  The amazon sword and bolbitis make me think the secret to success with blood parrots and plants might be giant plants...and maybe the fish mouth shape and temperament. 

[Odd Duck]

I have an adult Jack Dempsey pair that I struggled to figure out a way to get live plants in there.  I ran across a pic from @dasaltemelosguy and it triggered an idea in my little brain.  I bought very tall lucky bamboo and sponge caddies that were soft enough plastic to drill larger holes.  I planted the bamboo into a pot and layered it with large pebbles at the base and used the sponge caddies to stabilize the top.  I also added other plants in deep pots with layered substrate and deep pebbles around the base of the plants.  See my signature with the link for the 75 gallon tank for more details if you want.

It’s mixed results on the plants with the Amazon swords still surviving but rather beat up.  The jungle Vallisneria has not thrived at all.  The Crinums are still doing OK.  The lucky bamboo are doing fine.  I have pothos poked into the sponge caddies that are doing well and pothos and peace lilies growing in the HOB’s where the fish can’t get to them at all.  I just put silver dollars into this tank which will undoubtedly be very hard on the swords as they grow up.  I plan to switch the biggest empty Val pots to Crinum pots soon and remove other empty pots to reduce clutter, but I haven’t quite gotten to that little project.

Pic below of the tank when the swords were looking better.  I need to do a major cleanup and fresh pics.

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by Odd Duck