The blood parrot cichlid (also known as parrot cichlid and bloody parrot; no binomial nomenclature) is a hybrid cichlid. The fish was first created in Taiwan in around 1986. Its parentage consists of the Midas cichlid and the red head cichlid. Blood parrots should not be confused with other parrot cichlids or salt water Parrotfish (family Scaridae).
Because this hybrid cichlid has various anatomical deformities, controversy exists over the ethics of creating the blood parrot. One of the most obvious deformities is its mouth, which has only a narrow vertical opening. This makes blood parrots somewhat harder to feed and potentially vulnerable to malnutrition. Some cichlid enthusiasts have called for their removal from the market and organized boycotts against pet stores that sell them.
Read more about Blood Parrot Cichlid: Description, Genetic Defects, Breeding, In Aquaria
Famous quotes containing the words blood and/or parrot:
“Behold that great Plotinus swim
Buffeted by such seas;
Bland Rhadamanthus beckons him,
But the Golden Race looks dim,
Salt blood blocks his eyes.”
—William Butler Yeats (1865–1939)
“This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be! It’s expired and gone to meet its maker! This is a late parrot! It’s a stiff!... THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!”
—Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Monty Python’s Flying Circus (TV series)