# Parrotfish Cichlid took a chunk out of me while I was cleaning the tank!



## jadaBlu (Feb 14, 2013)

I have had the fish about a week and a half. I think I have a female because her belly has gone light colored and I've read this is a sign they are ready to lay eggs. The first cleaning went off without incident she stay in her log and looked scared. This time though I started removing gravel because I decided I'd put too much in (they are supposed to like lots of gravel) to keep the tank clean enough. That brought her out of the log and swimming around my hand. 
I waved her away and she went piranha on me. I felt this rapid knaw. I yelped an withdrew my hand. She literally got a chunk of skin about the size a of tic tac and drew blood. She is normally shy and has only been coming out if she thinks I am not looking (she can tell if I am reading or working on the computer!) After she bit me she was stalking around the tank looking pretty mad and not worried about staying hidden in the log.
I don't think she liked me moving things in her tank/territory. I did manage to finish cleaning the tank with my other hand but I watched her closely.
She also has possibly eaten some silk plant I thought they would be ok. I hope she survive that. I am feeding her zucchini and algae wafers to help pass it.

So, here's to tell you that Parrot fish can bite! Lots of websites tell you they are peaceful and their bites if they bite you don't hurt. Trust me it still hurts today. I was pretty upset even mad about it. Plus, thinking how am I going to clean the tank especially when this fish gets big. She is a juvenile now. I've bought other fish I have in quarantine to be tankmates with her in a bigger tank. I selected species that I saw online were supposed to be appropriate. I am now worried they will become meals if I put them together. I knew that females can be more protective when the have eggs even though they are sterile (I have not found any so far) I tried not to pick a female for that reason but they are hard to sex. I am up to a fish challenge now. I don't think it's impossible though. I carefully offered her some zucchini before I weighed it down in the tank and she took a few bites and retreated. Hopefully, this is just a matter of exposure to me and the fish siphon. I read last night after looking up Parrot Fish bit me that some fish behave this way only when you are cleaning and moving things in their tank. They rest of the time you can feed and touch them ( if you like). If you have a parrot fish or other cichlids and have advice to offer please post.


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## LolaQuigs (Mar 28, 2010)

Ouch! Maybe she's starting to come out of her shell!


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## Fenghuang (Dec 28, 2012)

Ow, I'm sorry she bit you. That must have been a shock! 

When we had blood parrots, there was this one bonded pair. They were bullies to all the other parrots and extremely territorial. I remember whenever water change time came around, they would circle my arms and peck and "headbutt" me. I was never bitten, but you could tell how strong they were.


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

She was just protecting her territory. Every fish is different but generally I've found if you move slowly around them in the tank they'll get used to you. I've had both my 14" Synspillum and my 12" Oscar charge at me when I had my hand in their tank during siphoning. Luckily no blood drawn yet!


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