Hoplarchus Psittacus tank size?

[Buphy]

So I’m pretty sure long term they get too big for my standard 125 gallon, but I just wanted to confirm. Love these fish fully colored! How big do they get? Aren’t they also notoriously slow growers? Would one potentially be ok for a few years in a 125 gallon? What would be your preferred tank size?

Sorry, really poorly constructed post!

 

[tlindsey]

So I’m pretty sure long term they get too big for my standard 125 gallon, but I just wanted to confirm. Love these fish fully colored! How big do they get? Aren’t they also notoriously slow growers? Would one potentially be ok for a few years in a 125 gallon? What would be your preferred tank size?

Sorry, really poorly constructed post!

Just read they can get big as a dinner plate.

 

[jonclark96]

They used to have some at the National Aquarium in Baltimore that were every bit of 12" to 14" long and a couple inches thick. I've also read that they are on the aggressive side for South American cichlids.

 

[duanes]

A friend of mine had a young compatible pair in a similar size tank, where they spawned a number of times.
So it could last a long time, if the pair is allowed to bond naturally, if housed with only some dithers, and you can provide soft, dissolved mineral poor water parameters, and as they grow, increase water changes exponentially to match waste output. Adding tannins to the water change water would be preferable because these fish come from seasonally black water rivers with pH in 5 only up into mid 5s. At full adult size a 220 or larger tank, would of course be better.
In hard water, with even slightly elevated nitrates they seem prone to scarring from HLLE and other chronic maladies.

 

[ryansmith83]

I grew mine from 3/4” to 8” in a year, and by two years the males were 14”. A single one dominated a 6’ 210 gallon tank. Like Uaru, they grow fast and need pristine water or they get HITH very easily.

 

[Serpentine]

If you decide that a parrot cichlid is too demanding but would like a fish with a similar look / size with less fuss, a chocolate cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis) might be just the ticket. They also have a steeply sloping profile and can get up to 12 inches. They develop lovely coloration as they mature and are generally less aggressive than H. psittacus. Just throwing it out there... I ended up going that route after deciding that a parrot just wouldn't work out in my tank.

 

[Nove Sedici]

They used to have some at the National Aquarium in Baltimore that were every bit of 12" to 14" long and a couple inches thick. I've also read that they are on the aggressive side for South American cichlids.

I have them in my south american tank, they can be really annoying to other fish but in my tank it's only annoying and chasing. They are not damaging or killing my other fish.

They can grow quite fast, I have a 125 gallon and could house them for about 18 months before they reached 10 inch and i sold them.
I still have 2 small ones now (4 inch) which i bought year ago as baby's