The King Kong Parrot Fish is a popular choice among the fish keepers. They can easily take over the aquarium as the attention grabber. They come as a hybrid fish, meaning that they are man-made. Although, the origin of this fish is quite perplexing.
These species of fish are the result of a cross-breeding done in Taiwan in 1986. Cichlids such as the Redhead Cichlids, Midas Cichlids, and Red Devil Cichlids were crossbred, which resulted in the King Kong Parrot fish.
They are magnificent fishes and come in a variety of colors such as red, pink, orange, and yellow. They also have different kinds of behaviors, although most of the King Kong Parrot fish are peaceful.
In this article, we will give you a detailed guide to taking care of these magnificent species.
Appearance of King Kong Parrot Fish
King Kong Parrot Fish comes as a fish with an attractive and captivating appearance. This fish’s hue ranges from dark red to pale pink. Their body is long and wide. Juveniles have a dark color. But as they get older, their colors can change from vivid reds to orange-yellow tones.
They have fully functioning jaws that close entirely. Nuchal Hump develops in male King Kong Parrot Fish. There are spiny rays on the tips of their anal, pelvic, pectoral, and dorsal fins which defend them from predators. The front sections of these fins feature a soft feel to make it easier to move about in the water.
These fishes appear similar to the Red Mammon. Due to this, some people sell the King Kong Parrot as Red Mammon to earn some riches. The King Kong Parrot Fish looks similar to the Redhead Cichlids and Midas Cichlids.
Size and Lifespan of King Kong Parrot Fish
The King Kong Parrot Fish can live for longer years compared to other species of fish. The King Kong Parrot Fish can live 10 to 12 years.
Your King Kong Parrot may live up to the mark of 12 years if you properly care for it. Provide it adequate area to swim in, and feed it a nutritious diet, they are sure to live a long and healthy life.
In terms of size, the King Kong Parrot Fish can reach a maximum of 12 inches in length. They are mostly sold for 3.5 inches. Although as they grow, they will attain their massive size, though they grow slowly.
Behavior of King Kong Parrot Fish
The King Kong Parrot fish can show a different kind of behavior. Usually, most of these species are peaceful and timid. But as they grow they can become semi-aggressive. The semi-aggression can be incited during the breeding season.
Each fish has a unique personality, therefore some of them may be aggressive toward other fish, but the majority of them are placid, and they will not start fights in your aquarium unless you give them a large tank. They will hide during the day when you initially bring them home.
Care of King Kong Parrot Fish
The King Kong Parrot Cichlids don’t demand too much care. It is easy to care for and maintain them. They are hardy fishes and can adapt to your aquarium.
The most complicated thing regarding their care is their size. They need a large tank as they can grow to become as big as 12 inches.
Tank Size of King Kong Parrot Fish
When thinking of tank size for King Kong Parrot Fish, you must take into consideration the size they can reach. They can attain the size of about 12 inches on average.
So for a single King Kong Parrot, you must have a tank size of 75 gallons. A pair of these species must be kept in a tank of 100 gallons. If you want to add more of these species, you must increase the size of the tank.
Tank mates for King Kong Parrot Fish
When keeping King Kong Parrot Fish with other species you must keep them with species that are of the same size as them. Not just size, the temperament also must be taken into account.
Don’t pair them with too peaceful or too aggressive fish. You can keep your King Kong Parrot Fish with species like Oscar Cichlids, Angelfish, Red Mammons, Red Devil Cichlids, Severums, Yoyo Loaches, Plecos, Rainbowfish, Vieja Cichlids, and many more.
Diet and Feeding of King Kong Parrot Fish
The King Kong Parrot Fish is an omnivore, and they will happily accept any food. They are not choosy when it comes to food. Although they are heavy eaters.
You can give them Flakes, pellets, live food, frozen food, bloodworms, brine shrimp, and even vegetables. Give them Hikari Carnivore, Grand Sumo Red, Okiko Super Red, etc. Mix these with the live foods, and your King Kong Parrot Fish will have enough nutrition.
You should only feed your Parrot enough food they can ingest in three minutes, and you must remove the uneaten food from the tank. It is also applicable to feed them multiple times a day, But each time you must feed them the amount of food they can eat in 45 seconds. In addition, because these fish have tiny mouths, they consume at a slower pace than other fish. They also have a difficult time eating conventional pellets. When purchasing pellets for your king kong parrots, make sure they are small enough to fit in their mouth.
Water Temperature and Water Parameters
The King Kong Parrot Fish prefers warmer water temperatures. The water temperature in your aquarium should be between 76°F and 84°F.
For your fish to grow properly, adjust the water temperature in your aquarium to around 84°F. They prefer the pH levels ranging between 6.5 to 8.5.
Tank setup for King Kong Parrot Fish
First of all, begin with a large and adequate size tank as they can grow to become big. For the substrate, you will have to use sand. The King Kong Parrot Fish dig the substrate so a substrate that will not harm them is needed.
You should also provide them with hiding places as most the King Kong Parrot Fish are timid and peaceful. So add rocks, caves, etc. You can keep plants as well. Add plants such as Java fern and anacharis.
With the King Kong Parrot Fish, strong filtration is needed. They produce a lot of waste. So an effective filter is required for the tank. A sponge filter won’t do the work.
You must add Canister Filters. These filters are capable of cleaning very well and provide the required flow rate for the King Kong Parrot Fish. As they produce a lot of waste, water changes are also a must. With water changes, you can keep the water in tip-top condition. Perform a 30% water change every week.
Common diseases that can affect the King Kong Parrot Fish
Ich or White Spot Disease
In King Kong Parrot Fish, White Spot Condition, often known as ick, is a prevalent disease. This sickness is caused by bad water conditions and stress caused by fluctuations in water parameters. If your King Kong Parrot is affected by this disease, you can see white spots on its body. If you don’t cure it right away, the spots will get larger in diameter and proliferate in quantity, eventually totally covering the fish. Ich affects the majority of juvenile King Kong Parrots, although it affects only a small percentage of healthy adult King Kong Parrots.
Treating this disease is not difficult. But you must treat it in the early stages of it. You can raise the temperature of the water. This might be enough to treat it. But if the disease has become severe, you must use treatments such as Methylene Blue.
Swim Bladder Disease
Owing to its large size, the King Kong Parrot Fish is prone to Swim Bladder Disease. With this disease, your fish cannot stay afloat properly and can’t swim in the right way. Your fish can get this disease if the swim bladder gets injured somehow. It can get injured if your fish collides with something in the tank.
Treating this disease is not easy. If you notice your King Kong Parrot Fish getting affected by this disease, the wisest thing to do is move it to another tank. The tank must have airflows and shallow water. Feed your fish peeled boiled peas. All you can do is hope for the best with this disease.
Black Spot Disease
Black Spot Illness is a fish disease that is a common occurrence in the case of King Kong Parrot Fish. It infects the fish as a result of poor water conditions, making the fish more susceptible to illness. Several black dots occur on the King Kong Parrot’s body in various locations. It is the larva of the flatworm that causes this disease. These worms will stress out your parrot cichlid and, if not addressed promptly, may kill it.
Treating the Black Spot illness is not difficult. Maintaining clean aquarium water is an easy way to treat Black Spot illness. If the condition of your fish does not improve, you can use the salt bath approach to cure it.
Breeding of King Kong Parrot Fish
The idea of breeding a King Kong Parrot Fish sometimes cannot be made true. It is not easy to breed King Kong Parrot Fish. The reason for the difficulty is that it is hard to find a fertile male King Kong Parrot Fish.
The majority of the male King Kong Parrot are infertile. It comes as a genetic disorder. There are few fertile male King Kong Parrot available, and buying them can cost you a fortune.
So to breed King Kong Parrot fish, you must buy a fertile male for a high price. If you cannot buy one, you can breed the female King Kong Parrot with other cichlids such as the Convict Cichlids, Flowerhorn Cichlids, Redhead Cichlids, and Convict Cichlids. If you get a fertile male out of luck, they are easy to breed.
The female lays eggs on a smooth surface, and the male will fertilize them. The eggs will hatch after 2 or 3 days. The parents devour the unfertilized eggs. Also, perform water changes of about 20% when the eggs are laid and fertilized.
Why are most male King Kong Parrot Fish infertile?
The main cause for the infertility of the King Kong Parrot Fish is due to its artificial hybrid breeding. Although there are methods that people have resorted to to make them fertile. They are being injected with hormones such as Gonadotropins, GnRH and LHRH to make them fertile.
How to take care of King Kong Parrot Fish Fry?
Once the eggs hatch and the tiny fry start to swim around, it’s time for you to take care of them. You can start feeding them baby brine shrimps about twice a day.
As they grow and gain size, you can begin feeding them flakes and pellets meant for cichlids, such as Tetra Cichlid Balanced Diet, Hikari Gold Pellets, etc.
You must keep the water condition always at the best. With the proper water conditions, your King Kong Parrot fry can grow healthily and can grow rapidly. Do a 20% water change every day to maintain the cleanliness of the water.
What does the King Kong Parrot Fish fry look like?
You might be surprised upon seeing a King Kong Parrot Fish fry. The King Kong Parrot’s fry has an entirely different appearance from the parent fish. Until they reach a particular size, the fries are generally white, light black, or brown.
The fry’s appearance is nothing like what it will be like when it matures. They have standard elongated body forms, and they may have minor patterns on their bodies.
The form of the body and the color of the fish begin to alter after the fry reaches around 2 inches in length. The color of the King Kong Parrot fry starts pale pink and progresses to a dark crimson hue.
Cost of King Kong Parrot Fish
A young King Kong Parrot Fish can set you back between $15 and $25, while a full-grown specimen would set you back between $50 and $100. There are even instances when a pair of King Kong Parrot Fish has been sold for $500.
Conclusion
If you want a big, beautiful, and easy to care for fish, the King Kong Parrot Fish is the best choice.
They are not that demanding in terms of maintenance and feeding them is easy. They will accept any kind of food. Just provide them with the right water condition and they will add up a great look to your aquarium.
