Your Cart

Live fish will be delivered only to selected pincodes in Kolkata and nearby areas.

Here’s a complete guide to the Polar Blue Parrot Cichlid — a hybrid fish known for its unique appearance, calm nature, and suitability for semi-aggressive community aquariums.


🐟 Polar Blue Parrot Cichlid Overview

  • Common Name: Polar Blue Parrot Cichlid

  • Scientific Name: Hybrid (no official scientific name)

  • Family: Cichlidae

  • Origin: Captive-bred hybrid — a cross between:

    • Convict Cichlid (Amatitlania nigrofasciata)

    • Blood Parrot Cichlid (itself a hybrid, usually Amphilophus × Severum or similar)

🧬 As a hybrid, the Polar Blue Parrot doesn’t occur in nature and is bred in aquariums.


📏 Size & Lifespan

Trait Description
Size 5–8 inches (12–20 cm)
Lifespan 8–10 years with good care

🎨 Appearance

  • Color: Icy white-blue or silver with bold blue/gray vertical stripes

  • Body Shape:

    • Stocky, rounded body like the blood parrot

    • Characteristic beak-shaped mouth

    • Prominent nuchal hump in some mature males

  • Eyes: Usually red or orange


🔥 Temperament & Behavior

  • Temperament: Semi-aggressive (especially during breeding)

  • Behavior:

    • Territorial but less aggressive than most Central American cichlids

    • Peaceful when provided enough space and hiding areas

    • Curious and intelligent — often recognize owners


🐠 Tank Requirements

Requirement Ideal Conditions
Tank Size 30 gallons minimum for one
Preferred Setup 55+ gallons for pairs or community
Temperature 76–82°F (24–28°C)
pH Level 6.5–7.5
Hardness 6–18 dGH
Substrate Sand or fine gravel
Décor Rocks, caves, driftwood for hiding
Lighting Moderate
Filtration Moderate to strong (they produce waste)

💡 Provide caves or broken line-of-sight areas to reduce territorial conflict.


🍽️ Diet

  • Type: Omnivore

  • Best Foods:

    • Cichlid pellets (color-enhancing or high-protein)

    • Frozen foods: bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp

    • Veggies: blanched spinach, peas

    • Occasional treats: live food (earthworms, etc.)

  • Feeding Frequency: 1–2 small meals per day

⚠️ Avoid overfeeding — hybrid cichlids are prone to bloating.


🐣 Breeding

  • Spawning Type: Egg layers (substrate spawners)

  • Pair Formation: Form monogamous pairs

  • Breeding Behavior:

    • Males clean and guard a flat surface or cave

    • Females lay eggs, both parents guard eggs and fry

  • Hybrid Fertility:

    • Blood Parrots are usually sterile, but Polar Blues are often fertile, especially when the Convict genes dominate

🍼 Fry can be raised on crushed flakes or baby brine shrimp.


✅ Care Tips

  • Keep water parameters stable

  • Perform 25–40% weekly water changes

  • Use cichlid-safe decor — avoid sharp edges

  • Don’t house with aggressive species that might bully them


🤝 Tankmate Compatibility

Ideal Tankmates:

  • Firemouth cichlids

  • Severums

  • Angelfish

  • Larger tetras (Congo, Buenos Aires)

  • Rainbowfish

  • Bristlenose plecos

  • Corydoras (in peaceful setups)

Avoid:

  • Aggressive cichlids (Oscars, Jack Dempseys)

  • Fin-nipping fish (Tiger barbs)

  • Very small fish (may be chased or eaten)

🧠 Best kept singly, in pairs, or in peaceful cichlid communities


⚠️ Common Health Issues

  • Swim bladder issues – due to compressed body shape (especially in blood parrot-heavy hybrids)

  • Bloat – from poor diet or overfeeding

  • Hole-in-the-head disease – caused by poor water quality and nutrition

  • Stress-induced color loss – ensure proper tankmates and space


🎯 Summary

The Polar Blue Parrot Cichlid is a beautiful, hardy hybrid with a unique blend of shape and personality. It’s a great choice for aquarists seeking a semi-aggressive centerpiece fish with gorgeous icy coloration and a more peaceful temperament than many large cichlids.


Would you like help planning a community tank featuring Polar Blues or a care sheet PDF?

*Pictures are for reference purpose size & color might vary slightly.

Delivery of live Fish is only available in Kolkata & Howrah.

We process orders on all weekdays (Monday to Saturday), excluding public holidays.

To avail free shipping, purchase amount should be Rs350/-(for Aquarium Accessories and Aquatic Plants) or more, less than the above amount shipping charges applicable Rs70/- only. For live fish delivery charges applicable at the time of checkout.

Orders are normally Shipped within 1-2 days and usually take 2-5 working days to be delivered based on your location. However, you will receive an approximate timeline when you place your order.

To ensure that your order reaches you quickly and in good condition, we only ship through reputed courier agencies.

Let us know abour your query!