striped raphael(1) would be ok ..they get big (6-8 inches) but are sedentary....a few cory cats would work ...look at banjo cat's also
Great suggestion. Really great one.
Basically the point is you'll need something that leaves them the hell alone and doesn't compete with them. Raphael cat is a fantastic choice, they are like blobs at the bottom and are super cool/armoured. They also squeak at you (not recommended) if you take them out of the water. Banjos are great too but bury themselves a lot, so you might not see them much. Cory cats of the genus
Brochis are fantastic for warmer tanks.
"Cory cats" of the genus
Corydoras actually like it a bit cooler- they thrive in my dads tank that is 20C/70F and keep trying to breed (look up how they breed, the female literally applies her mouth to the males gentiles. Hilarious stuff.) Has about 6 species too, it's crazy. Meanwhile, those from the genus
Brochis thrive in warmer temperatures, such as what blood parrots would need. My dad has a bunch of the colder loving varieties and they make a fleet of 15, mowing down any mulm every day. Literally, every morning they move across his 90 gallon as a group of mixed species and they are super cheery/peaceful. Super cute.
Honestly a senegal bichir MIGHT be okay. I have a pair in a 45 gallon and any fish they can't fit into their mouth is just a curiosity to them, they leave them alone and most feed from the bottom or are late to the party feeding from the top. The blood parrots get big enough that you could add a senegal in later. They do really well with my 2 inch Mesonauta and my Geophagus for reference of their behaviour with cichlids. Keep in mind females can get about 12 inches or even 14, with males typically smaller. So do some research.
A single Mesonauta festivus would be great as well. Gets about 5 inches. In groups they can be nippy but single ones, from everything I've read (and seen in the last few days) are super passive. They are notorious plant killers I'm told, so be warned there.
Avoid things like normal/sailfin/most plecostomous, they like wating slime coats. Maybe a rubbernose Pleco (not sure what they are called where you live, rubber should be in the name, they are the smallest pleco out there though) might be okay, but they do need some driftwood. So if driftwood is in your plans, try a rubbernose maybe. A zebra pleco might do well too, but do some research- they are a different genus. They are also expensive as hell where I live.
I would imagine that, if you can keep high water quality, Blue or Red Rams (
Mikrogeophagus) would do pretty well. Though a cichlid, they are really super peaceful. The blues are prone to infection and need the highest quality of water, though.
I've heard of some tetras being okay. If the water quality is kept high, cardinal tetras are pricey for tetras but aren't overtly horrible if in a big school. I've experienced passiveness from black skirts as well, but I have heard tales of just about any tetra being nippy, so be cautious when adding them. Apparently the larger the school of tetra, the more peaceful they are, so do some research.
Guppies/platys/mollies/swordtails are really nice, especially if you get them while growing up your blood parrots. Can't really go wrong with them, though obviously they like to breed a lot.
Loaches are a fantastic option. Any type of botia loach is great. Yo-Yo loaches (they look like they are packing camoflauge) are some of my favourite fish. They are amazing alone but they also do some goofy stuff with each other when together. Some of the best fish personalities out there and an immaculate choice for a bottom dweller instead of a catfish (or in addition to.) Obviously research any species you are considering, as their size and needs can be variable as with any species rich group!
Angel fish might be something you can look into, but don't hold your breath. I haven't kept them but I hear individuals can be either passive and great or go turbojerk on you. Caution and research here.
These are just off the top of my head, PLEASE don't impulse buy anything with a blood parrot (or ever, in general.) Just some starting points to research and get you on your way to a tank you absolutely adore.
Edit: If earthworms are on your mind, it's better to cultivate them yourself in a compost bin. They tend to pick up a lot of crap and if you find one on the sidewalk you could be feeding some rather nasty chemicals to your fish if you don't know where it is from. I fed some earthworms to some reptiles I had back in the day, they were exclusively from around the middle of my dads back yard and were a special treat, not a staple.
Stick to pellet or flake foods made for cichlids for your BP's. You'll thank yourself for the simplicity.
