Little surprised I’ve got one.. Quoyi Parrotfish
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ShawnSaucier
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Due to a suggestion, and then tons of reading since, I’m going to order some Easy Reef Masstick to try. It makes a food “putty” that you stick on rocks or glass. Plus you can mix frozen or dry foods into the concoction. Supposed to be able to get finicky fish to eat. Placing order tonight.
This evening he was a little more into eating. Some frozen, some pellets. I haven’t seen him visit a Nori station yet.
This evening he was a little more into eating. Some frozen, some pellets. I haven’t seen him visit a Nori station yet.
This fish is native to Australia and the western Pacific and seems to be a bit different in it's habits than Caribbean parrot fish. In my limited experience (a series of two), getting them to eat out of the water column is not an issue. Both of mine have readily taken mysis out of the water column with in a couple of hours after arrival.
They definitely do depend mainly on algae in the wild and a healthy algae level on the live rock has got to be a big plus. I am having trouble getting mine to take nori. He won't take it unless I rub it between my fingers and release the small pieces in to the water column. Weird huh?
My first was slightly over 4". This one is 5.25"
I'm going to have to work to get him over his shyness. He's only been in the DT 13 days.
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ShawnSaucier
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ShawnSaucier
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BTW, has anyone tried Chaeto or calurpa with their parrot?
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ShawnSaucier
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So I have yet to feed frozen today, or pellets. The kids have eaten a lot since the Parrot has been added, and I need to slow down and not pollute the tank. Over the last 3 days I’ve fed at least 6 cubes, a large chunk of LRS and probably a teaspoon of pellets(both .5mm and 1mm). The parrot only goes for the smaller crumbs at this point. Today I’ve refilled my two nori stations. I have two to help stop tang aggression. It seems he wants to jump in, but is still to timid. Hopefully by tonight he may sample. Currently kissing the rocks and eating coralline and anything else on the rocks.
I’m looking forward to trying the Masstick. Hopefully it should arrive by the end of the week. I may add some spiruillina powder to the mix and some OVA. Maybe getting my Mandarin to nibble a bit too.
As I’m typing this I’ve seen him sample the Nori.... C mon buddy,,
I’m looking forward to trying the Masstick. Hopefully it should arrive by the end of the week. I may add some spiruillina powder to the mix and some OVA. Maybe getting my Mandarin to nibble a bit too.
As I’m typing this I’ve seen him sample the Nori.... C mon buddy,,
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ShawnSaucier
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So far so good. Got the Masstick on Friday. Almost everyone enjoys it. Parrotfish has had a few nibbles, at least that’s what I’ve caught. Getting bolder in the feeding sessions and going for slightly bigger pieces. Trying to give a variety of foods each day.
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ShawnSaucier
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Sorry I haven’t updated, and thank you for checking in.
He is eating pellets, frozen and the Masstick. I haven’t really seen him go for any Nori ( red, green or purple). I’m trying to sort out a feeding schedule and a proper amount to feed the tank currently. As he is a larger fish, biggest I’ve kept (5-6”) next to an eel. Things I’ve read recently are that they die even after what seems like normal eating. Not sure if it’s lacking nutritional issues or diseases. Has anyone had success in long term?
I have a larger sized fuge on the tank, display is 187g and the fuge is approximately 25-30g. This is set up as a Triton style sump, but I have yet to switch to the additives as they seem scarce at the moment. I reset/replanted the fuge on Friday with chaeto and various red macros. Somehow some grape calurpa got in there, I think off of old fuge rock. So I pulled it all and swapped it out with hopefully clean Macroalgae. Filled 3/4 of a 5g bucket. Amazing for a months growth..
Anyways the current schedule for feeding has been pellets in the AM which is a mixture of NLS .5mm and 1 mm. Then in the later afternoon I’ll do a varying mixture of frozen which could include LRS (either RF or Herb. Mix) spirulina brine, Mysis, oVA Nutrimar, LRS Fish Eggs, oyster Eggs, Emerald Entree, reef plankton and a bit of Reef Roids for the corals. Tonight is going to be LRS Herb. Mix ( larger than a quarter$ sized chunk) 2 cubes of brine and a cube of Plankton. He still goes for the smaller pieces and stays out of the main feeding frenzy. I try to broadcast in smaller bits and squirt the food in front of either pumps or returns.
The Masstick seems really good. I got it a week ago and have only mixed one batch so far. I kept it refrigerated for the first couple of days, and frozen since. Not really sure on a proper amount to put in, so it’s been a quarter sized dollop so far. My clowns, long nose hawk and Anthias haven’t really sorted it out yet. When it was refrigerated it worked like a charm as far as sticking. Since frozen, it seems to crumble, though I haven’t really thawed it and gone straight from the freezer to the tank. But I have been using it every other day and it is something that he goes for.
He hasn’t really colored up yet either. He’s been a muted pale blue/teal with the pink accents. Not sure if this is a sign of something, or it’s still a give it time situation. My lights are on a 12 hr schedule with a 5 hr ramp up/down. 16k at high noon and fading into a 20k heavy blue as the day passes.
Mainly spends the day grazing off of the rocks. His “beak” seems to be shorter? Maybe from the lack of having rocks to graze on previously? And is now a bit more comfortable when I come to the tank.
As always, anymore info or tips would be great. Would love to have this guy long term and make it into the larger system down the road. Thanks for reading and following along.
He is eating pellets, frozen and the Masstick. I haven’t really seen him go for any Nori ( red, green or purple). I’m trying to sort out a feeding schedule and a proper amount to feed the tank currently. As he is a larger fish, biggest I’ve kept (5-6”) next to an eel. Things I’ve read recently are that they die even after what seems like normal eating. Not sure if it’s lacking nutritional issues or diseases. Has anyone had success in long term?
I have a larger sized fuge on the tank, display is 187g and the fuge is approximately 25-30g. This is set up as a Triton style sump, but I have yet to switch to the additives as they seem scarce at the moment. I reset/replanted the fuge on Friday with chaeto and various red macros. Somehow some grape calurpa got in there, I think off of old fuge rock. So I pulled it all and swapped it out with hopefully clean Macroalgae. Filled 3/4 of a 5g bucket. Amazing for a months growth..
Anyways the current schedule for feeding has been pellets in the AM which is a mixture of NLS .5mm and 1 mm. Then in the later afternoon I’ll do a varying mixture of frozen which could include LRS (either RF or Herb. Mix) spirulina brine, Mysis, oVA Nutrimar, LRS Fish Eggs, oyster Eggs, Emerald Entree, reef plankton and a bit of Reef Roids for the corals. Tonight is going to be LRS Herb. Mix ( larger than a quarter$ sized chunk) 2 cubes of brine and a cube of Plankton. He still goes for the smaller pieces and stays out of the main feeding frenzy. I try to broadcast in smaller bits and squirt the food in front of either pumps or returns.
The Masstick seems really good. I got it a week ago and have only mixed one batch so far. I kept it refrigerated for the first couple of days, and frozen since. Not really sure on a proper amount to put in, so it’s been a quarter sized dollop so far. My clowns, long nose hawk and Anthias haven’t really sorted it out yet. When it was refrigerated it worked like a charm as far as sticking. Since frozen, it seems to crumble, though I haven’t really thawed it and gone straight from the freezer to the tank. But I have been using it every other day and it is something that he goes for.
He hasn’t really colored up yet either. He’s been a muted pale blue/teal with the pink accents. Not sure if this is a sign of something, or it’s still a give it time situation. My lights are on a 12 hr schedule with a 5 hr ramp up/down. 16k at high noon and fading into a 20k heavy blue as the day passes.
Mainly spends the day grazing off of the rocks. His “beak” seems to be shorter? Maybe from the lack of having rocks to graze on previously? And is now a bit more comfortable when I come to the tank.
As always, anymore info or tips would be great. Would love to have this guy long term and make it into the larger system down the road. Thanks for reading and following along.
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ShawnSaucier
Well-Known Member
Quick shot from yesterday
Looks great Shawn! Mine is eating well and is now eating large pieces of food. He only switches to small pieces as he gets full. He has become the dominant Labrid in my tank displacing the H. Melasmapomas who is almost as big as him.
mmw64
Valuable Member
I’ve been reading about these forever, it feels like. I was returning some equipment, mentioned in another thread, and happened to be talking fish with the owner. Mentioned looking for that “Show” fish for my tank. It had just come out of quarantine 2 weeks ago and they placed it for sale last night. I did the normal reaction as most that think parrot+reef== tears . But with all that I’ve read about them, and I can’t recall a bad story other than from them not handling shipping well.
He’s been in the tank for an hour and a half exploring. What a beautiful fish I must say. Hoping I can get him eating when I feed later. Will get the reg. Camera out once he’s colored up and settled. Sorry for the IPhone blue..
[Beautiful fish!
Sunny Goold
Active Member
Stunning and doesn't eat corals? Wow - that is so cool. Hope people start having more success keeping them.
The only place I've seen them lately has been DD and almost all of those have been 5-5.5". My first one from there though ,was a little over 4". The one I've had since Jan is 5.25"
Mine is going on 8 months. I can't get him to touch nori but goes for pellets and LRS frozen. I would say his colors have faded a touch but he is still pretty vibrant. I got mine from DD, around 3.5 inches I believe.
Oh and my tank is acrylic and I have no problems with it leaving scratches. I was on the fence before I got one because people had claimed they would leave scratches.
Oh and my tank is acrylic and I have no problems with it leaving scratches. I was on the fence before I got one because people had claimed they would leave scratches.
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