Quoyi parrotfish

[Maritimer]

Hi, Ks4726!

While my enthusiasm for the species remains high, I haven't tried again - though I might, sometime in the future.

Just too much heartbreak to justify the costs - both to my wallet and to the wild reefs on which they're not clearing algae from the coral.

~B.

 

[Ks4726]

Hi, Ks4726!

While my enthusiasm for the species remains high, I haven't tried again - though I might, sometime in the future.

Just too much heartbreak to justify the costs - both to my wallet and to the wild reefs on which they're not clearing algae from the coral.

~B.

Thank you for the reply and your thoughts on the subject are understandable and justified. I'll be one and done on the species, as their given track record. I needed that display show piece in my tank, found one at a great price that was actively eating at the lfs and continued eating minutes after being transferred into my tank, and I've always respected parrotfish, but due to most of their size requirement most hobbyist stay away from the species and not much is known. I wasn't too proud to ask another hobbyist for any insight on what they have/or have not learned. I feel knowledge is power in this hobby.

Honestly this morning I'm even scared to snoop around the tank this morning to look for it. But once again thank you for the reply. You're a respected name in the hobby.

 

[Ks4726]

@Maritimer

It's been a little over a month since I've gotten this fish. Still eating, frozen, nori, and pellets. Allows me to feed it by hand with the nori. I grow hair algae in another tank and swap rocks from time to time and the quoyi seems to eat it. It actively eats the algae on my live rock as well.

After lights are out for the first 30 minutes my other dominant fish seem to pick on just not the parrot but others as well until everyone settles down. Nothing major, just random chasing and minor nipping with no damage. Once everyone goes to their sleeping locations it's stops. But when lights are on their is not really aggression. I hope the positive feeding trend continues, but I just wanted to give an update. If there is a food staple you feel I'm missing I'd love to know. Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Maritimer

It's been a little over a month since I've gotten this fish. Still eating, frozen, nori, and pellets. Allows me to feed it by hand with the nori. I grow hair algae in another tank and swap rocks from time to time and the quoyi seems to eat it. It actively eats the algae on my live rock as well.

After lights are out for the first 30 minutes my other dominant fish seem to pick on just not the parrot but others as well until everyone settles down. Nothing major, just random chasing and minor nipping with no damage. Once everyone goes to their sleeping locations it's stops. But when lights are on their is not really aggression. I hope the positive feeding trend continues, but I just wanted to give an update. If there is a food staple you feel I'm missing I'd love to know. Thanks

Fish looking good. Often they build a cocoon/web around themselves when they settle at night. Im surprised fish annoying it at night

 

[Ks4726]

Fish looking good. Often they build a cocoon/web around themselves when they settle at night. Im surprised fish annoying it at night

Thank you. I've been on eggshells about this fish to the point I don't even announce I have it. They are so beautiful. I've read that about the cocoon, but this one hasn't done it. Once the parrot, gets into its crevice, they leave it alone. Same with all the other fish.

Yeah the whole night time routine, it's weird. It's an dejardini and a gold rim tang. They just chase everything around when the lights go out. I've never seen it before it. Mainly the tangs. All day everything coexists just fine. You have more than your share of tangs. They get moody.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you. I've been on eggshells about this fish to the point I don't even announce I have it. They are so beautiful. I've read that about the cocoon, but this one hasn't done it. Once the parrot, gets into its crevice, they leave it alone. Same with all the other fish.

Yeah the whole night time routine, it's weird. It's an dejardini and a gold rim tang. They just chase everything around when the lights go out. I've never seen it before it. Mainly the tangs. All day everything coexists just fine. You have more than your share of tangs. They get moody.

Desjardini's are jerks. I got one about 4 months ago and could not wait to get it. Now I cant wait for it to croak. Antagonizes everything in the tank !!

 

[Ks4726]

Desjardini's are jerks. I got one about 4 months ago and could not wait to get it. Now I cant wait for it to croak. Antagonizes everything in the tank !!

Lol I've noticed.

 

[britnicole1724]

@Maritimer

It's been a little over a month since I've gotten this fish. Still eating, frozen, nori, and pellets. Allows me to feed it by hand with the nori. I grow hair algae in another tank and swap rocks from time to time and the quoyi seems to eat it. It actively eats the algae on my live rock as well.

After lights are out for the first 30 minutes my other dominant fish seem to pick on just not the parrot but others as well until everyone settles down. Nothing major, just random chasing and minor nipping with no damage. Once everyone goes to their sleeping locations it's stops. But when lights are on their is not really aggression. I hope the positive feeding trend continues, but I just wanted to give an update. If there is a food staple you feel I'm missing I'd love to know. Thanks

Sorry to bring up kind of an old thread - do y ou still have the quoyi? I have a 40g tank flourishing with some hair algae - wondering if that would help in long term success if i kept it up with the hair algae and just pulled the rocks for it to munch on in my 180. one of my dream fish, just not sure i wanna bite the bullet. we are planning on building a 1500g tank so i may just wait. i imagine in a tank that big it might allow for more success but idk haha

 

[Ks4726]

Sorry to bring up kind of an old thread - do y ou still have the quoyi? I have a 40g tank flourishing with some hair algae - wondering if that would help in long term success if i kept it up with the hair algae and just pulled the rocks for it to munch on in my 180. one of my dream fish, just not sure i wanna bite the bullet. we are planning on building a 1500g tank so i may just wait. i imagine in a tank that big it might allow for more success but idk haha

Yes mine is still alive and doing fine. I can't guarantee hair algae is the key, mine would pick at it but not devour it. I stopped feeding the hair algae actually because it overran the 2nd tank and I had to eliminate it. However I would strongly recommend the hikari algae wafers chopped up.

I think in the end it just comes down to specimen.

 

[britnicole1724]

Yes mine is still alive and doing fine. I can't guarantee hair algae is the key, mine would pick at it but not devour it. I stopped feeding the hair algae actually because it overran the 2nd tank and I had to eliminate it. However I would strongly recommend the hikari algae wafers chopped up.

I think in the end it just comes down to specimen.

I’m doing some reading and it seems like their diet is a mixed variety of Macroalgae. Wondering if I created a macro algae tank, like sea lettuce and what not, if that would contribute to long term success.

 

[Ks4726]

I’m doing some reading and it seems like their diet is a mixed variety of Macroalgae. Wondering if I created a macro algae tank, like sea lettuce and what not, if that would contribute to long term success.

I can only speak for mine but I was growing sea lettuce and had no interest. Sea lettuce is a pain because it goes everywhere and plugs pumps and stuff. Not to discourage you, just my experience. Mine eats 70 percent pellets and herbivore food. 30 percent meaty foods.

 

[Ks4726]

Beautiful fish though. Active and peaceful attitude.

 

[Ks4726]

Oh and I soak my pellets with vita Chem, selcon, beta glucan, cod liver oil, vitality and krill oil. No specific order. Not for parrot mainly. Just all my fish. I have lots of angels and tangs

 

[Ks4726]

I have read that but a lot of the forums I have read saying that we’re from before 2010. So that’s what I’m hoping to avoid by gaining some additional insight.

Yeah there's not much info on parrotfish out there unfortunately. I did my share of research before I did it. Like I said, think the specimen has a lot to do it with it long term

 

[britnicole1724]

Yeah there's not much info on parrotfish out there unfortunately. I did my share of research before I did it. Like I said, think the specimen has a lot to do it with it long term

Yeah I’ve read about them for a while now. Not something I just want to buy and try sort of thing. Did the same with my copperband and he’s coming up on a year doing so incredibly well.

There’s got to be something that causes them to randomly stop eating and I’m wondering if it’s something to do with diet/digestion. There’s not a whole lot of info about them, just that they stop eating and wither away seems to be the common consensus

 

[britnicole1724]

One thing I’ve read quite a bit is that parrotfish are similar to that of mandarins with no stomach, which is the reason for constant grazing. Perhaps they just need a steady food supply, and the unsuccessful keepers perhaps don’t feed as often as the parrot requires. Instead of 3 times a day, maybe it’s 6-7 regular feedings of algae wafers. Fish stops eating due to lack of energy. Obviously that is 100% just a theory. I may bite the bullet and give it a go. It can either wither away in a small tank at the lfs, or I can give it its best shot at survivability.

 

[Ks4726]

Yeah I’ve read about them for a while now. Not something I just want to buy and try sort of thing. Did the same with my copperband and he’s coming up on a year doing so incredibly well.

There’s got to be something that causes them to randomly stop eating and I’m wondering if it’s something to do with diet/digestion. There’s not a whole lot of info about them, just that they stop eating and wither away seems to be the common consensus

I'm sure food is a major contributor. We can not fully provide fish what they have access to in the ocean. Some fish just aren't meant to be captive. All.i can say is try to find a good specimen that is eating pellets locally and is active. These fish swim wrasse like. Constant back and forth grazing on rock

 

[Ks4726]

One thing I’ve read quite a bit is that parrotfish are similar to that of mandarins with no stomach, which is the reason for constant grazing. Perhaps they just need a steady food supply, and the unsuccessful keepers perhaps don’t feed as often as the parrot requires. Instead of 3 times a day, maybe it’s 6-7 regular feedings of algae wafers. Fish stops eating due to lack of energy. Obviously that is 100% just a theory. I may bite the bullet and give it a go. It can either wither away in a small tank at the lfs, or I can give it its best shot at survivability.

I wish you the best of luck. I still walk on egg shells every day over mine. Waiting for a hunger strike.