Parrotfish food

[asid61]

My mom thinks parrotfish are herbivores and would be perfect for my aquarium (we are vegetarians). Is this true? It would be nice to have a cool-looking fish like this in my 44 gallon tall pentagon corner.
I am still exploring options for it.

 

[AlexS95]

Pretty sure you would need a bigger tank.

 

[moogoomoogoo]

I think they eat coral which is not a plant, therefore not a herbavore

 

[TitanTV]

From everything I have ever heard you should not own a parrotfish as it will be impossible to keep alive long term. And I know for a fact they get way too large for a 44 gallon

 

[MrTuskfish]

Parrotfish are really not fish for the home tank; except in huge tanks with massive filtration and very experienced owners. There are really very few, if any 100% herbivores in the fish world. Even tangs eat many tiny crustaceans while browsing algae. I don't know of any fish that are kept in the home tank without some meaty foods; either frozen or as ingredient in a dry food.
Parrotfish really are an interesting group of fish though; many chomp pieces of live Rock or skeletal coral (with their parrot-like beak), digest what can be digested (algae, tiny animals, etc.), and help the reef by pooping coral sand. Really.

 

[vamaro]

I had a parrot fish. Nice looking fish and a good swimmer. Cleaned every inch of my rock in a week. You can actually hear them biting into the rock. However, these fish will get too big for your present tank. I did a lot of reading and they often refuse food. Mine was already eating pellets when I got him. I had to get rid of mine because it was aggressive towatd my H-tusk.

 

[asid61]

Thanks!