Quoyi parrotfish reef safe?

[SDguy]

So your experience with one fish that just arrived at a LFS leads you to conclude this? :strange:

Um, no. I worked at LFS's for many years all through HS and college. Obviously the available species diversity back then was limited (as I already pointed out) but the fact was that they just didn't do well back then, and from my limited experience recently, it's still not a slam dunk, regardless of adult size.

Hey, moorish idols are grazers too... where are we with them?

My point is that people should still be cautious when picking a specimen, more so than with a tang. If you disagree, so be it. If you have more experiences to share with parrots, please do so... info on these fish even now is so limited, so any little bit is useful, IMO.

 

[Dmorty217]

So your experience with one fish that just arrived at a LFS leads you to conclude this? :strange:

They are grazers, just like rabbits and tangs. It is really not difficult to get many species to start nibbling on stuff. Certainly much easier to get eating than some angelfish can be. The stigma in the hobby of parrots in general is based on an incomplete understanding of the different genera that make up the family. Obviously the big 4' bruisers are problematic, but there are smaller species that do fine.

Sparisoma atomarium
Sparisoma aurofrenatum
Scarus iserti
Scarus spinus
Scarus quoyi
Scarus taeniopterus

:thumbsup:

Show me pictures of the parrots either you still currently have or have had to back up what you are claiming about them eating everything, otherwise it sounds like you are blowing smoke with the jaw service. I understand everyone has a opinion but if there is no actual experience with the topic at hand then it would be best just not to post at all:deadhorse1:

 

[jazzman7838]

Um, no. I worked at LFS's for many years all through HS and college. Obviously the available species diversity back then was limited (as I already pointed out) but the fact was that they just didn't do well back then, and from my limited experience recently, it's still not a slam dunk, regardless of adult size.

Hey, moorish idols are grazers too... where are we with them?

Thanks for the clarification. I'd say Moorish Idols are still difficult but not because it is hard to get them eating. I've never had an issue getting a MI to eat in less than a few days. My gut tells me they are very sensitive to chronic stress and that is what leads them to die prematurely. Proud caretaker of a 7 year old one, for what it's worth.

My point is that people should still be cautious when picking a specimen, more so than with a tang. If you disagree, so be it. If you have more experiences to share with parrots, please do so... info on these fish even now is so limited, so any little bit is useful, IMO.

Completely agreed. I've already shared my experience in this thread, but the long and the short of it is that some small species will do fine in suitably large aquariums, they should be fed frequently, and kept in a tank with lots of light and live rock with grazing opportunities.

 

[jazzman7838]

Show me pictures of the parrots either you still currently have or have had to back up what you are claiming about them eating everything, otherwise it sounds like you are blowing smoke with the jaw service. I understand everyone has a opinion but if there is no actual experience with the topic at hand then it would be best just not to post at all:deadhorse1:

Why the hostility? I'm not going to engage in a ****ing match to show off the fish I take care of. Suffice it to say that I'm not trolling and I have no interest in tricking people into buying parrotfish.

But here is one from this morning, obviously I'm not a good photographer...

 

[Dmorty217]

No hostility meant, lots of people on here put in their 2c without any knowledge on the subject (trolling). Thank you for the pic of your parrot!

 

[jazzman7838]

:thumbsup:

 

[SDguy]

Nice specimen! So what species is that BTW?

 

[jazzman7838]

S. iserti

 

[Rea17]

Beautiful parrot, and congrats on the idol as well. If you can get more pictures of the parrot I for one would love to see them. Most of the pictures online of iserti don't look nearly as bright! That's a nice specimen Is he in a fish only?

 

[jazzman7838]

No, coral tank with stonies and gorgonians. The ones from Florida seem to have a lot more orange on the side than other parts of the Caribbean, and that is where this one is from.

This is another Caribbean species, I think it's the one Matt Pedersen had spawning at home.
http://reefguide.org/carib/greenblotchparrotfish.html
Sparisoma atomarium

 

[Louy99]

Oilvla




Oihgfddsaqqqqqqthjfhuopgg hchcfgihkggghnvy

 

[SDguy]

Oilvla
Oihgfddsaqqqqqqthjfhuopgg hchcfgihkggghnvy

wut?

Hey jazzman, how'd you get your parrot? They are few and very far between at LFS's....

 

[Louy99]

wut?

Hey jazzman, how'd you get your parrot? They are few and very far between at LFS's....

Sorry, apparently my 4yr old daughter (Olivia) got a hold of my iPhone.

 

[SDguy]

Sorry, apparently my 4yr old daughter (Olivia) got a hold of my iPhone.

:lol:

 

[jazzman7838]

Dynasty Marine

 

[beachbreak]

Sorry, apparently my 4yr old daughter (Olivia) got a hold of my iPhone.

:lmao::lmao::thumbsup::lmao::lmao:

 

[SDguy]

Anyone know if parrots are territorial with each other (different species)?

 

[SDguy]

Thanks for the clarification. I'd say Moorish Idols are still difficult but not because it is hard to get them eating. I've never had an issue getting a MI to eat in less than a few days. My gut tells me they are very sensitive to chronic stress and that is what leads them to die prematurely. Proud caretaker of a 7 year old one, for what it's worth.



Completely agreed. I've already shared my experience in this thread, but the long and the short of it is that some small species will do fine in suitably large aquariums, they should be fed frequently, and kept in a tank with lots of light and live rock with grazing opportunities.

I agree on the MI. When I transfered all my fish to the new 240, he had a heck of a time adjusting... but is fine now. I'm coming up on two years with him. I can't believe how fast they grow, BTW! And yes, they need to be fed constantly!

It's a shame the smaller species of parrot aren't available very often (at least not from what I've seen locally or online). Wouldn't mind seeing a S. flavipectoralis or S. genozonatus in person

BTW, have you checked out HBH spirulina pellets? No other pellet food makes my MI's dorsal filament grow faster, and from the research I've done, it has the highest spirulina content of any pellet/flake food. My quoyi loves them too.

 

[jazzman7838]

I have not, I'll have to check those out. I use OSI Spirulina wafers; I bust them up into little pieces then stick them in an Eheim auto feeder to dump in 4 times a day. Keeps the grazers working on it for a while. I use NLS pellets too. I also keep a couple chunks of live rock in the sump and swap them in and out regularly. Or just flip over any loose rocks in the display. Sponges a plenty.

 

[rssjsb]

Anyone know if parrots are territorial with each other (different species)?

Well, they aggregate in the wild but I don't know if that's predictive of captive behavior.