Quoyi parrotfish reef safe?
- Thread starter Dmorty217
- Start date
Mine is still tucked away in a PVC fitting. (I know he comes out sometimes, he's pointed in different directions when I peek in... but I've only _seen_ him come out once. Took a look around and went back in.)
He's in a 75 gallon tank set up as a QT, with a small bit of liverock that's got some caulerpa and chaetomorpha rubberbanded to it. I've taped black plastic bags over most of the tank, leaving just a couple of places that I can peek in through. Kept the lights dim for a couple of days, but the last couple of days I've brought the lights up - thinking that this is a diurnal fish, an algae-grazer who has need of sunlight in his world. Yesterday, I also added a trio of small (3/4") black-bar chromis as "dither" fish, hoping to increase the parrotfish's confidence that there aren't any big scary things about to pounce. I've offered blended foods such as Rod's and LRS, mysis, brine, NLS and Ocean Nutrition pellets, flake and fresh clams on the half . . . and no obvious movement so far.
~Bruce, frustrated
He's in a 75 gallon tank set up as a QT, with a small bit of liverock that's got some caulerpa and chaetomorpha rubberbanded to it. I've taped black plastic bags over most of the tank, leaving just a couple of places that I can peek in through. Kept the lights dim for a couple of days, but the last couple of days I've brought the lights up - thinking that this is a diurnal fish, an algae-grazer who has need of sunlight in his world. Yesterday, I also added a trio of small (3/4") black-bar chromis as "dither" fish, hoping to increase the parrotfish's confidence that there aren't any big scary things about to pounce. I've offered blended foods such as Rod's and LRS, mysis, brine, NLS and Ocean Nutrition pellets, flake and fresh clams on the half . . . and no obvious movement so far.
~Bruce, frustrated
Mine is ...
Mostly not. I get excited when I see him hiding in a different pipe after a water change, or notice that his tail is flicking and fluttering inside his favorite PVC fitting when I lift the corner of the cover to peek. Tried green nori rubberbanded to a piece of liverock with coraline on it today (in addition to pellets & mixed frozen foods, with and without garlic). The same result as every other day for the last eight.
Well ... almost the same. He wiggled his tailfin a bit more tonight . . .
Glad to hear that yours is out and actively feeding, though! It offers significant hope!
(Plus, he's going to look amazing in your tank!)
Yesterday, I remembered something I hadn't thought about in quite a while - a fishtrap set that we did for the Key West Aquarium in 1980, while the Mariel Freedom Boatlift was going on... I'd seen patrons at a restaurant near Mallory Pier tossing scraps to fish in the channel, so we (the curator and I) dropped a fish trap near the place. When we started to pull it up, I could feel the shudder-and-thrum of big fish in the trap, and sure enough we'd hit some kind of jackpot. Five midnight parrotfish, seven blues and a stoplight parrot, along with a few tangs. The curator's secret bait? A ham bone from the previous week's Sunday dinner.
Wonder if I should drop a ham bone into my QT . . .
~Bruce
Mostly not. I get excited when I see him hiding in a different pipe after a water change, or notice that his tail is flicking and fluttering inside his favorite PVC fitting when I lift the corner of the cover to peek. Tried green nori rubberbanded to a piece of liverock with coraline on it today (in addition to pellets & mixed frozen foods, with and without garlic). The same result as every other day for the last eight.
Well ... almost the same. He wiggled his tailfin a bit more tonight . . .
Glad to hear that yours is out and actively feeding, though! It offers significant hope!
(Plus, he's going to look amazing in your tank!)
Yesterday, I remembered something I hadn't thought about in quite a while - a fishtrap set that we did for the Key West Aquarium in 1980, while the Mariel Freedom Boatlift was going on... I'd seen patrons at a restaurant near Mallory Pier tossing scraps to fish in the channel, so we (the curator and I) dropped a fish trap near the place. When we started to pull it up, I could feel the shudder-and-thrum of big fish in the trap, and sure enough we'd hit some kind of jackpot. Five midnight parrotfish, seven blues and a stoplight parrot, along with a few tangs. The curator's secret bait? A ham bone from the previous week's Sunday dinner.
Wonder if I should drop a ham bone into my QT . . .
~Bruce
Alas, mine ... hides in a PVC fitting.
Planning a water change for today, and might hit up the market for a ham steak tonight.
So far, I've seen no conclusive evidence of him eating - and if I didn't peek carefully from time to time, I'd not have seen any evidence of a parrotfish in the tank.
~Bruce
Planning a water change for today, and might hit up the market for a ham steak tonight.
So far, I've seen no conclusive evidence of him eating - and if I didn't peek carefully from time to time, I'd not have seen any evidence of a parrotfish in the tank.
~Bruce
Okay, so here's an interesting observation . . .
During the water change, the parrotfish bailed out of his pipe fitting and took a couple of quick laps up and down the 75. The whole time, it seemed as though he was trying to swim through the bottom of the tank. Could he be freaked out by his inability to reach the "shadowed depths" that he can see inside the stand?!
Simon; from what I've read, these guys aren't really very competitive - which makes sense. Their natural food - algae on rocks - isn't really going anywhere, and they can graze at their leisure.
~Bruce
During the water change, the parrotfish bailed out of his pipe fitting and took a couple of quick laps up and down the 75. The whole time, it seemed as though he was trying to swim through the bottom of the tank. Could he be freaked out by his inability to reach the "shadowed depths" that he can see inside the stand?!
Simon; from what I've read, these guys aren't really very competitive - which makes sense. Their natural food - algae on rocks - isn't really going anywhere, and they can graze at their leisure.
~Bruce
Bruse, it does make sense, though my recollection from seeing parrotfish in the Caribbean was that they were quite aggressive. I've recently added a large refugium to my system for a few fish and corals that have not done well in the main display. If my quoyi makes it through QT, I think he's going in there.
Interesting observation, that ... aggressive about food or territory, I wonder?
I've been given to understand that in many instances, two in a tank hasn't worked well - though I've seen videos of two Quoy's cohabiting comfortably . . .
I've taped brown craft paper (package wrap) to the bottom of the tank, and bought a ham steak for tomorrow night's dinner. We'll see how that all goes.
~Bruce
I've been given to understand that in many instances, two in a tank hasn't worked well - though I've seen videos of two Quoy's cohabiting comfortably . . .
I've taped brown craft paper (package wrap) to the bottom of the tank, and bought a ham steak for tomorrow night's dinner. We'll see how that all goes.
~Bruce
Breakthecycle2
New member
Looks like yours is at least transitioning. Females, from what little I've been able to gather, are pretty much grey, with paler bands. Similar to the Surf parrotfish, IIRC.
I've seen videos of two male Quoy's appearing to get along just fine in aquaria - and heard from folks who've tried it with ... less pleasant results.
~Bruce
I've seen videos of two male Quoy's appearing to get along just fine in aquaria - and heard from folks who've tried it with ... less pleasant results.
~Bruce
Please alert next time one is on DD.
hogfanreefer
Active member
There were two on DD last week but they were really big (6 1/4" and 6 7/8" as I recall). I almost pulled the trigger but I'd like one a little smallerif possible.
Jimmy N., you can sign up for DD's "Sneak Peek" emails, which drop every weekday at pretty close to noon in your timezone. They'll let you know what's coming up for that evening's restocking.
~Bruce, whose quoyi has basically been hiding in PVC fittings in his QT for a full month, as of tomorrow, and who has yet to actually see the fish eat anything at all.
~Bruce, whose quoyi has basically been hiding in PVC fittings in his QT for a full month, as of tomorrow, and who has yet to actually see the fish eat anything at all.
BigBlueTang
Active member
There's a 5" one coming today.. Be sure to be on the page refreshing constantly at 4:00pm MST.
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Breakthecycle2
New member
He's going to have to beat me too it!
