Scarus quoyi

[Hulltiger]

this fish has been talked about as a reef safe parrot fish. Has anyone had any long term experience of keeping this fish in a reef tank

 

[snorvich]

Scarus quoyi has the potential to exceed 15" long. They are heavy bodied, active fish, and would require a large system with a Very good filter in place.

They are one of the few parrotfish that do not rely on hard corals for their diet- they actually eat plants/algae. However, they are very likely to chomp down on stony coral in a reef tank, just to get to algae growing around the polyps if nothing else. It can devastate a reef tank even though it does not eat coral as other Parrot Fish do. That said, Quoy are probably one of the best species to try if you absolutely MUST have a parrotfish. Best in large fish-only systems.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Google "Pieter six meter"

 

[sTefaniA]

I had one and it didn't eat any corals. But you could just as easy get one that does eat coral.
It will however 'frag' your corals for you, they swim around like monster trucks, knocking stuff over.

 

[snorvich]

Gorgeous fish, however, and a great picture.

 

[snorvich]

Google "Pieter six meter"

Now THAT is an aquarium. Too bad about his ich outbreak but gorgeous, gorgeous reef.

 

[8220]

I have had a pair for the past 8 months. They are really well adapted to my reef-tank and are actually a rather docile breed.
They swim around nice a easy and have never caused any problems at any sort.

I only have positive things to say about this fantastic fish.

They eat everything I offer them

 

[Hulltiger]

I wonder why not more people try this wonderful fish? Is it hard to get hold of in us. I think I should be able to source one in the uk .i will post up my results good or bad to add to the record

 

[Recty]

I wonder why not more people try this wonderful fish? Is it hard to get hold of in us. I think I should be able to source one in the uk .i will post up my results good or bad to add to the record

It gets huge, destructive and makes a mess... most people dont want any of those three in their reef tanks.

 

[Hulltiger]

The details I have found states a max length of 20 cm. that is not bigger than many of the tangs we put in our tanks? Also reported to be slow growers

 

[Chooch1]

I've had a S. quoyi for almost two years. Mine has been a slow grower. It is a model citizen and does not bother any of my corals. A LFS near me has had a specimen since January and I can't believe no one has purchased it.

 

[gmigmi]

I had my first quoiy for 1.5 years was a model citizen, lost him after he jumped into the bracing and got hurt, I now have a small one for the last year he's a excellent fish doesn't touch any corals and is a very very slow grower.
I also know several fellow reefers locally that have a similar experience, except for one guy that had to remove his after it began chopping up his sps.

 

[Hulltiger]

This does seem to be a fish that people think of as massive and not reefsafe but there seems to be evidence coming forward that this reputation is not deserved

 

[anbosu]

Parrotfish, as Steve mentioned above, are very heavy bodied, so even if they only get to 12" it will be bigger than almost any other 12" fish you can put in your tank.

 

[Recty]

The details I have found states a max length of 20 cm. that is not bigger than many of the tangs we put in our tanks? Also reported to be slow growers

I agree on the slow grower part, but not the 20cm. Fishbase.org states max size is 40cm. Double what you're quoting.

Granted, most fish only reach about 75% of their max size in captivty... but you're still talking about a 30cm fish, a foot long and thick.

Sure, keeping foot long fish in tanks isnt that uncommon in large tanks, it just isnt something most hobbyists with their 75g and under tanks should be doing... just my opinion.

 

[Hulltiger]

Sorry I do not know where I got 20cm now. It does state it on a thread describing the same fish in 6 meterPieter's tank. Thought I had checked a data base though. Other data bases state usual length to 25 cm but as you have said others state max length 40cm

 

[Recty]

Usual length being somewhere between 25-30, I totally agree with that. Fish in captive systems never seem to hit their full potential size. But you're still talking about a foot long fish at that point. I've done SCUBA and snorkeled with parrotfish in the wild a lot, they are amazing looking fish for the most part but wow they can really take a hunk out of stuff when they want to. I'd be cautious mainly just because of that.