Was on my way from one place to another three days ago or so, and stopped in to a LFS in the neighborhood. The lad in the SW department saw me looking into the first six or so tanks, and asked if there was anything in particular that I was looking for. Knowing that he'd probably look at me like I was crazy, as most of the other LFS employees have when I mentioned my latest obsession, I said "There's probably only one fish that could draw my wallet out of my pocket at the moment; Quoy's parrotfish."
The lad smiled ... and gestured to tank #7.
Brought the fish home, drip and temperature acclimated. Slid him into a 75 gallon QT, which he shares with a couple of Aqua-Clear 110s, a powerhead, several sorts of PVC fittings and several million nitrifying bacteria, along with a small liverock that's got a small bundle of Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha rubberbanded to it. He tried to bore through the bottom of the tank for a moment, then slid into a PVC fitting group. Through the next day, I saw him come out once - he acted like a groundhog on a sunny February 2nd morning; took a look around and dove right back into his tube.
Lighting in the tank is provided by "invisible LED" fixtures. For the most part, I've had one of the two fixtures turned on, the other off, darkening one end of the tank. For the most part, the light that has been on has been using the blue "moonlights" only. I also covered the tank yesterday, save for a small strip in the front, to give this shy fellow some privacy. (I know he was out and about, and actively feeding in the store - I could see the scrape-marks left by his beak on the liverock.)
I've offered small feedings of mixed frozen foods (LRS, Rod's, Mysis, Brine, Angelfish formula...) NLS and Ocean Nutrition pellets, even flake, with and without garlic extract. He sits in that pipe, breathing slowly and rhythmically, as though he was fast asleep. If the direction his tail stuck out the end of the pipe didn't change a couple of times a day, I'd be distraught - as it is, I'm becoming deeply concerned.
Just to throw one more wrinkle on it, there was something ... unpleasant ... in his drip bucket. Whitish. Stringy / bunchy. Not sure whether it was parasite-class poop, but I understand internal parasites aren't uncommon with parrotfish, so expect to treat with Metro, as well as Prazi-Pro and chelated copper.
Options as I see them:
- Continue on course, and hope the fish emerges into the twilight quiet of the blue-half-lit QT.
- Crank up the lights, with the understanding that this is a daytime, shallow-water fish, and hope it encourages exploration.
- Add a trio of Talbot's damsels or other small, inoffensive fish as "dither" to help offer confidence that predators (and nets) aren't lurking. (I'd like to add a trio of Talbot's to my 220 when it's up & running, so they'd have a home.)
- Begin Metro and / or Prazi-Pro treatment in the water, 'cause he's just not out picking up snacks.
Any thoughts? I've never had a fish hide this long . . .
~Bruce
The lad smiled ... and gestured to tank #7.
Brought the fish home, drip and temperature acclimated. Slid him into a 75 gallon QT, which he shares with a couple of Aqua-Clear 110s, a powerhead, several sorts of PVC fittings and several million nitrifying bacteria, along with a small liverock that's got a small bundle of Caulerpa and Chaetomorpha rubberbanded to it. He tried to bore through the bottom of the tank for a moment, then slid into a PVC fitting group. Through the next day, I saw him come out once - he acted like a groundhog on a sunny February 2nd morning; took a look around and dove right back into his tube.
Lighting in the tank is provided by "invisible LED" fixtures. For the most part, I've had one of the two fixtures turned on, the other off, darkening one end of the tank. For the most part, the light that has been on has been using the blue "moonlights" only. I also covered the tank yesterday, save for a small strip in the front, to give this shy fellow some privacy. (I know he was out and about, and actively feeding in the store - I could see the scrape-marks left by his beak on the liverock.)
I've offered small feedings of mixed frozen foods (LRS, Rod's, Mysis, Brine, Angelfish formula...) NLS and Ocean Nutrition pellets, even flake, with and without garlic extract. He sits in that pipe, breathing slowly and rhythmically, as though he was fast asleep. If the direction his tail stuck out the end of the pipe didn't change a couple of times a day, I'd be distraught - as it is, I'm becoming deeply concerned.
Just to throw one more wrinkle on it, there was something ... unpleasant ... in his drip bucket. Whitish. Stringy / bunchy. Not sure whether it was parasite-class poop, but I understand internal parasites aren't uncommon with parrotfish, so expect to treat with Metro, as well as Prazi-Pro and chelated copper.
Options as I see them:
- Continue on course, and hope the fish emerges into the twilight quiet of the blue-half-lit QT.
- Crank up the lights, with the understanding that this is a daytime, shallow-water fish, and hope it encourages exploration.
- Add a trio of Talbot's damsels or other small, inoffensive fish as "dither" to help offer confidence that predators (and nets) aren't lurking. (I'd like to add a trio of Talbot's to my 220 when it's up & running, so they'd have a home.)
- Begin Metro and / or Prazi-Pro treatment in the water, 'cause he's just not out picking up snacks.
Any thoughts? I've never had a fish hide this long . . .
~Bruce
