[JackedupSOB]

Is anyone keeping a princess parrotfish? I just purchased one and know that they are very difficult to keep. So I was just wondering if anyone had experience with this fish that they could share..

[unclejed]

Never had a princess, had a different kind but i will tell you, I learned they absolutely need coral to survive. They use the ground up coral to aid in digestion. I believe they need live coral, which, if you are keeping any hard corals it will eat at them.

[JackedupSOB]

unclejed how long did you have your parrotfish for?

[unclejed]

It only lasted a couple of months. I was unaware at the time about the coral and the lfs I bought it from didn't bother to tell me. At that time I was fairly new to fish keeping and only had a fish only tank with decorative (dead) corals. He would bite at it but I don't think he could get enough from it. That is why I thought I would pass along my knowledge.

[JackedupSOB]

Thanks for the info, they did mention that coral was necessary at my lfs either. Luckily I do have some hard coral in my tank.

When I first put the fish in my tank it just hid behind a rock but now it is moving around alot more and is suprising eating flake food. The fish is really nice looking and hopefully it makes it

[unclejed]

Hi, just to give you more detail, the parrot uses the coral to act as a cleansing agent to facilitate the removal of waist. The fine grit it consumes with other foods helps it to pass the waist, much like fiber does for us. Mine ate great and ate anything I offered, I didn't know it wasn't ridding itself enough and over time got "backed up" to the point that it quit eating for a couple of days and then just died. If you have coral, good, may he/she live a long life in your tank.

[JackedupSOB]

Thanks for the advice I going to do my best to make sure this guy lives a long time

[unclejed]

Long live the King! Oh, I mean princess!

[JackedupSOB]

Unfortunately the parrot has disappeared I have no idea where he is and have searched the tank and even checked the floor around the tank to see if he jumped out.

[aquasalt]

Aren't these very large fish?

[unclejed]

If your parrot wasn't very big and if you have crabs and it died and was out of sight then I think the crabs ate it. From such a meal, keep tabs on nitrate levels for awhile.

[JackedupSOB]

Yeah they can get to 14 inches

Mine was only 3-4 inches. I do have some hermit crabs and a tuxedo urchin who I caught once before eatting a dead damsel so I guess they probable got to the parrot quickly.
I'll check the nitrate levels today.