WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Bluepatch Parrotfish

Scarus forsteni

Also known as: Forsten Parrotfish, Forsten's Parrotfish, Rainbow Parrotfish, Tricolor Parrotfish, Whitespot Parrotfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@fishx6 · Lady Musgrave Island, Australia · February 20121 / 3

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

01

Overview

Found singly, foraging for food, over coral and rocky bottoms, of exposed, outer lagoons and seaward reefs, rich in coral growth.

Parrotfish are hermaphrodites and live in harems with a dominant male. They are not territorial, living and feeding in harmony with other species.
Their teeth are fused into powerful beaks which are used for grabbing filamentous algae from dead coral, often found feeding in a cloud of sediment.
At night parrotfish make a sleeping bag out of slime bubbles for protection against predators.
These beautiful fish whose males usually outshine the females for colour also change dramatically from juvenile to adult.

02

How to identify

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03

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

  • Range · Pacific Ocean
  • Exact location · 2
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly, foraging for food, over coral and rocky bottoms, of exposed, outer lagoons and seaward reefs, rich in coral growth.

04

Adult photos 3

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. familyScaridae
    2. genusScarus
    3. speciesScarus forsteni (Bleeker, 1861)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Parrotfishes (Scaridae)