Princess Parrotfish (Scarus taeniopterus)

Also known as Blue Chub, Painted-tail Parrotfish, Sammy Johnson, Snotty Parrot, Snotty Parrotfish

Description

Also known as Blue Chub, Painted-tail Parrotfish, Sammy Johnson, Snotty Parrot, Snotty Parrotfish.

Found in large schools, foraging for food, over coral and rocky bottoms of reefs, rich in seagrass growth.
They feed on filamentous algae.
Length - 35cm
Depth - 1-25m
Widespread Western Atlantic, Caribbean

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. Ref: https://www.fishbase.de/summary/1156

Related creatures

Heads up! Many creatures change during their life. Juvenile fish become adults and some change shape or their colour. Some species change sex and others just get older. The following creature(s) are known relatives of the Princess Parrotfish. Click the image(s) to explore further or hover over to get a better view!

Princess Parrotfish (juvenile)

Princess Parrotfish (juvenile)

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