Description
Also known as Blue-faced Parrotfish, Dusky Parrotfish, Greencheek Parrotfish, Greenface Parrotfish, Greenthroat Parrotfish, Ocean Parrotfish.
Found in large schools, foraging for food over shallow, protected reef flats, and seaward reef slopes, although more often over outer reefs rich in algae growth.
They feed on filamentous algae.
Length - 60cm
Depth - 1-30m
Widespread Indo-West Pacific
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.
Need some fun facts?
- Build-in beak: The parrot-like 'beak' isn't just for show. It's made of fused teeth strong enough to scrape algae off of rock and coral. If you listen whilst snorkelling or diving, you can often hear the crunching sounds
- Color changes: Like other parrotfishes, these fish change their colors dramatically during their life - females and juveniles look very different from the striking males.
- Gender swap: These Singapore Parrotfish start their life as females. Later on in life, some transform into males, complete with new colors and social roles.
- Night bags: At night, parrotfish secrete a slimy mucus cocoon around themselves. It acts like a sleeping bag, hiding their scent from predators such as moray eels.
- Sand makers: By grinding up algae and bits of coral, they literally poop out fine white sand. A single parrotfish can produce hundreds of kilograms of sand per year.
- Social butterflies: they're often seen in big schools, sometimes mixed with other parrotfish species, making the reef look like an underwater parade of color.
2 comments
Posted by @fishx6Thank you for noticing the difference, fish put in the wrong place has been renamed and put in the right place as this is the Rusty Parrotfish - Scarus ferruginerus
Posted by @xs6615It strongly seems that the first picture is not the same as the other pictures as the caudal (tail) fin is completely different. I am trying to identify the first photograph, but it does not seem to be the Greenthroat.