Captain Parrotfish
Chlorurus enneacanthus
Also known as: Green Parrotfish
- Green Parrotfish
Overview
Found in small to large schools, foraging for food, over dead coral and rubble areas of shallow fringing reefs rich in algae 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.
How to identify
- Pattern
- blotches
- Head & Mouth
- black beak
- Behaviour
- schoolingsleeps in mucus cocoon
Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Western Indian Ocean
- Exact location · 1
- Country only · 8
Found in small to large schools, foraging for food, over dead coral and rubble areas of shallow fringing reefs rich in algae growth.
Adult photos 9
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