WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Daisy Parrotfish

Chlorurus sordidus

Also known as: Bullethead Parrot, Bullethead Parrotfish, Bullet-headed Parrotfish, Bullhead Parrotfish, Garnet Red Parrotfish, Green Parrotfish, Greenfin Parrotfish, Green-finned Parrotfish, Shabby Parrotfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@fishx6 · Mirihi Island Resort, Maldives · May 20081 / 57

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

01

Overview

Found singly or in large schools, foraging for food, over shallow drop-offs and open reef flats, of lagoons and seaward reefs, rich in coral growth. Geographical variation in colour.

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 · Indian Ocean
  • Exact location · 6
  • Country only · 51
LIVES IN

Found singly or in large schools, foraging for food, over shallow drop-offs and open reef flats, of lagoons and seaward reefs, rich in coral growth.

04

Adult photos 57

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. familyScaridae
    2. genusChlorurus
    3. speciesChlorurus sordidus (Forsskål, 1775)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Parrotfishes (Scaridae)