Dusky Parrotfish
Scarus niger
Also known as: Black Parrotfish, Swarthy Parrotfish
- Black Parrotfish
- Swarthy Parrotfish
Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.
Overview
Found singly, or in harems,, foraging for food, over clear water channels, lagoons, and outer reef slopes, 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
Habitat & where to find it
Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.
- Range · Indo-Pacific
- Exact location · 7
- Dive site · 1
- Country only · 37
Found singly, or in harems,, foraging for food, over clear water channels, lagoons, and outer reef slopes, rich in algae growth.
Adult photos 45
Discussion
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Deep dive
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