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Rainbow Parrotfish
Scarus guacamaia
Also known as: Blue Rainbow, Rainbow
- Blue Rainbow
- Rainbow
Overview
Found singly or in pairs, foraging for food, over coral and rocky reefs, retiring at night to a cave for protection.
Juveniles found amongst mangroves.
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
- Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
- Exact location · 1
- Country only · 14
Found singly or in pairs, foraging for food, over coral and rocky reefs, retiring at night to a cave for protection.
Adult photos 15
Discussion 1
1 comment
- indiana chambers· 27 Sept 2017
Deep dive
More in the family
Parrotfishes (Scaridae)

Azure Parrotfish
Scarus compressus
1 photo

Bicolour Parrotfish
Cetoscarus bicolor

Bleeker's Parrotfish
Chlorurus bleekeri
8 photos

Blue Parrotfish
Scarus coeruleus

Blue-barred Parrotfish
Scarus ghobban
61 photos

Bluelip Parrofish
Cryptotomus roseus
Bluemoon Parrotfish
Chlorurus atrilunula
0 photos

Bluepatch Parrotfish
Scarus forsteni

Bower's Parrotfish
Chlorurus bowersi
1 photo

Bridled Parrotfish
Scarus frenatus

Bucktooth Parrotfish
Sparisoma radians

Bumphead Parrotfish
Scarus perrico
1 photo