WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Rainbow Parrotfish

Scarus guacamaia

Also known as: Blue Rainbow, Rainbow

NTNear ThreatenedIUCN Red List, 2012
Adult
@elora · MX, Mexico · September 20151 / 15
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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.

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How to identify

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 14
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs, foraging for food, over coral and rocky reefs, retiring at night to a cave for protection.

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Adult photos 15

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Discussion 1

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1 comment

  • indiana chambers· 27 Sept 2017

    This really helped on my google slide for school!! THANK YOU!!

ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. familyScaridae
  2. genusScarus
  3. speciesScarus guacamaia Cuvier, 1829

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

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More in the family

Parrotfishes (Scaridae)