Facts: The Parrotfish

Parrotfish are a group of coral reef fish that live in tropical oceans around the world. Most species live in and around shallow coral reefs. They come in many bright colors and sizes. They change colors as they grow, so among the same species, their coloration can vary greatly between males, females, and juveniles. They typically grow between 1 and 4 ft long. They may travel alone or in groups. They use their side fins to swim forward. Parrotfish have fused teeth that form a parrot-like beak. Their teeth are among the strongest in the world. They use their teeth to scrape food off coral reefs. Parrotfish forage on rocks and coral that are encrusted with algae, bacterial mats, and detritus. They act as reef cleaners, feeding on algae that would otherwise smother the coral. By selectively eating fast growing coral species over slower growing species, they help maintain a more diverse coral reef ecosystem. By munching down dead corals, they make room for young corals to settle and grow. In areas where overfishing has depleted parrotfish populations, the coral reef ecosystems are not as productive and diverse. Parrotfish are bio-eroders. They often leave scratches and scars on the rocks and coral surfaces that they feed on. The ingested hard material is ground up by a second set of teeth, called pharyngeal teeth, located in the back of their throat. Much of the sand in a parrotfish's range is the ground up, undigested coral that they excrete. They are beach builders, countering erosive wave action on shorelines with their sand production. Parrotfish are active during the day. They often move in large schools and spend the majority of the day grazing. During the night, they hide themselves in crevices or they burrow into the sand. Certain species of parrotfish envelop themselves in a transparent cocoon made of mucus secreted from an organ on their head. It is suspected that the cocoon masks their scent, making it harder for predators, like moray eels, to find them. At night, parrotfish are easy targets for spear fishermen. They are eaten as a delicacy in some parts of the world. Most parrotfish species are protogenous sequential hermaphrodites. This means that the young start out as females and have the ability to change into males as they age. A female may turn into a male when the opportunity arises within her group's social structure. Groups of parrotfish are typically led by one dominant male that has exclusive breeding privileges with the females. When the male dies, the largest female in the group transitions into the new dominant male. For more marine facts, click the SUBSCRIBE button!!