Parrotfish

Parrotfish

Parrotfish belong to the Order Perciforms. These Diurnal Fish can be easily identified by a Parrot’s Beak like Teeth. Parrotfish use these Teeth to break down Corals and draw out Algae & Polyps from them to feed themselves. Fresh Marine brings to you some of the best Parrotfish species. Prior to proceeding to them however, let’s take a look at some of the common features of Parrotfish.

Compatibility. Parrotfish are Peaceful and are Reef Compatible, but are difficult to maintain in captivity. Most of the Parrotfish are found in shoals when they are young, but as they become adults, they become more solitary.

Habit & Habitat. Parrotfish are found mostly on Tropical Coral Reefs and Lagoons in the Indo-pacific region, in the Western Atlantic region, Red Sea, and Caribbean. At night, these fish secrete foggy or transparent Mucus that circles their entire body in order to protect themselves from predators. They are hardy fish and adjust very well in aquariums, if they get ample space for swimming and hiding.

Morphology. Parrotfish are colorful fish with many unique qualities. The sizes of Parrotfish vary from 20cm to 1.5m. They have many tightly packed teeth arranged on the outer surface of the Jawbones. This structure forms a Parrot like beak and hence the name Parrotfish. Parrotfish have deep Bodies with thick Scales. Their Tail is large & symmetric, and extends beyond the end of the Vertebral Column. They have large Pectoral Fins, which are their primary means of locomotion.

Ideal Marine Aquarium Environment. Parrotfish require a Specific Gravity of 1.020-1.025, a pH of 8.1-8.4, and a Temperature of 72-78°F. They need an aquarium of minimum 100 to 300 Gallons capacity. Keep ample hiding places such as, Caves and Rocks in your aquarium for the Parrotfish to hide. In addition, Aquatic Plants should be kept in the tank to impart a feel of natural habitat to these fish. Corals should be avoided in the tank, as Parrotfish feed on them.

Aquarium Feeding. Parrotfish are Omnivorous in their feeding habit and eat Algae, Planktons, & Corals.

Aquarium Breeding. It is difficult to breed Parrotfish in captivity due to their large adult size.

Care. Usually Expert Aquarists should handle Parrotfish, as they are difficult to maintain.

Some of the best selling Parrotfish, belonging to the Family Scaridae, available at Fresh Marine, are listed below.

Bicolor Parrotfish (Cetoscarus bicolor). Bicolor Parrotfish are White in color with thin streaks of Orange across their Face. Both, Dorsal and Caudal Fins are also Orange in color. However, as these fish grow and become adults, their colors change. The color of Body changes to Blue from White and the Orange streaks are replaced by dots all over the facial area. Fins also get new additional hues. Bicolor Parrotfish grow up to a size of 22-25 inches and need a tank capacity of around 300 gallons.

Princess Parrotfish (Scarus teaniopterus). Also known as, Princess Green Parrot Fish, these fish are one of the most colorful ones. They have bright Blue colored Body with bright Pink or Orange streaks, reticulating over the Cheeks from Nose to Eyes. A bright Yellow dot can be seen on their Pectoral Fins and they have a tail, which has Pink colored border. Princess Parrotfish are very shy and they roam in schools near Reefs. They are about 8-10 inches in length and must be put in a tank with the water capacity of minimum 90 gallons.

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