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Stoplight parrotfish

Sparisoma viride

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Fun Facts

Parrotfish have beak-like mouths, perfect for eating algae and corals, including hard corals with stiff skeletons. They crush hard corals with special teeth in their throats, digest the soft coral tissue and the algae inside it, and poop out the hard coral skeleton as white sand!

Species Type:

Fishes

Common Name(s):

Stoplight parrotfish

Size:

These fish can reach lengths of 22 inches (55 centimeters) and weigh around 3.5 pounds (1.6 kilograms).

Diet:

These colorful fish graze on algae and corals growing on rocks and reefs.

Range & Habitat:

In the western Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, stoplight parrotfish live in shallow water coral communities.

Details:

Parrotfish are bright teal with rounded faces and forked tails, accented by pink and yellow highlights on their tail, gill slit, head, and fins. Their beak-like mouths are perfect for eating algae and corals, helping prevent overgrowth and keeping reefs healthy. At night, they secrete a slimy mucus “sleeping bag” to hide their scent from predators.