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Amazingly beautiful as they drift along the ridges of the coral reef, the parrot fish, which is found in the Scaridae family, rides along with the ebb and flow of the tides. These gentle, colorful fish with their somewhat long bodies and large heads, have very interesting large teeth at the front of their mouth that are fused to form a sort of parrot like beak. The parrot fish can be found in tropical oceans throughout the world, varying in size from eighteen inches up to four feet long. Found in the order of Perciformes this interesting fish is known to feed on algae which it scrapes off the reef with its beak like teeth. As the algae is removed bits of coral are removed with it and passed to the throat where pharyngeal teeth supply a kind of chewing surface where the algae is ground into digestible bits. The bits of coral reef are then expelled in what appear to be chosen sites forming mounds of coral sand. With over eighty species, some of the larger parrot fish are known to be capable of breaking off chunks of the reef as they attempt to get at their food. This has created a good amount of destruction to some coral reef areas, producing what is called the white coral sand effect.
The bright coloration and coloration patterns of the parrot fish varies greatly between the males, females and juveniles, with each going through a variety of color changes as they age. Colors are known to range from blues, yellows, browns, blacks and reds to bright orange or greens. There is also a change, as this fish begins to age, in the shape of its head. These interesting changes that are found in all species of the parrot fish has made it difficult for scientist to discern between the various species and caused much controversy concerning number of species of this fish. The only known non-tropical species of this fish is the Scarus cretensis. This species is most often found in areas of the Mediterranean and was recognized by the ancient Greeks. Today it is more common in the sub tropical waters off the coast of Africa, around the Azores and Canary Islands. It is a rare and highly valued as a food source in some areas off the coast of Africa and throughout the Aegean Sea. One of the more interesting characteristics of the parrot fish is their preference to sleep during the night at the bottom of the reef. Some species protect themselves by burrowing into the sandy bottom where they remain until morning. Other species are characterized by their ability to cover themselves with a type of slimy covering forming a kind of cocoon in which to sleep that protects them from nocturnal predators like the moray eel. When morning arrives the fish discards the cocoon and goes about its business.
Much like their amazing ability for changing colors, the parrot fish presents a very inter-changeable mating pattern. In many species the female will exhibit male like features during the mating season in instances where there are no males present. Males that are born into the species remain male and tend to surround themselves with many females once they have established a nesting site or territory for spawning. In most cases this area is found in the deeper waters surrounding the reef. The territory and females are protected by the dominant male from other males of the species. But if the dominant male in a given territory is absent the most aggressive female will take over, changing to a male in only a few days. This sex reversal accompanies a change in color by the dominating female as well. Once the eggs are fertilized, most species return to the shallow waters of the reef, with larvae appearing within a day. Although the parrot fish is known to be capable or reproducing throughout the year, mating behavior is much more predominant during the summer months. Little is known about the larvae stage of this fish but most of the larvae appear to have no characterizing facial features or pigment coloration for the first few days after hatching. Juvenile males in some species will show a definite and increasing change in the shape of their head as they age. The parrot fish is sometimes kept in aquariums where they’re bright coloring and fascinating behavior makes them one of the more interesting fish to observe. Although some species are edible, in most cases this fish has very little commercial value.
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