PARROTFISH!

Parrotfish are common reef-fish that are very colorful and unique. They are classified in the family Scaridae, and I know of only four genre, although there may be more. Using their beak-like teeth, parrotfish can bite off huge chunks of rock or coral, grind it up using a special device, and then filter this rock through their system in a way that the algae, coral, and various crustaceans enter their system as a source of food. They then expel the rock in the form of sand. How much sand? On one reef they found that for every square meter of coral reef, Parrotfish added over 300 pounds of sand a year! (The Enchanted Braid, Davidson, 1998). A single parrotfish can produce five tons of coral sand in a year according to an unknown source. These fish have very specialized feeding habits obviously, and so most all species fair very poorly in captivity, refusing food, and losing color quite quickly. One way to induce feeding (they should obviously be quarantined first) is to:

“Make up a small batch of Plaster of Paris at a ratio of 1lb. mix to 8oz. of cold water. When this heavy paste is well mixed, add in some finely chopped spinach and about 6oz. of pelletized dry food. Form the mixture into small balls and allow to harden for 2-4 hours. Store in a sealed Ziploc (or similar) bag in the freezer. Feed two to three times a week” (www.ffexpress.com)
Suitable foods to add to the mix would be natural algae, romaine lettuce, and perhaps some brine shrimp for example.

When parrotfish sleep, many will secrete a mucous cocoon to protect themselves from other animals, like the ones that many Wrasses do (including many of the common ones seen in the hobby from the Thallassoma genus). Male Parrotfish are often more brightly colored than females. I have never heard of these fish being bred in captivity before, nor any information as to natural breeding habits.

The most common species offered for sale in our area are the Princess Parrotfish (grows 8-13 inches and is rather shy and extremely hard to keep) and the Bicolor Parrotfish (also extremely hard if not impossible to keep). The only Parrotfish that can be recommended for aquarists are the following, again--take into account their specialized diet, quarantine, max size, and perfect water quality:

The Blue Pygmy from the Cirrhilabrus genus, along with the Multicolored, Striped, and Red one from that genus as well.

The Ruby Head Parrotfish from the Indian Ocean, along with the Painted Parrotfish from that ocean as well.

The Filamented Parrotfish--Paracheilinus filamentosus

Parrotfish are by no means reef-safe, and even the mostly algae-eating species will still destroy the rocks in your reef, knocking over all the corals.

Parrotfish may be a choice for the advanced hobbist looking for a unique addition to a saltwater aquarium. If given their specialized needs, and with a lot of luck, they will definitely be the talk of the town. Their colors a truly wild, and their look and behavior totally unique.

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