From a dark brown with several white spots at birth to a more colourful pattern with a marbled head a checkered pattern of dark brown and white scales and bright red fins tail and underside as a mature female.
What eats marbled parrotfish.
The marbled parrotfish is found in the southeast atlantic indo pacific region growing up to 35cm in length.
The marbled parrotfish may also be referred to as the slender parrotfish the petroleum parrotfish or the seagrass parrotfish.
They come in a wide variety of shapes sizes and colors.
All stoplight parrotfish are born as females.
Marbled parrotfish leptoscarus vaigiensis.
It is a coastal species found in beds of sea grass and seaweed.
These completely unrelated species often benefit each other with the parrotfish scratching the surface sending fine algal strands into the water column which the surgeonfish swoop on and the.
They grow and change colour multiple times in their life.
Found in schools over hard bottoms and seagrass beds of sheltered bays harbours and lagoons rich.
Found singly or in small schools foraging for food over coral rubble seagrass and weedy areas along shorelines of reef flats lagoons and seaward.
Parrotfish are a group of colorful tropical fishes native to shallow seas.
Parrotfish form large mixed schools with up to 10 different species of parrotfish and often other families of fish such as surgeonfish and wrasses.
Find out how they change genders to promote a harem lifestyle.
The marbled parrotfish leptoscarus vaigiensis is the only species of parrotfish known not to change sex.
Parrot fish are eaten by sharks.
In south africa its range extends into the southeast atlantic at false bay in the western cape.
These fish are named for their bird like beaks which are used to feed on coral polyps and algae.
The marbled parrotfish leptoscarus vaigiensis also known as the seagrass parrotfish is a species of marine ray finned fish a parrotfish from the family scaridae and it is the only known member of the genus leptoscarus it has a wide indo pacific distribution and is also found in the south eastern atlantic ocean.
Parrotfish s predators are snappers jacks moray eels and other carnivorous fishes.
In most species the initial phase is dull red brown or grey while the terminal phase is vividly green or blue with bright pink orange or yellow patches.
Meet the incredible parrotfish whose coral crunching bite can be heard on tropical reefs worldwide.