Parrotfish are a group of fish species in the Scaridae family. If you want to know how the parrotfish produces sand, continue reading this article from Green Ecology, where you will learn all about the characteristics of the parrotfish, its habitat, and its diet.
Characteristics of the parrotfish
The parrotfish belongs to the Scaridae family, which has about 90 species. However, they all have some characteristics in common, which we present below.
- Most measures are between 20 and 50 centimeters, although a few species measure 1.5 meters, and others barely reach 10 centimeters.
- They live approximately seven years.
- They have very bright colors. They range from blue to green, yellow, and red. This is related to their life cycle, as we will see later.
- When they prepare to sleep at night, they enclose themselves in a mucus cover to avoid being noticed by predators. They usually sleep in the same place and at a shallow depth, making them easy prey for fish.
Is parrotfish edible?
Parrotfish have been consumed for a long time because, like other fish, they are a source of Omega 3. Thus, most people eat them cooked, and some eat them raw (not cooked) in Polynesia. They were a food reserved for royalty. Today, they are still considered a gourmet food. Other places where they are consumed include Egypt and Australia.
However, it can be dangerous to consume it because of a toxic substance called ciguatoxin, which causes ciguatera. Doing so can cause paralysis and muscle pain. On the other hand, it is not ethical to consume it because of its eco-systemic importance.
Parrotfish Feeding
Parrotfish feed on algae found on corals or rocks. To remove the algae, they gnaw at the surface. They do this with a “beak” of several teeth. This type of feeding is called browsing, and the mechanism is known as bioerosion.
They ingest the algae with the coral, which they grind using plates inside the pharynx. However, they cannot process the latter because of the hardness of its calcium carbonate composition.
It is typical of warm waters of coral reefs distributed in the tropics but can also move over rocky bottoms or seagrass beds. This association with corals is of great importance for its way of feeding.
So, what does the parrotfish have to do with sand production? The coral will be digested and defecated; this feces is nothing less than the sand we know today.
A single fish is estimated to produce 900 kilos of sand per year. For example, the Maldives are responsible for 85% of new sand production. They spend approximately 90% of their time eating, meaning their feeding is practically constant.
We tell you which fish eat algae in this article that we suggest.
Reproduction of parrotfish
The parrotfish is a sequential hermaphrodite. It alternates between its female and male organs, identifiable by the color change, with the female being colorful and the male being gray.
They are mostly distributed in the harems of most females and one male. The eggs form part of the plankton. In addition, once they grow, they gather in groups.
Importance of parrotfish
The importance of this fish lies in its cleaning and maintenance function on corals, removing excess algae that grow on them and keeping them healthy. The process also helps to leave areas of the coral exposed so that new coral polyps can settle.
In the South Pacific Ocean, corals are being smothered by algae due to overfishing of parrotfish. Indirectly, parrotfish are essential for conserving corals that are currently in great danger.
On the other hand, they are also vital for forming sand, an essential substrate for the seabed. Beach erosion is constant, and sand production must be simultaneously produced.
Although it is in the Least Concern category, there are initiatives to protect the parrotfish, such as Pass on Parrotfish by The Nature Conservancy, which seeks to raise awareness in the Caribbean about the importance of the parrotfish in coral ecosystems.
Some countries have even taken measures to prevent the fishing of parrotfish, such as Belize, which created a regulatory law to prohibit it. Man is the number one hunter of parrotfish.
Suppose you want to contribute personally to the conservation of fish. In that case, it is recommended not to consume its meat and to raise awareness among others about the importance of fish.