Bahamas Princess Parrotfish

The princess parrotfish, a tropical reef parrotfish, is one of the many fish that can be seen on the Bahamas Snorkel Tours. These beautiful fish are typically between 20 and 25 centimeters in length. They have large, recognizable scales covering their bodies. The princess parrotfish is named for its beak-like mouth which resembles that of a parrot. Their constant grazing on algae prevent the algae from smothering the coral, making the princess parrotfish essential to maintaining the health of the coral reef.

Appearance

The appearance of the princess parrotfish varies depending on what stage of development it is in. Princess parrotfish are sequential hermaphrodites and they begin their lives as females. During this phase, called the initial phase, princess parrotfish have a brownish body covered in dark stripes. As the fish matures, the stripes fade and become brown. The fins take on a yellow tint and the tail begins to darken. During the next stage of development, the juvenile phase, the fish's body has three black stripes, two white stripes and a white belly that often has silver stripes. The final phase of development takes place when the princess parrotfish has fully changed to male and is called the terminal phase. A fish in the terminal phase has a body that is blue to green with two blue or green stripes extending from the snout and crossing over the eyes. They have colorful tails, ranging from yellow to orange to pink. The mid body of the fish is yellow with an orange stripe.

Beak-Like Teeth

The princess parrotfish have a beak-like plate of teeth that they use to graze algae and break off bits of coral. The fish have more teeth in their throats, which are used to crush the coral so that the coral polyps are able to be digested. After digestion, the parrotfish excrete the coral as bits of sand, which forms the sand of the beaches of the Bahamas. A single princess parrotfish can produce roughly 200 pounds of sand in one year.

Behavior

The princess parrotfish can be seen feeding in groups. One male fish guards a small group of females, which are known as his harem. If he dies, one of the females will change sex to replace him.

Mucus

At night, the princess parrotfish squeezes into a crevice or burrows into sand and releases a cocoon of mucus around its body. This mucus serves to hide the fish and mask its scent, protecting it from predators. The mucus also has antioxidant properties that are helpful in repairing any bodily damage.

The princess parrotfish are just one of the many types of fish that can be seen on the Bahamas Snorkel Tours. Look for these beautiful fish within 35 meters from the shore.