Fun Queen Parrotfish Facts For Kids

Oluwatosin Michael
Nov 07, 2022 By Oluwatosin Michael
Originally Published on Aug 06, 2021
Edited by Luca Demetriou
Fact-checked by Sakshi Raturi
Queen parrotfish facts about the fish species known to secrete a mucus cocoon.

Queen parrotfish (scarus vetula) is a fish that belongs to the family of marine ray-finned fishes. Queen parrotfishes are found on the reefs in the tropical West Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Males and females are reddish-brown in color and have different appearances. It is a common species found in a habitat where sufficient water is available as they live near coral reefs.

Queen parrotfish (scarus vetula) is known to live up to five to seven years. The key to this reef fish identification is the single long dorsal fin.

Read more about this parrotfish species and keep learning. Afterwards, do check our other articles on codfish facts and fluke fish facts for more.
 

Queen Parrotfish Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a queen parrotfish?

Queen parrotfish (scarus vetula) is a type of fish that is reddish-brown in color and is one of the commonly known fish among the other species.

What class of animal does a queen parrotfish belong to?

Queen parrotfish (scarus vetula) belongs to the class of ray-finned fishes which are found under the coral reefs towards the West Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. Queen parrotfish (scarus vetula) are herbivores in nature and use their beak in order to scrape the plants and the algae from the reef surface.

How many queen parrotfish are there in the world?

There is no accurate and rough number so as to how many queen parrotfish are there in the world. The number of queen parrotfishes differs according to factors which determine the lifespan including any active conservation program.

Where does a queen parrotfish live?

Queen parrotfishes usually prefer to live on the coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea and also its adjacent waters like the  stoplight parrotfish (sparisoma viride). These sea animals are found in different parts of the world, Western Central Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, Bermuda, Florida, and the Bahamas to South America.

What is a queen parrotfish's habitat?

The queen parrotfish habitat includes coral reefs and the adjacent waters. These sea animals live in coral reefs and feed on the food that is present there.

Who do queen parrotfish live with?

Queen parrotfish prefers to live alone rather than living in groups or in pairs. You can keep them in groups or in communities of suitable tank mates.

How long does a queen parrotfish live?

The lifespan of a queen parrotfish is said to be five to seven years while leading a normal sea life. The lifespan of queen parrotfishes is based on certain factors which determine their lifecycle.

How do they reproduce?

The mating process of the male and female queen parrotfish from phylum chordata is known as broadcast spawning where the females release several small eggs that are buoyant in nature. The females release the eggs and then the male releases its sperm in the water column which is above the reef, the same.

Once the mating process is complete, the females then lay their eggs which hatch in some time.

What is their conservation status?

The latest information regarding the conservation status of queen parrotfish is that its survival is of least concern at present. This information suggests to people that they are doing well and not going to extinct soon.

Queen Parrotfish Fun Facts

What do queen parrotfish look like?

Queen parrotfishes are reddish-brown in color, and they look quite different in appearance from the bluish-green color of the final phase male. The adult fish is heavy in weight with a body that is spindle-shaped, and beak-like mouths, which grow up to a length of about 23.6 in (60 cm). These fish have two different colors.

How cute are they?

You will find this information about these coral reef fishes sweet. Queen parrotfishes are very cute with their cute head and adorable at the same time because of their color. There are some queen parrotfishes that vary in color and make them look cute.

How do they communicate?

Queen parrotfishes communicate with the help of physical vibrations in order to communicate with each other, much like dolphins.

How big is a queen parrotfish?

Queen parrotfishes can grow up to 23 in (58.42 cm) in length which is bigger in size as compared to the other species of the fish.

How fast can a queen parrotfish move?

There is no accurate speed so as to how fast a queen parrotfish can move. Queen parrotfishes tend to move faster when they see their predator approaching them.

How much does a queen parrotfish weigh?

The weight of the queen parrot fish species is approximately 45 lb (20.4 kg) which differs according to the eating habits of the fish.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There is no accurate and particular name so as to what males and female queen parrotfish species is called. Males parrotfish and females are known by common names as queen parrotfish only.

What would you call a baby queen parrotfish?

There is no accurate name so as to what a baby queen parrotfish species is called. They are simply known as juvenile queen parrotfish.

What do they eat?

Queen parrotfishes are herbivores, who, with the help of their beak, scrape plants as well as algae from the surface of the reef for their diet.

Are they poisonous?

Yes, queen parrotfishes are poisonous and contain variety of biotoxins that are poisonous. Therefore, you should never eat a parrotfish.

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, they make good pets as their behavior is good but you need to make sure that you keep them on their own, or in groups, or in a community of suitable tank mates so that their behavior remains intact. They are peaceful in nature and get stressed by other aggressive fishes.

Did you know...

The fertilization of queen parrotfishes is external. The queen parrotfish is also known to secrete a mucus cocoon which helps them in sleeping in it in the nighttime. The cocoon also acts to isolate the variety of scent of the parrotfish, which helps them in making them less vulnerable to predators like dolphins and sharks.

Well, it may sound weird but parrot fishes poop sand which is in fact inedible calcium-carbonate reef material.

The name parrot fish is attributed to the presence of a parrot like beak.

Is queen parrotfish good to eat?

Parrotfish is known as a saccharine delight that is eaten by the people in Jamaica and is prepared in many ways such as fried, steamed, or brown stewed. But, it is advised that you should not consume queen parrotfish as it is poisonous as well.

Queen parrotfish teeth

Queen parrotfishes have 1000 teeth which are lined up in 15 rows and then are cemented together in their head to form the structure of the beak which helps them in scraping the algae off the reef.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these swai fish facts and skate fish facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable queen parrotfish coloring pages.

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Written by Oluwatosin Michael

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

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Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies. 

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Fact-checked by Sakshi Raturi

Postgraduate Diploma in Management

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Sakshi RaturiPostgraduate Diploma in Management

Sakshi has experience in marketing strategy, social media planning, and recruiting industry experts for capstone projects, she has displayed a commitment to enhancing their skills and knowledge. She has won multiple awards, including a Certificate of Appreciation for Creative Writing and a Certificate of Merit for Immaculate Turut, and is always seeking new opportunities to grow and develop.

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