Bicolor Parrotfish - Cetoscarus bicolor

The Bicolor Parrotfish, Cetoscarus bicolor, also known as the Irobudai or Two-Color Parrotfish, as a juvenile, it features a silvery white body, with an orange mask over the face, and notes of orange on the dorsal and anal fins  As adults, their color will change to a blue or green, with highlights of pinks on the edge of their scales. Parrotfish are most closely related to the Wrasse, as they share many characteristics, as well as similar biology and body shape.

 Parrotfish are also known for building mucus cocoons to protect themselves while they sleep at night, so providing plenty of live rock with naturally forming algae and live Coral is essential to help the Parrotfish adapt. 

The Bicolor Parrotfish  use their specialized beak like teeth to scrape the algae off of dead Coral skeletons, and at times they will do this to living Corals as well. They attain the algae by biting off a sizeable piece of the calcareous skeleton and processing any present algae by means of its digestive system. Once digested, the excreted waste from this material becomes new sand in the system. Unfortunately the Parrotfish cannot determine whether a Coral is living or dead, and will scrape at it all the same. 

Care Facts