Parrot Fish Habitats

Parrot fish are large, colorful fish who can reach anywhere between 10 inches and 4 feet in length, depending on the species. Roughly 80 different species can be found in different parts of the globe. They all like to live in a similar habitat.

  1. Range

    • Parrots fish are strictly marine creatures, so they can be found only in seas and oceans. They have quite a wide range, spanning a good portion of the planet's oceans, but they only live in warm, tropical waters. They're mostly found in the Indo-Pacific region, the Red Sea, the western Atlantic and the Caribbean. They can be found at a variety of depths, from around 10 to 100 feet.

    Habitat

    • The main habitat of parrot fish is the coral reef. Not only do they live among the reef, they eat it, too. Their namesake is their extremely sharp, fused, beaklike teeth, which they use to bite and grind up coral so they can eat the polyps inside. As social fish, they usually swim around the reef in groups of up to 40. Often, these are groups of female fish led by one male. If the male dies, one of the females will change gender to take his place.

    Sleeping

    • As parrot fish can't find anywhere in their natural habitat that's safe enough to sleep without fear of getting bitten by parasites, they've developed a unique adaptation: Every night before sleeping, certain species of these fish make themselves transparent cocoons out of their own mucus to protect themselves. Once in these cocoons, they're 80 percent less likely to get bitten by parasites than they would be without.

    Captive Habitat

    • Parrot fish in a home aquarium habitat require an experienced and dedicated fish keeper. Due to their large size, they need to be kept in very big aquariums. The exact size varies depending on the size of the species you own. A 10-inch parrot fish needs a tank of at least 100 gallons. A 24-inch parrot fish needs a tank of at least 300 gallons. Keep water temperature between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit, specific gravity between 1.020 and 1.025, and pH between 8.1 and 8.4. Ensure your parrot fish has places to hide, such as among plants, behind driftwood and in caves.