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Steephead Parrotfish

Fish · Least Concern

Steephead Parrotfish

Chlorurus gibbus

About

Large Red Sea parrotfish that bioerodes coral and sleeps in mucus cocoons.

Family
Scaridae
Avg size
50-70 cm
Habitat
The steephead parrotfish lives on shallow reefs and over adjacent sandy patches in lagoons and bays, at depths of 2 to 30 m (6.6 to 98.4 ft). Adults gather over the outer reef where algae grow abundantly.
Behaviour
Adults school over algae-rich outer reefs and graze on filamentous algae, and individuals have been recorded living up to 14 years. The species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, organised into harems led by a single dominant male, yet it is not territorial and feeds peacefully alongside other species.

Where & when

Where & When to See It

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