It was Halloween, Let's Talk Scarus!

[Nutramar Foods]

There are only a few English common names for Scarus quoyi: Scarus Parrotfish, Quoy's Parrotfish, and sometimes Greenblotch, or Green Blotched Parrotfish. It has tons of common names outside of the English language, including over a dozen in the Philippines alone (though to be fair, there are at least six dialects spoken there which does increase the number of names needed). Parrotfish are some of the ocean's most iconic fish, brilliantly colored, often eaten, and at least in reference to captive keeping, somewhat misunderstood. In the wild, Scarus Parrotfish are common, as they reproduce quickly and are capable of doubling their population in 15 months. They're often found in small groups, and sometimes singly, throughout the Indian and western Pacific oceans, pretty much everywhere there is a tropical coral reef. They are also common in adjacent habitats like tidal flats and seagrass beds, anywhere there is algae to graze on. This means that in general, they live in fairly shallow water, less than 55 feet deep or so.

The best way to keep your Scarus Parrotfish from munching on anything is to make sure it is well fed. To this end, go for foods high in algae content. Nutramar's Algae and Color Boost Shots are a great nutritional balance for them and can get stuck to rock for the Parrot to graze on, which creates a natural feeding activity. They will usually take small meaty foods as well, so things like Gamma Food's spirulina loaded brine are a perfect choice. Don't over feed meaty foods as these fish can easily get too much protein in their diet which can cause them digestive issues. Click here to learn more