Blue parrotfish (Scarus coeruleus) is a saltwater species recorded in the United States. It is mainly found over reef, at depths of 3–25 m.
Scientific name: Scarus coeruleus · Water: Saltwater
Size: up to 120 cm
The blue parrotfish is a scarid that inhabits coral reefs, with juveniles found on Thalassia beds. It feeds on benthic plants and on small organisms in the sand, and it forms large spawning aggregations. Its range is the western Atlantic, from Maryland in the United States, Bermuda and the Bahamas to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, including the West Indies, and it is absent from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Maximum length is about 120 cm total length, commonly about 35 cm. It is a minor commercial species, a gamefish and a commercial aquarium fish, with a high price category. Fishing vulnerability is moderate at 42 of 100 and resilience medium. IUCN lists it as least concern.
Caution: large individuals carry a ciguatera risk. Heat, cold and marinating do not remove the toxin, which concentrates in the liver, roe and head, so avoid eating those parts. Seek medical help if numbness, tingling or a reversed sense of hot and cold follows a meal.
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