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The parrotfish is among eight thousand different species that are known for its brilliant colors. Many of these fish include the butterfly fish, the clownfish and the angelfish.
The male dominant parrotfish is the only one that has the privilege of displaying the most domineering bright colors. The females and the lower male fish do not have this advantage, they are colorful but they are much duller than the dominant male.
The parrotfish can be found in the Pacific Ocean that is known for its abundance of unusual marine inhabitants. The parrotfish is most commonly found among the coral reefs, this is for protection. His brilliant colors make him a moving target for much larger predators. The parrotfish rarely ventures out into the Ocean. The depths of the Pacific Ocean with its dark waters would be a dangerous environment for the parrotfish.
The parrotfish feeds mainly on algae that are abundant among the tropical coral reefs. In tropical waters algae can reproduce rather quickly which makes the parrotfish able to eat up to six pounds of algae per day. The parrotfish will grow from a few ounces at birth to a recorded high of one hundred and twenty-five pounds; they can grow from approximately two inches to over four feet long.
The parrotfish have a relatively long reproductive life; they have a couple of ways of reproducing. They may either have one dominant male that has a harem of females and mates and fertilizes the eggs they produce. The other method is that both male and female lay eggs along the reefs and each member of a group both male and female take turns fertilizing laid eggs: this method gives all fish of the group a chance to reproduce. The parrotfish has a natural lifespan of about five to six years.
The parrotfish is not endangered and its population seems rather untouched. But with increased fishing and water pollution there is a future threat for their populations.
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