This is why we don't keep parrotfish in our reef tanks

By Leonard Ho - Posted Jan 31, 2014 10:00 AM

Aside from the fact that most get way too big for almost every private aquarium, this video shows how brutally effective parrotfish are at demolishing stony coral and rock. Just listen to the underwater crunching sounds and you'll understand how their chisel-strong teeth help them serve the important ecological role of reef bioeroders (in this case, turning rock into sand).

Added 2/3/14: Please note not all parrotfish eat live coral. In fact, most are algae eaters. The message of the video is that parrotfish are efficient bioeroders capable of turning rock into sand. Smaller algae-eating species can be kept in reef aquariums but you may experience varying degrees of rock erosion due to algae-grazing activities depending on the parrotfish species, its size, and its personality.

Author: Leonard Ho
Location: Southern California

I'm a passionate aquarist of over 30 years, a coral reef lover, and the blog editor for Advanced Aquarist. While aquarium gadgets interest me, it's really livestock (especially fish), artistry of aquariums, and "method behind the madness" processes that captivate my attention.

Website: http://www.advancedaquarist.com.

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This is why we don't keep parrotfish in our reef tanks

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