Parrotfish are one of the most interesting and important species in the world’s coral reefs. The work of parrotfish is essential to the fragile ecosystems of the ocean and to our own health and wellbeing. Despite their importance, the majority of people don’t realize just how incredible the parrotfish is and the role it plays in keeping our planet healthy. Both above and below the sea, Parrotfish and how their essential life functions affect the delicate balance of the oceans, and—ultimately—our own lives. Their relationship of Parrotfish with the reef is partially symbiotic. It sometimes appears worrying when the reef disappears in front of your eyes as their large aggressive teeth rasp destructively upon beautifully artistic coral formations within a reef.
Indeed much of the diet of a Parrotfish may appear to cause devastation to the worlds reefs. However, appearances can be deceiving as this is not entirely the full situation. Nature has evolved to develop an intricate web of facets to the relationship. The rampant feeding of a Parrotfish on coral reefs actually prevents algae, sponge and seaweed overgrowth within the reef biome (biomes are a distinct biological community of plants and animals), thus helping to preserve the corals. Even more importantly, everything they consume that is not edible is excreted in the form of tiny grains of sand. These tiny grains over the centuries have formed those amazing tropical islands we all dream of with their beautiful palm trees and perfect white sandy tropical beaches.