This juvenile Redband Parrotfish gets its name from the small red stripe that occurs near the mouth of adult Redband Parrotfish. As you can see, this juvenile doesn't have a red stripe near its mouth. Instead, this juvenile has bright red fins, which fade as the fish gets older.

This Redband Parrotfish was about 10 inches long. Redband Parrotfish play an important role in the ecology of the tropical reef. These fish scrape algae from the surface of corals, helping to keep the corals healthy. Like other Parrotfishes, the Redband Parrotfish has a powerful beak that looks like a parrot's beak.

Notice how well the colors of this juvenile Redband Parrotfish blend in with the background. This camouflage fades as the fish develops vivid colors as it gets older.

Compare this juvenile Redband Parrotfish to the adult Redband Parrotfish in the previous section of e-ReefNews, Vol.4 No.10.

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