About a dozen species of parrotfish inhabit Bonaire's coral reef ecosystems. They vary widely in size and color. Only two species have royal names: the queen parrotfish (which can grow up to 2 feet long), and the princess parrotfish (which reaches about 12 inches in length).
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| Queen parrotfish at about 20 ft. |
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| A close-up view of the parrot-like mouth of the same queen parrotfish |
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| Princess parrotfish, photo also taken at about 20 ft. |
Parrotfish scrape algae and coral polyps off rocks and coral reefs, with their beaks. As they feed, they also ingest bits of coral rock. Their tough digestive systems break the rock down into sand.
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