- Scientific name
- Scarus Taeniopterus
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Reef safe?
- No
- Max size
- 13.8 inches
- Min aquarium size
- 135 gallons
The Princess Parrotfish (Scarus Taeniopterus), which you can find in the Tropical Western Atlantic range, is one of the most colorful fish you can keep in your aquarium. However, they do come with certain challenges.
The princess parrotfish does poorly in confined spaces. It grazes on algae throughout the day in the wild covering large areas, so you will also need an abundant growth of micro algae in confinement. It is peaceful with other species, but it may fight with members of its own kind. This species requires a large aquarium with efficient filtration.
Varied diet, chopped fresh or frozen seafoods, frozen preparations for herbivores, frozen or live brine and mysid shrimps, flake food, pieces of live rock or calcareous coral skeletons for grazing, plaster of Paris feeding blocks, impregnated with food, feed a minimum of 5 times a day.
This species should not be kept with any stony corals, but it can be kept with soft corals.
Captive care
The princess parrotfish does poorly in confined spaces. It grazes on algae throughout the day in the wild covering large areas, so you will also need an abundant growth of micro algae in confinement. It is peaceful with other species, but it may fight with members of its own kind. This species requires a large aquarium with efficient filtration.
Food and feeding
Varied diet, chopped fresh or frozen seafoods, frozen preparations for herbivores, frozen or live brine and mysid shrimps, flake food, pieces of live rock or calcareous coral skeletons for grazing, plaster of Paris feeding blocks, impregnated with food, feed a minimum of 5 times a day.
Reef compatibility
This species should not be kept with any stony corals, but it can be kept with soft corals.