Species sheet · The Edible Ocean
Blue-barred parrotfish
A tropical parrotfish in coral colours.
- Whole grilled with spices
- In coconut curry
- Baked in parchment
- In French
- Perroquet à bandes bleues
- Scientific name
- Scarus ghobban
- In the water
- A reef fish of tropical Indo-Pacific and eastern Atlantic seas, living between 1 and 90 m near coral and rocky reefs.
- Season & buying
- Available year-round in tropical regions; choose local fish.
- Common length
- ~30 cm
- How to identify it
- Fused beak like a parrot
Blue and green bands along the flanks
Rounded tail fin
On the plate
Firm to white flesh, mild and slightly briny taste.
Avoid: Eating very large specimens, which may accumulate reef toxins.
Parrotfish crush coral to feed on algae, helping to create the sand on beaches.
In Umay recipes
One Umay recipe calls for it.
