"Types of parrot fish" covers two unrelated groups of animals. In the aquarium trade it means the hybrid varieties of the blood parrot cichlid — king kong, red mammon, short-body, heart parrot. On a coral reef it means the marine parrotfish family (Scaridae), which is where the blue, green and rainbow parrot fish photos come from. This page covers both, and explains which colours are real and which are dye.
Types of Blood Parrot Cichlid
| Variety | Description | Adult size |
|---|---|---|
| Standard blood parrot | The common orange fish; round body, beak-like mouth | 7–8 in |
| King kong parrot | Bigger, blockier, often deeper red; premium priced | 10–12 in |
| Red mammon | King kong line selected for solid deep red colour | 10–12 in |
| Short-body / balloon parrot | Further-shortened spine; compact and slower-swimming | 4–6 in |
| Heart parrot / love heart | Tail cut so the body reads as a heart shape — a cosmetic mutilation, not a variety | 6–8 in |
| Polar blue parrot | A separate convict-cichlid hybrid, white-blue with dark bars | 3–4 in |
| Purple / jellybean / blueberry | Artificially dyed fish, not a genetic variety | Varies |
All of these share the same care requirements as the standard fish — see the parrot fish care guide. Short-body variants swim even worse than standard blood parrots, so keep flow gentle and tank mates calm.
Parrot Fish Colors: What's Real
Naturally occurring blood parrot colours are orange, red, yellow, and occasionally a calico or marbled mix. Juveniles hatch brown-grey and shift to orange at around 5–6 months. Colour intensity is diet-driven, because the fish cannot manufacture carotenoids — see feeding for colour.
| Colour | Real? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | ✅ Natural | The standard blood parrot colour |
| Red | ✅ Natural | Selectively bred; deepest in king kong lines |
| Yellow | ✅ Natural | Less common; sometimes a juvenile or diet effect |
| Calico / marbled | ✅ Natural | Orange with black or white patches |
| Grey / brown | ✅ Natural | Juvenile colour, or a faded stressed adult |
| Blue, purple, pink, green | ❌ Dyed | Injected or dipped; painful and life-shortening |
Marine Parrotfish (Scaridae)
The reef parrotfish is a real, wild family of about 95 species. They are named for a beak formed by fused teeth, which they use to scrape algae off coral rock. In the process they grind up calcium carbonate and excrete it as sand — a large parrotfish can produce hundreds of pounds of white sand a year, and a substantial share of tropical beach sand comes from them.
Two features explain why parrotfish colours are so confusing:
- They change sex and colour. Most parrotfish are protogynous hermaphrodites: they begin as drab red-brown females (initial phase) and some later become vivid blue-green males (terminal phase). The "blue parrot fish" and the "red parrot fish" in reef photos are often the same species at different life stages.
- They sleep in mucus cocoons. Many species secrete a mucus envelope at night that masks their scent from predators and parasites.
| Species | Common name | Adult size |
|---|---|---|
| Scarus coeruleus | Blue parrotfish | Up to 4 ft |
| Scarus guacamaia | Rainbow parrotfish | Up to 4 ft; largest Atlantic herbivorous fish |
| Sparisoma viride | Stoplight parrotfish | Up to 2 ft |
| Scarus taeniopterus | Princess parrotfish | Up to 14 in |
| Scarus vetula | Queen parrotfish | Up to 2 ft |
| Bolbometopon muricatum | Bumphead parrotfish | Up to 4.3 ft, 100 lb |
| Chlorurus species | Green parrotfish (various) | 1–2 ft |
"Blue Parrot Fish" and "Green Parrot Fish"
If you searched for a blue or green parrot fish, one of three things is true:
- You are looking at a marine parrotfish — a wild reef species, not an aquarium fish.
- You are looking at a dyed blood parrot — do not buy it.
- You are looking at a polar blue parrot cichlid, a separate convict hybrid that is genuinely white-blue but is a different, smaller fish with a normal mouth.
There is no naturally blue or green blood parrot cichlid, and no amount of feeding will produce one.
Choosing a Healthy Parrot Fish
- Even, graded colour — not blotchy paint-like colour with pale mouth and fin bases.
- Both eyes clear and equal; no cloudiness or bulging.
- Fins intact and held open, not clamped against the body.
- Active and reacting to movement, not sitting on the bottom breathing hard.
- No white spots, cotton-like patches, red streaks or open sores.
- A shop tank with no dead or gasping fish in it.
- An intact tail — a "heart" shape means the tail was cut.
Parrot Fish Care FAQ
What are the different types of parrot fish?
In aquariums: standard blood parrot, king kong parrot, red mammon, short-body or balloon parrot, heart parrot, and the separate polar blue parrot cichlid. On coral reefs: about 95 marine parrotfish species including blue, rainbow, stoplight, queen and bumphead parrotfish.
Are blue parrot fish real?
The blue parrotfish (Scarus coeruleus) is a real marine reef species that reaches four feet. A blue or purple blood parrot cichlid in an aquarium shop is artificially dyed, not a natural colour variety.
What colours do blood parrot fish come in?
Naturally orange, red, yellow, and sometimes calico or marbled. Juveniles start brown-grey and turn orange at around five to six months. Blue, purple, pink and green fish are dyed.
Are jellybean parrot fish dyed?
Yes. Jellybean, blueberry, grape and similar names are dyed blood parrot cichlids. The dyeing process damages the slime coat and immune system, and many dyed fish die within months.
Can you keep a marine parrotfish in a home aquarium?
No, realistically. Marine parrotfish reach one to four feet, graze continuously on live rock, and require enormous systems. They are public-aquarium animals, and several species are protected because of their role in reef health.
Why do marine parrotfish change colour?
Most parrotfish are protogynous hermaphrodites. They begin life as drab red-brown females in the initial phase, and some later become vivid blue-green terminal-phase males. The same species can look like two entirely different fish.