The Amazing Parrotfish

Did you know that there are over 90 different species of Parrotfish around the world? One of the most decorative is the Rainbow Parrotfish, prevalent on St. John and adored by snorkelers.

Found in relatively shallow tropical and subtropical oceans (like St. John), nearly all species of parrotfish are sequential hermaphrodites. In other words, they they start out as females (called “the initial phase”) and then change to males (called “the terminal phase”).

Parrotfish are largely responsible for the fine white sand found on the beaches throughout the Caribbean. While breaking off bits of coral and rocky substrates for algae, parrotfish grind up the coral rock with their teeth and excrete it as a fine sand Just one parrotfish can produce almost 200 pounds of sand each year!

While snorkeling, look for the white choppers of the parrotfish and listen for the tell tale crunching sound underwater.

Another interesting fact: At night, parrotfish belch out their own mucus to form a membrane that protects them while they sleep.The self netting process protects the sleeping fish from tiny hungry parasites. According to National Geographic, reef fish are attacked at night by tiny blood-sucking crustaceans called gnathiid isopods.

During the day, cleaner fish help to keep these pests at bay, but they only work the day shift. When darkness falls, the fish wrap themselves in a net of their own making. How cool is that?!

When are you planning your next vacation? Make it memorable by choosing our virgin islands vacation rentals. A visit to the nine miles long island offers a myriad of attractions. They range from native animals and plants, marine life, hikes, tours, and cultural history. And what a better way to enjoy all this with our villa rentals. Whether it is a romantic getaway or a family vacation, there is a huge variety of beautiful villa rentals with different budgets, sizes, and occasions. Let’s take a sneak peek at what should be at the top of your list when visiting the magnificent vacation island.

Book the best St. John Virgin Islands rentals with Windspree Vacation Homes, renting Virgin Islands vacation rentals on St. John for almost 40 years. Find your perfect St. John vacation rental from the people who live here and know the island best! For more information on Virgin Islands rentals and St. John USVI rentals, checkout Windspree.com and call or text (340)201-3002. See you on St. John island!