Who is not fascinated by the beauty of a Parrotfish?

These fishes are more than what you think. This species is the key to preserve our coral reefs.

The colorful, seaweed-eating, sand-pooping animal, Parrotfish is the heart and soul of the Caribbean coral reefs. Little did we know the Parrotfishes can do many things that can help us save the coral reefs.

• Parrotfishes' diet includes algae and dead coral. They spend up to 22hrs of the day nibbling. In short, they clean the reef. This is a vital activity because most of the reefs in the Caribbean and elsewhere across the tropical countries are being suffocated by algae because there are not enough sufficient parrotfish and other herbivores responsible to do the cycle.

• After eating all those greens, they excrete the finest white sand - pounds of it! Each living parrotfish can release up to 320 kilograms of sand every year. Imagine how the parrotfish poop can save the coral reefs!

• If compared to humans, these fishes are hatched from eggs with high sense of garish fashion. Parrotfish makes the oceans colorful and more attractive for scuba diving. Different species has different color scheme, and they fashion sense change as they grow older. So human-like stylishness right?

• Humans can learn from this animal's spectrum of sexual orientations. Parrotfishes are the proof that heterosexual monogamy is not nature's status. Parrotfish mate with its harems and are hermaphrodites. Many developed from female to male as they age. The largest fish are male, and they frequently caught by spearfishing. So fishing that targets the biggest fish takes the males that makes it hard for these poor fishes to reproduce.

See Also: Newly Discovered Coral Reef in the Amazon River in Danger, Scientists Say

So what's the problem?

Well, humans' illiteracy about nature is the biggest problem.  Everyone must be responsible to help each other until all people are ecologically knowledgeable about the circle of life. From then, we can stop being a threat to this poor fishes.

Whether we like it or not, we, humans are the primary predators, and we are overfeeding ourselves by over fishing our seas.

The numbers of Parrotfishes depleted rapidly. There are too many algae and people can no longer sustainably fish right now anywhere in the Caribbean. These wonderful creation needs to be left in the water and are not meant for consumption. Just realize the awesome things a single life can do. Let us spread awareness and let these fishes chomp freely so that coral reefs can be rebuilt massively.  A specific study report concludes that reefs where parrotfish were plentiful in the 1980s are the reefs that are fine and healthy now.

People should protect the parrotfish if we want to save the oceans.

The island of Barbuda has recently implemented this rule. The local government passed a law that aims to protect parrotfish. It is considered as a crime if you catch, buy, sell, or possess parrotfish. Additionally, 33% of the coastal area is now monitored by marine reserves.

If this group of people can start, it is very possible for every race to follow.