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Adona9 at the English language Wikipedia [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons
Parrotfish
Alternative Names: This is a subfamily of wrasses containing about 95 members. Names include Princess, stoplight, and bicolor.
Monterey Bay Recommendation: No recommendation. Rarely fished or sold in the US. Illegal to fish in many countries. This fish is generally not overfished or threatened, however, it is considered a keystone species and their presence helps the overall health of the reefs.
Uses in Cooking: Baked, stewed, or steamed. Overall soft flesh does not stand up well to cooking methods with high heat.
Similar Fish: No similar fish
Description: The meat of this fish can be mushy unless cooked gently. When cooked properly it is similar to a softer species of snapper or a sole. Flavor is good, but somewhat bland.
Fun Facts: Parrotfish use their parrot beak like teeth to bite off and grind up coral and coraline algae. After they digest any edible parts, they excrete the remaining parts as sand. This sand is what forms the sandy beaches and small islands of the Caribbean.