HomeMarine aquarium fishWrassesRainbow parrotfish Rainbow parrotfish (Scarus guacamaia) Scientific name: Scarus guacamaia Cuvier, 1829 The Rainbow parrotfish (Scarus guacamaia) is a marine fish of the family Scaridae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Bermuda, Florida (USA), and the Bahamas to Argentina; absent in the northern Gulf of Mexico. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9. Fins dull orange with tongues of green extending into the dorsal and anal; margins of median fins blue; dental plates blue-green. There appears to be no obvious difference in color with sex.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameScarus guacamaiaFamilyScaridae (Parrotfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length120Common length70.0Depth range3–25 m (10–82 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 25 mClimateSubtropicalDistributionWestern Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), and the Bahamas to Argentina; absent in the northern Gulf of Mexico.Conservation status (IUCN)Data deficient (DD)Threat to humansReports of ciguatera poisoningUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More wrassesPrincess parrotfishScarus taeniopterusStriped parrotfishScarus iseriQueen parrotfishScarus vetulaBlue parrotfishScarus coeruleusRedband parrotfishSparisoma aurofrenatumMidnight parrotfishScarus coelestinusSee all wrasses SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026