Large parrotfish of Atlantic reefs and mangroves, with orange fins and blue-green teeth. Near threatened and banned in several countries: if you catch one, let it go.
Also called: budião-guacamaia, rainbow parrotfish, blue rainbow, guacamaia
The rainbow parrotfish is a large parrotfish of the western Atlantic, from Bermuda and Florida to the Bahamas and Brazil, and FishBase gives its range down to Argentina. It lives on coral reefs, from 3 to 25 m, and also in brackish water; juveniles are common in mangroves. It feeds mostly on algae from the bottom. It has a den where it retreats at night or when startled, and it uses the sun to find its way back. It reaches 120 cm and 20 kg, with a common length of 70 cm. The IUCN rates it Near Threatened, and several countries protect it. There are few records in Brazil.
fun facts
It has a fixed den, to which it returns at night or when startled, and it uses the sun to find it, according to FishBase.
Juveniles grow in mangroves, which links the species to the health of those habitats.
FishBase lists the English names rainbow parrotfish, blue rainbow and rainbow.
how to recognize it
identification
Large, robust parrotfish. Fins are orange and opaque, with green "tongues" that run into the dorsal and anal fins; the margins of the unpaired fins are blue and the tooth plates blue-green. Dorsal with 9 spines and 10 soft rays; anal with 3 spines and 9 rays. No obvious color difference between males and females. Body color varies: the most reliable way to recognize it is by the fins and teeth.
how rainbow parrotfish fishing looks
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
There are few museum records in Brazil, in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro; FishBase says the species ranges from Bermuda and Florida to Argentina, and juveniles live in mangroves. Outside Brazil, it is found in the Bahamas, the Antilles and the Caribbean mainland, but not in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
Habitat: Coral reefs, from 3 to 25 m, and brackish water; juveniles in mangroves. It has a den where it retreats at night.
coast
Northeast CoastSoutheast Coastcoastal
states
Bahia, Rio de Janeiro
calendar and clock
when to fish
best season
time of year
JanFebSeaAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
No fishing season: the species is protected in several countries and is not fished for.
best time of day
Daytime. Grazes algae by day and at night retreats to its den; not a night-biting fish.
weather, water and behavior
what affects the rainbow parrotfish
sensitivity The little bars show how much each factor affects this species. Five full: it feels it a lot.
cold and cold fronts
Cold water pushes the fish off shallow reefs.
atmospheric pressure
Little direct effect.
moon
Small effect.
rain
Not very relevant at sea.
water level
Follows the tide on reefs and in mangroves.
noise
Wary of divers and noise.
wind
Rough seas prevent observation and fishing.
depth
From 3 to 25 m, on reefs and in mangrove channels.
if hooked by chance, remove the hook with pliers, without taking the fish out of the water
accessories
long-nose pliers
ruler
tip from an angler
The blue parrotfish rarely takes a hook: it scrapes algae. If one comes onto the line, let it go; this profile is for recognizing the species, not for catching it.
what the law says
rules for the rainbow parrotfish
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency. Conservation: Near Threatened in the global assessment (2012). Not on the Brazilian national list (Portaria GM/MMA nº 1.667/2026), but it has a national assessment profile from ICMBio. It is protected by rule in Puerto Rico (federal waters), Belize, the Dominican Republic and the San Andrés archipelago; see the rules above.
Puerto Rico (federal waters): fishing or keeping prohibited
fishing and possession prohibited; release with minimal harm
In federal waters around Puerto Rico, from 9 miles offshore, no one may fish for or keep the Caribbean blue parrotfish (blue parrotfish), the midnight parrotfish or the rainbow parrotfish; if one is caught, it must be released at once with minimal harm. Within 9 miles the DRNA rules apply; in the text of Regulation 7949 (2010) that we read, we found no rule for parrotfish, but confirm with the DRNA.
Belize: fishing, buying, selling or possessing parrotfish prohibited
capture, purchase, sale and possession prohibited
In Belize, no one may fish in the country's waters, or buy, sell or possess "grazers" fish, defined in the rule as those of the family Scaridae (including the genera Scarus and Sparisoma) and the family Acanthuridae (surgeonfish). The offense carries a fine of up to US$500, or up to 6 months in prison, or both. The rule dates from 2009; the 2020 Fisheries Resources Act added rules, so confirm it is still in force with the Belize Fisheries Department.
Dominican Republic: parrotfish closed season, 2025 to 2027
capture, fishing and sale prohibited for two years, from July 2, 2025confirm with the agency
Decree 266-25, of 2025, opens a new two-year closed season, until 2027, for reef herbivorous fish: capture, fishing and sale are prohibited for the family Scaridae (parrotfish, called jabón, butú and cotorra), as well as surgeonfish, angelfish, butterflyfish and sea cucumbers. Decree 418-21 already banned these families from 2021 to 2023. The text of the 2025 decree was not read, and the exact end date must be confirmed with the Ministry of Environment.
Colombia (San Andrés archipelago): parrotfish fishing and trade banned since 2019
fishing (including sport) and trade prohibited in the archipelagoconfirm with the agency
In July 2019 Coralina, the environmental corporation of the San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina archipelago, banned all commercial, industrial, sport and recreational fishing of 14 parrotfish species (and of surgeonfish, butterflyfish and angelfish), as well as trade, possession, storage and shipment to the rest of the country. We did not verify the resolution number or whether the species is on the list: confirm with Coralina.
Brazil: threatened parrotfish are protected; check the identification
capture and trade of nationally listed parrotfish prohibited, with management exceptionsNorth CoastNortheast CoastSoutheast CoastSouth Coast
Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026 lists as threatened the Brazilian blue parrotfish (Scarus trispinosus, CR), Scarus zelindae (EN) and Sparisoma amplum, axillare, frondosum and rocha (VU). Portaria GM/MMA 1.749, of July 27, 2026, approves the recovery plan for the blue parrotfish and gives it full protection: capture, transport, storage, custody, handling, processing and sale are prohibited. For Scarus zelindae, Sparisoma axillare and Sparisoma frondosum, sustainable use and management apply only under the conditions of Portaria MMA 129/2018, and the other VU, EN and CR species follow Portaria GM/MMA 1.666/2026. The rainbow parrotfish is not on the list, but it is rare in Brazil and can be confused with listed parrotfish: when in doubt, release it.
Mexico: up to 10 marine fish per angler per day, no more than 5 of the same species
10 marine specimens per angler per day; no more than 5 of the same species
In Mexico's federal waters, sport and recreational fishing for marine species has a limit of 10 specimens per angler per day, with no more than 5 of any one species. Fish over the limit may only be taken if released alive. Sport-caught fish belong to the permit holder and may not be sold; fish may not be landed as fillets (they may only be filleted on board for consumption during the trip). For spearfishing the limit is 5 fish per day. Fishing from a boat requires a permit.
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
If it is caught on a hook or in a net, release it alive at once, with wet hands and without lifting it out of the water; do not hold it by the gills. Photos only if quick.
in the kitchen
Sold on a small scale where allowed. FishBase records ciguatera cases; since it is protected in several countries, this profile gives no recipe.
calculator
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01318, b = 3.03; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
scientificFishBase: Scarus guacamaia (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology and IUCN status. Page checked Oct 13, 2026. The common weight was calculated from the length-weight relationship.
scientificFishBase: nomes populares de Scarus guacamaiaNames by country and language. FishBase gives no Portuguese name: 'budião-guacamaia' is an editorial designation (the parrotfish group, in Portuguese, plus the name 'guacamaia' that the species gets in Venezuela), not an established name in Brazil.
scientificGBIF: registros de Scarus guacamaia no BrasilChecked Oct 13, 2026 in the open GBIF database (country = Brazil). Records come from collections and observations and show where the species has been seen, not how abundant it is. There are 15 records in Brazil, 11 of them in Bahia and 3 in Rio de Janeiro.
