Book 6, Question 89
Why Do Parrotfish Poop Sand?
Parrotfish scrape algae off rocks and coral with a strong beak. They swallow bits of limestone along with it, and grinding teeth in their throats crush it into powder. The leftover grit comes out as pale sand!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Parrotfish scrape algae off dead coral with their beak-like teeth.
- That parrot-like beak is how the fish got its name.
- Extra teeth in a parrotfish's throat grind the coral bits even finer.
- The hard coral bits they cannot digest come out as sand.
- One large parrotfish can make up to 800 pounds of soft white sand in a year.
- Sand comes from many things, including broken-down rocks, bits of living things and parrotfish poop.
Sources: National Geographic Kids, NOAA Ocean Service, NOAA Ocean Service
Questions kids ask
How much sand can a parrotfish make?
A large parrotfish can make up to 800 pounds of sand a year.