Redtail Parrotfish
Sparisoma chrysopterum
How to tell it
Males gray-green with a red tail base and red pectoral edge; females dull reddish with a dark spot at the pectoral base.
- Not a stoplight parrotfish? That one yellow gill spot. (Stoplight Parrotfish)
Rules for
Every state
| State | Size | Bag | Season | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | 12" max (parrotfish) | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
| Florida (Gulf) | 12" max (parrotfish) | 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate | Year-roundFWC 2026 · likely · checked | Open |
Not specifically regulated in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia: each state’s rule for unlisted species applies there (on its page).
On the table
Edible but rarely kept here.
In the app
Point the camera at a redtail parrotfish and the name appears before you take the picture, with these rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed, and every catch goes in the log.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask about redtail parrotfish
What is the size limit for redtail parrotfish?
It depends on the state. Florida (Atlantic): 12" max (parrotfish); Florida (Gulf): 12" max (parrotfish).
How many redtail parrotfish can you keep?
Florida (Atlantic): 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate; Florida (Gulf): 5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregate.
How do you tell redtail parrotfish from stoplight parrotfish?
Redtail Parrotfish has this: Males gray-green with a red tail base and red pectoral edge; females dull reddish with a dark spot at the pectoral base.. Stoplight Parrotfish yellow gill spot.