Redtail ParrotfishorStoplight Parrotfish
Two fish anglers mix up. Here is what separates them, and what each one’s rules are in your state.
How to tell them apart
Redtail Parrotfish
Males gray-green with a red tail base and red pectoral edge; females dull reddish with a dark spot at the pectoral base.
Redtail parrotfish, next to stoplight parrotfish: male gray-green with a red tail base.
Stoplight Parrotfish
Terminal males green with a yellow spot at the gill and a yellow tail crescent; females mottled red-brown with a red belly.
Stoplight parrotfish, next to redtail parrotfish: yellow gill spot.
Side by side
| Redtail Parrotfish | Stoplight Parrotfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Sparisoma chrysopterum | Sparisoma viride |
| Also called | — | Stoplight parrot |
| Waters | Nearshore | Nearshore |
| Heaviest state record | — | — |
| On the table | Edible but rarely kept here. | Edible but rarely kept here; protected in much of the Caribbean. |
| Rules of its own in | 2 states | 2 states |
Rules for
Every state, both fish
Where either fish has a rule, the two are regulated the same. The name still goes in the log and on the tally.
| State | Redtail Parrotfish: size · bag · season | Stoplight Parrotfish: size · bag · season |
|---|---|---|
| Florida (Atlantic) | 12" max (parrotfish)5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | 12" max (parrotfish)5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
| Florida (Gulf) | 12" max (parrotfish)5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked | 12" max (parrotfish)5 per species within 20-organism marine life aggregateYear-roundOpenFWC 2026 · likely · checked |
In the app
Point the camera at the fish and Chum names it before you take the picture, redtail parrotfish or stoplight parrotfish, with the right rules for the water you’re standing in. No signal needed.
Get the appQuestions anglers ask
How do you tell redtail parrotfish from stoplight parrotfish?
Redtail Parrotfish: 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: Terminal males green with a yellow spot at the gill and a yellow tail crescent; females mottled red-brown with a red belly. Stoplight parrotfish, next to redtail parrotfish: yellow gill spot. Redtail parrotfish, next to stoplight parrotfish: male gray-green with a red tail base.
Which is better to eat, redtail parrotfish or stoplight parrotfish?
Redtail Parrotfish: Edible but rarely kept here. Stoplight Parrotfish: Edible but rarely kept here; protected in much of the Caribbean.
Do redtail parrotfish and stoplight parrotfish have the same limits?
Yes, in every state that regulates either one. The table on this page lists each rule with its source and check date.