Stoplight Parrotfish
Sparisoma viride
Also called Stoplight parrot.
How to tell it
Terminal males green with a yellow spot at the gill and a yellow tail crescent; females mottled red-brown with a red belly.
Often mistaken for
One fish that gets called stoplight parrotfish, and what gives it away.
- Redtail parrotfish: Male gray-green with a red tail base. Tell them apart
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; protected in much of the Caribbean.
In the app
Point the camera at a stoplight 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 stoplight parrotfish
What is the size limit for stoplight parrotfish?
It depends on the state. Florida (Atlantic): 12" max (parrotfish); Florida (Gulf): 12" max (parrotfish).
How many stoplight 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 stoplight parrotfish from redtail parrotfish?
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. Redtail parrotfish: male gray-green with a red tail base.