Best known for being featured in the movies “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory,” the clownfish has become a popular aquarium pet. Clownfish or anemonefish are best known for its striking orange and white coloration and its mutualism with certain species of sea anemones.
Clownfish (also called an Anemonefish) are fishes from the subfamily Amphiprioninae in the family Pomacentridae. Anemonefish are small, brightly colored fish that live in shallow lagoons or sheltered reefs. The Clown Fish is located in the ocean and comprises of about 30 different species. These fish are quite colorful with coloring that ranges from yellow and maroon to shades of orange. Clownfish are found in the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, northwest Australia, southeast Asia, Japan, and the Indo-Malaysian region.
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Amphiprion percula | |||
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Minimum Size Tank no more 20 gallons is better | |||
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75 – 82°F | |||
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8.2 – 8.4 | |||
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1.020 – 1.026 | |||
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Compatible with almost other fish. | |||
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Very Easy take care | |||
Clownfish Behaviour
Clownfish have a symbiotic relationship with sea anemone. Anemonefish has a mucus covering that protects them from the sting of the sea anemone’s tentacles. This mucus prevents them from being harmed and allows clownfish to live in sea anemone that why Anemonefish are usually not eaten by other fish.
Clownfish Fact
There are about 30 different species of anemonefish, of which the clownfish is just one. Other anemonefishes are :
Ocellaris Clownfish, Clownfish or False Percula Clownfish. It is very closely related to Orange Clownfish which have narrower black borders on the stripes and fins. They also have a taller anterior dorsal fin and 10 (not 11 dorsal spines). So unless you have a very keen eye and a picture of a ‘real’ clownfish handy it could be difficult to identify Amphiprion ocellaris.
Spinecheek Clownfish, Spined-cheeked Anemonefish, Two Spine-Cheek Anemonefish, Maroon Anemonefish, and Maroon Clownfish are another similar species and they can be recognized by their brown to red body, with 2 pale white bands 1 on either side of the face and a central white stripe running down the spine, making it obvious where the name came from.
Tomato clownfish, Amphiprion frenatus which tends to be dark red (especially juveniles) to black with 1 white sidebar (juveniles may have 2 to 3 narrow bars). These can grow up to 14 cm in length and some varieties have darker coloration including more obscured stripes.
Clark’s anemonefish or the Yellowtail clownfish tend to have vivid black, white and yellow stripes, though the exact pattern shows considerable geographical variation. The tail fin is always lighter than the rest of the body and usually, you can see 2 white bands – 1 behind the eye and the other above the anus.
Clownfish Care
Clownfish Diet
The diet of the Anemonefish consists of copepods, algae, isopods and zooplankton.
Signs of Illnes
Loss of appetite, Listlessness, Spots or fungus on body or mouth, Labored breathin (If you fish show these signs, Please test water quality don’t feed their food and improve as necessary, or contact your veterinarian.)
Compatibility
Compatible with the dwarf and large angelfish, blennies, cardinalfish, damselfish, gobies,
hawkfish, pseudochromis, puffers, tang and other clownfish or wrasse. But don’t put together with Lion fish or Carnivorous fish. If possible, keep with the companion anemone is better.
Clownfish Reproduction
Fascinating ability of the Clownfish is being able to change sex. This Anemonefish Fact makes this fish even more of a rarity. On top of the hierarchy is the reproducing female then the mating male. Below them are a bunch of non-mating males. But, if the female dies, the whole hierarchy gets disrupted. The predominant male then morphs into a female and chooses a partner from the various non-mating males. Clown Fish form a very strong bond with their mates. They lay their eggs in large batches. These eggs are laid on a coral or a rock adjacent to the Anemone. Both the parents then guard these eggs for a span of 3-5 days. Once the eggs are hatched the male may stay to take care of the young till they reach sexual maturity.
