[Ebook] Encyclopedia of Aquarium & Pond Fish – Directory of Marine Fish – Clownfish

Directory of Marine Fish

Clownfish

Clownfish are also known as anemonefish because of their close relationship with this group of marine invertebrates. This association may have developed because the anemones’ stinging cells kill the Oodinium skin parasites to which these fish are susceptible. Clownfish are one of the easiest marine species to breed in the home aquarium. Sexing, too, is no problem, because if you buy two juveniles, measuring no more than 1 ⁄2 in (13 mm) long, then you can be sure of acquiring a true pair. Although all juveniles are male, the dominant individual of the two will change into a female as the fish mature.

Red Saddleback Clown (Amphiprion ephippium)

• ORIGINS: Indo-Pacific region, occurring on reefs from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands eastward to Java.
• SIZE: 5 in (12 cm); 3 in (7.5 cm) in aquariums.
• DIET: Prepared foods and small live foods.
• WATER: Temperature 77–79°F (25–26°C); alkaline (pH 8.1–8.3) with SG 1.020–1.024.
• TEMPERAMENT: Intolerant of its own kind.

Red Saddleback Clowns have a rich, tomato-red coloration with dark patches on the flanks. Young fish often display a white stripe behind the eyes that disappears as they mature. The female typically lays up to 200 eggs, close to her host anemone. As with every clownfish species, it helps to match the fish with a sea anemone found in its natural range.

Two-Band Clownfish (Amphiprion bicinctus)

• ORIGINS: Distributed in reefs from the Red Sea through to the Indo-Pacific region.
• SIZE: 5 in (12 cm); 3 in (7.5 cm) in aquariums.
• DIET: Chopped, thawed live foods and flake.
• WATER: Temperature 77–79°F (25–26°C); alkaline (pH 8.1–8.3) with SG 1.020–1.024.
• TEMPERAMENT: Not usually aggressive.

The appearance of the Two-Band Clownfish changes with age. Instead of the adult patterning of two white stripes running vertically down the sides of their bodies, juveniles have three, with the third stripe being close to the tail. Anemonefish are potentially long-lived, with a life expectancy of up to 18 years in aquarium surroundings.

Skunk Clownfish (Amphiprion akallopisos)

• ORIGINS: Occurs on reefs in the western part of the Indo-Pacific region.
• SIZE: 3 in (7.5 cm).
• DIET: Prepared foods and small live foods.
• WATER: Temperature 77–79°F (25–26°C); alkaline (pH 8.1–8.3) with SG 1.020–1.024.
• TEMPERAMENT: Peaceful but fairly shy.

This clownfish forms very close associations with anemones, so it should always be kept alongside them. Being a relatively sluggish swimmer, it usually remains close to its host anemone, retreating into the tentacles at any hint of danger. Such behavior means that this species, with its plain, yellowish-orange body, is less conspicuous in the aquarium than other, bolder clownfish.

Clarkii Clown (Amphiprion clarkii)

• ORIGINS: Widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region.
• SIZE: 4 in (10 cm).
• DIET: Mixed, varied diet, including vegetable matter.
• WATER: Temperature 77–79°F (25–26°C); alkaline (pH 8.1–8.3) with SG 1.020–1.024.
• TEMPERAMENT: Bold.

The yellow caudal fin allows the Clarkii Clown to be distinguished easily from other species with similar body patterning. This robust species serves as a good introduction to the group. An unusual feature of the behavior of these and other clownfish is the way they grunt, typically if they are threatened or spawning. These grunts may be audible if the room is very quiet. Young fry must be reared initially on rotifers then brine shrimp.

MUTUAL BENEFITS

Clownfish are generally immune to the stinging tentacles of their sea anemone hosts, thanks to the protective covering of sugar-based mucus on the surface of their bodies, which acts like a shield. Both host anemone and clownfish benefit from the association, which biologists describe as commensalism. The fish finds protection from predators, while in return, the sea anemone receives pieces of food dropped by the fish when it returns to eat a meal within the relative safety of the anemone’s tentacles.

Pink Skunk Clownfish (Amphiprion perideraion)

• ORIGINS: The Pacific region, from the coast of Thailand east to Samoa. Also occurs on the Great Barrier Reef.
• SIZE: 3 in (8 cm); 3 in (7.5 cm) in aquariums.
• DIET: Prepared foods and small live foods.
• WATER: Temperature 77–79°F (25–26°C); alkaline (pH 8.1–8.3) with SG 1.020–1.024.
• TEMPERAMENT: One of the more shy clownfish.

The white vertical bar behind the eyes is characteristic of this species. Males can be sexed visually by the presence of orange areas at the top and bottom of the caudal fin. As in other species, the overall depth of coloration may differ between individuals. When introducing clownfish to a new aquarium, do not worry if they will not adopt an unfamiliar anemone immediately, as this can take some time. Like many marine species, they tend not to grow as big in aquariums as they do in the wild

False Percula (Amphiprion ocellaris)

• ORIGINS: On reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef.
• SIZE: 3 in (8 cm); 2 in (5 cm) in aquariums.
• DIET: Will eat a mixed diet based on prepared foods.
• WATER: Temperature 77–79°F (25–26°C); alkaline (pH 8.1-8.3) with SG 1.020–1.024.
• TEMPERAMENT: Occasionally territorial.

False Perculas can be kept and even bred in an aquarium without the presence of a sea anemone, but a better insight into their behavior will be gained if they are housed with a suitable anemone. The differences in the coloration and patterning of False Perculas may help them to blend in with the different species of sea anemone found across their range. Tank-raised specimens, such as the one shown below, tend to more yellow.

Maroon Clown (Premnas biaculeatus)

• ORIGINS: Occurs on reefs in the Pacific Ocean, between Indonesia, Taiwan, and the northern Great Barrier Reef.
• SIZE: 6 in (15 cm); 4 in (10 cm) in aquariums.
• DIET Small livefoods and prepared foods, such as flake.
• WATER Temperature 77–79°F (25–26°C); alkaline (pH 8.1–8.3) with SG 1.020–1.024.
• TEMPERAMENT Can be aggressive on occasion.

This is one of the largest and darkest of the clownfish. Maroon Clowns are unusual in that females can grow up to three times as large as males. Care must be taken when catching this species because of the spines at the back edge of its gill covers. These can become stuck in the material of a net and may then be damaged.