If you’ve seen any movies with a fish in it, you probably saw clownfish. They have become famous for those orange stripes, but there is much more to their story. Thirty different species lives on reef systems throughout the Indo-Pacific, each requiring something unique. Knowing exactly what species your clownfish are will change everything if you’re trying to understand them and/or care for them propery.
Color transitions provides a clue into how they split up over time and can be used as a visual guide. Lumping them all into one group is convenient, and wrong, which causes many people to make bad choices when setting up tank.
Why Clownfish Species Are Different
You know the Ocellaris because of its three white (with black edging) bars on an otherwise bright orange body. At least initially, the True Percula is hard to distinguish. A closer look reveals that the Percula’s head shape are a bit different and its bars has thicker black outlines. These differences show that both species has different home ranges and different levels of hardiness.
For example, the Percula may be more susceptible to changes in water quality then the Ocellaris, making the latter a better choice if you’re new to keeping cichlids. Understanding this difference lets you make responsible choices when sourcing your fish and manage your expectations right out of the gate.
However, not every clownfish follow this traditional three-band pattern. Some have just one white band (behind the head), like the Tomato clownfish, which has a reddish orange body coloration. The Tomato’s feisty temperament match its minimalist look.
Others are very adaptable, they will accept up to 10 different kinds of anemones. They include the so-called Clark’s clownfish. And then on the large side, there’s the Maroon clownfish, which gets much larger than most other types. It also has a prominent cheek spine, which distinguishes it even further from the other members of the Amphiprion family. This puts them into a separate genus altogether. This is a little something that reminds you that all these fish branched out a long time ago.
Beyond color, a look at anatomy shows how they survive. They have a round tail fin that allows them to stay in place in current. They also has a dorsal fin for mobility in confined areas. The fish’s lateral line system serves as another life-saving tool allowing it to pick up on vibrations and pressure changes. So it detects danger before seeing it.
And the bodies of these fish is covered with a protective slime coating that keeps them from being burned while living among stinging anemones. It’s called acquired immunity or chemical mimicry… But it isn’t magic. If they didn’t have this slime coat, they would of been toast.
These fish are strict foragers in the wild. They will pick at any food available, zooplankton, rock scraping algae, and even bits left over by their host anemone’s meal. That flexible approach to eating carries over nicely into the aquarium. Most species takes most every pellet and frozen mysis shrimp offered.
To keep them healthy, feed them twice a day and mix it up. Their immune system stay strong and color remains vibrant if you keep it consistent. They don’t require exotic foods; they’ll thrive just fine on simple, quality staples that copy what they eat in nature: lots of little stuff floating around in reef habitats.
Clownfish survival revolves around their symbiotic relationship with anemones. Of more than a thousand species of anemones, only about 10 will host clownfish. In captivity, most are the hardy Magnificent or Bubble-Tip anemones that easily accept fish. Both parties benefit: The fish will have a safe place from predators. In return, the fish will regularly clean debris and parasites from the anemone. This has been an evolution in balance over millions of years.
When setting up your tank, having a suitable host greatly reduces the stress on both parties. Even if you don’t want to maintain an anemone, providing some hiding places mimics the protective structure.
Choosing the Right Species Consider the tank size and your experience level. Beginner tanks of twenty gallons are best stocked with easy-to-keep species such as Clark’s or Ocellaris. The more sensitive species such as Sebae or Saddlebacks will do better in larger tanks, especially if the parameters is kept relatively constant.
This involves not only space but also water quality that mimics their natural reef environment. Specifically, salinity should be maintained within the range of 1.020, 1.025 specific gravity, and nitrate levels should be kept low. If you can master the fundamentals, these fishes pays off by being beautiful and lively.
This is a reminder that nature has ecological secrets for all living things, no matter how small, which we need to honor and respect.
