Introduction to clownfish

Clownfish are technically known as anemone fish and are a subfamily of damselfish, in the family Pomacentridae. There are 26 unique species of ‘clownfish’, 25 of them in the genus Amphiprion and only 1 in the genus Premnas. They are usually small fish, mature males only growing 2 to 5 inches long.

Habitat

Clownfish are only found in the tropical waters of the Indian or Pacific Oceans and the Red Sea. These climates provide a suitable environment for enemy fish due to their warm temperatures. Clownfish tend to live on the bottom and mostly reside on coastal reefs, specifically within sea anemones. The anemone provides protection for the clownfish by allowing the fish to hide and with its poisonous tentacles, keeping other fish away. There is no definitive information on why the anemone does not bite the clownfish, but there are many theories.

Prey or predictor?

In the wild, a clownfish will attract your prayer by swimming around its anemone and displaying its bright colors. Once the victim, all the while thinking that he is the preditor, begins to approach, the clownfish will back away towards the anemone with its prey following closely behind. Once the sea anemone comes into contact with the “preditor”, it stings, kills and begins to eat the prey. This leaves the leftovers for the clownfish to pick at. Other forms of food are planktonic crustaceans and algae that can develop on nearby corals or rocks. The Anomenes themselves can provide food, as the clownfish bite and consume dead tentacles.

Captivity

This fish is an excellent first choice for saltwater tanks, which is one of the reasons they have become so popular in the United States and parts of Europe. Part of its suitability is found in anemone fish that have a very small range; which is good for the small area offered in fish tanks. The area of ​​the tank substrate – that is, the area at the bottom of your tank adjusted for protruding rocks and sunken ships – is more important than the total volume of the tank. A 20 gallon tank would be considered the minimum recommended size for clownfish. Living peacefully in your fish tank, a clownfish would require approx. 14 hours of light and 10 hours of darkness every day. These amounts can be adjusted and are only suggestions. Beware of high nitrate levels. Mature clownfish can sometimes tolerate these levels, but larvae and babies almost certainly will not. Include a wide variety of foods when feeding the clownfish. Feed should include live brine shrimp, frozen foods, seaweed, and traditional flakes. Since clownfish will not have preditors in a fish tank, a marine anomone is not required to protect them.

Breeding

Many people believe that anemone fish will not reproduce without the presence of a sea anemone, but this is not the case. After some time, a particular spawning site will be chosen. This spawning place will remain the same throughout the life of the clownfish pair. Clownfish will spawn throughout the year laying their eggs in large batches. In the wild, the eggs are normally laid on the coral or rock that is close to the anemone, although they can be laid anywhere in your tank. Once laid by the female, the male clownfish takes on the job of guarding the eggs until they hatch, usually 4 to 5 days later. When the clownfish reaches sexual maturity, it will attack on its own, looking for a vacant sea anomone. Clownfish can be expected to live 3-5 years in captivity.