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Clownfish Varieties
The following are some of the more common types of clownfish within each of the six complexes.
The Percula Complex
There are only two clownfish in the percula complex: the ocellaris (Amphiprion ocellaris) and the percula (Amphiprion percula).
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Ocellaris: The
most common clownfish in the aquarium trade, an ocellaris has a distinctive mandarin orange color and three white bands bordered in black around its body. It grows to about 3" (8 cm) in length. This type of clownfish is ideal for a novice aquarist, given its hardiness and mild-mannered temperament.
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Percula:
Remarkably similar in appearance to the ocellaris, perculas tend to have thicker black borders around their white bands, but this isn’t always the case. They are the smallest species of clownfish, rarely exceeding 2.5" (6 cm) in length. Perculas are not ideal clownfish for beginners because they are more expensive, have stricter water-quality requirements, and tend to be aggressive toward tankmates.
The Tomato Complex
Fish in the tomato complex have oval-shaped bodies and range in color from orange to red. Juveniles typically have three stripes on their bodies, but as they age, they tend to lose their stripes, save for one white band near the head. They make excellent fish for beginner aquarists because they are extremely hardy and easy to obtain.
There are five species in the tomato complex, but you are most likely to find the tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus) and the red and black clownfish (Amphiprion melanopus) in a pet store.
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Tomato: These
fish range in color from orange to red and can grow to more than 4" (10 cm) in length.
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Red and black: These fish are similar in color to tomato clownfish, but their anal and pelvic fins are usually black rather than red. They are also slightly smaller than tomato clowns, rarely exceeding 3.5" (9 cm) in length.
The Skunk Complex
There are six species in the skunkfish complex, but you’re likely to find only three of them available for purchase. Each of these three types of skunk clownfish—the skunk (Amphiprion akallopisos), the pink skunk (Amphiprion perideraion), and the orange skunk (Amphiprion sandaracinos)—has a white stripe that runs along the back, from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail. Adults in this complex measure 3–3.5" (8–9 cm) in length.
All three types are suitable for beginners because of their hardiness. They do best when introduced into an aquarium at an early age—they tend to be a bit timid and are easily overwhelmed by aggressive tankmates.
The Clarkii Complex
Although there are 11 species in the clarkii complex, you are most likely to find only the Clark’s clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii), an especially popular species of clownfish that’s also ideal for novice aquarists. These fish reach lengths in excess of 4" (10 cm), and their color varies from yellow to dark brown, with two or three white bands along the body.
The Saddleback Complex
This complex includes three fish: the saddleback (Amphiprion polymnus), sebae (Amphiprion sebae), and wide-band clownfish (Amphiprion latezonatus). None of these fish are well suited for beginners: they’re easily spooked and sensitive to stress, and they acclimate slowly to aquarium living.
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Saddleback: The
saddleback clownfish is dark colored with a saddle-like broad band at the middle of the body. It grows to about 4" (10 cm) in length.
- Sebae: These fish are also dark colored but have two white bands on the body and a yellow tail. They can reach about 5" (12 cm) in length.
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Wide band:
These fish range in color from brown to black and are named for their very broad white stripes in the middle of their bodies. They can reach about 5.5" (16 cm) in length.
The Maroon Complex
Only one species, the maroon clownfish (Premnas biaculeatus), fits into this complex. There are two strains of the maroon clownfish: the yellow striped and white striped, named for the thin yellow or white stripes they have along their bodies. These fish are usually dark orange, but females may turn darker as they age. Maroon clownfish are notoriously aggressive and have little tolerance for other maroon clownfish. They reach lengths of about 6.3" (16 cm).
| Text & Photos Copyright © 2007 TFH Publications, Inc. | Acknowledgments & Disclaimer |
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