In addition, the sea anemones are given better water circulation because the clownfish fan their fins while swimming about. Amphiprion percula. Clownfish live at the bottom of the sea in sheltered reefs or in shallow lagoons, usually in pairs.
Clownfish have a special relationship with the anemone and are very important to them. They are a large help to the anemone as they clean the anemone by eating the algae and other food leftovers on them.
They also protect the sea anemones by chasing away polyp-eating fish, such as the butterfly fish. The map below shows where in the world clownfish can be found. They live in the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. There are no clownfish in the Caribbean.
The spawning season of the clownfish, a time when they breed, is year round in tropical waters. Males attract the females by courting.
Courting behaviours include chasing, biting and extending fins. Clownfish lay their eggs in batches on coral, rock or next to the sea anemone that they call home. The male clownfish will build a nest on the rock or coral near the anemone in order to be provided with protection from predators.
Breeding starts by the male chasing the female to the nest where the eggs are released. One hundred to one thousand eggs are laid. The male clownfish guards and protects the eggs until they hatch. They hatch within 4 to 5 days. In a group of clownfish, there is a strict hierarchy of dominance.
The largest and most aggressive female is found at the top. Only two clownfish, a male and a female, in a group reproduce through external fertilization. The clownfish are hermaphrodites, meaning that they develop into males first, and when they mature, they become females. Also, as mentioned earlier, more than one clownfish is able to live in a sea anemone. If the female clownfish is removed from the group, such as by death, one of the largest and most dominant males would become a female.
The rest of the remaining males will move up a rank on the hierarchy. Many of the hobbyists keep clowns that are 10, 15, even 20 years old. Apparently there is a mated pair of clownfish that are more than 30 years old. Talk about a long lifespan. If you think about it, all fish are like humans. Including the clownfish. Less stress leads to a longer lifespan. And, if you make sure that your clownfish live in a healthy environment, with clean water and enough food, it will certainly live a long and happy life.
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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Aquatic Turtles Saltwater Menu. Lifespan in Captivity and in the Wild. How long do clownfish live? How Long Do Clownfish Live in the Wild Clownfish in the wild tend to live a shorter life, somewhere between 6 to 10 years, if they are lucky. Diet A good diet will improve your clownfish overall health. What Do Clownfish eat Genetics Genetics play a big role in the overall health of the fish, too. Toxic waste can build up in the tank if the filter is not changed often enough.
Biological filters are used to clean tank water through using some bacteria for good. Purchasing a pair of clownfish that have already bonded is the easiest way to breed them. A clean tank, rocks, plants and anemone encourage breeding. If spawning regualrly, the female will olay eggs about every two weeks. Eggs take about 9 days to hatch. Clownfish eggs are typically laid in batches on coral, or next to the anemone they host.
The male fish will build a nest to protect the eggs. Clownfish are omnivores. They enjoy eating both plants and meat. Clownfish usually eat worms, algae, zooplankton and small crustaceans. If available, young clownfish for sale tend to stay in their anemone host.
With proper clownfish care, your clownfish should be fed once a day. If the tank is small and you only have a few fish, every other day feeding is fine.
Clownfish should not share tanks with aggressive and large fish such as groupers and lionfish, but they are compatible with many other fish. Ocellaris clownfish do relatively well without anemone in captivity and sometimes even if given an anemone in their tank, they will not host it. Clownfish do well with wrasses, damselfish, tangs, dartfish, angelfish, blennies, puffers, corals, anemones and gobies. One thing to think about is that clownfish will often not get along with others of their kind.
If you want to keep more than two clownfish together, it is best to introduce them to the tank at the same time so they do not get territorial. Plenty of room also helps lessen the fighting. If you already have a relatively older clownfish and you buy more younger ones, you may want to watch out for the older one being aggressive to the new one.
However, once in a while this works out and the two different species end up breeding. Keep your fish fed and keep the water as clean as possible. Contrary to popular belief, there are more than 30 different species of clownfish. There are six main groups. The skunk complex consists of two different species. They are known as the most unique species of clownfish. The two subspecies are called the pink skunk and orange skin clownfish.
Both of them share marking similar to that of a skunks. Percula complex clownfish are the most commonly seen clownfish ex: Nemo. There are four subspecies under this grouping. These fish are most commonly captive bred because of their popularity.
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