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Scientific
Name: Amphiprion ocellaris
Family: Pomacentridae
Common Names: Ocellaris Clownfish, False Percula Clownfish
Description:
Ocellaris clowns are recognized by an orange background and 3 white bars that ring
the fish. Their fins are edged in black except for the dorsal fin.
The white areas may have a thin black line around the perimeter. True
Percula Clownfish have a thicker black border around the white areas.
The orange coloration is light and even when they are small. As the fish
mature, they may darken on the upper 2/3's of their body to an orange brown.
Natural Environment:
Comes from reefs in the Eastern Indian and Western Pacific Oceans. Ocellaris Clowns are almost all
captive breed at this time.
Care:
Reef Suitability: Ocellaris Clowns are
good reef tank inhabitants. A common misperception is that they need to
have an anemone to be happy. They will tend to adopt the next best thing
which might be something like a Sarcophyton or Xenia as shown to the right.
Ocellaris Clownfish are some of the more prolific breeders in a reef
tank. If several are housed together, two will frequently pair up and
start spawning every couple of weeks. The female is the larger of the
pair and will be obviously full of eggs if spawning is near. It is
interesting to watch the parents spawn and care for the eggs. The young
hatch at night after about 2 weeks, but never make it past their first day
of life unless the hobbyist removes them from the tank and rears them
separately. Their small size and territorial behavior makes them
suitable for a small tank, though they may bully less aggressive fish.
Disposition: Can be somewhat pugnacious
and territorial, especially when guarding a nest. They don't usually chase
other fish very far, so their tank mates learn to avoid their home turf.
Mixing with other clownfish species is generally not recommended as it can
be a bit of a hit and miss affair as to whether problems will arise.
Feeding: Ocellaris Clownfish will eat any meaty food offerings
such as mysid shrimp, bloodworms, brineshrimp and frozen meaty
preparations.. They will also readily take flake foods.
Hardiness: Extremely hardy and ick resistant. The
smallest clown in the picture above survived the following ordeal: It unknowingly got
sucked into the overflow box a week before the tank was dismantled. The
overflow was shut down for 3 more days with no heat during winter as the tank
inhabitants were moved to a new tank. When the overflow box was drained
into the sink, out came the fish into the garbage disposal. It was quickly
fished out and carried downstairs to the new tank where it was promptly dropped
onto the carpet and then finally into the tank. After a week in the overflow and
3 days in unheated, unoxygenated water in an overflow, a trip down the disposal and onto the
carpet, the fish survived just fine. That was several years ago and he hasn't
grown much, but seems healthy. He's the only fish we have named.
He's called 'Lucky'.
Temperature: Does well within normal reef tank temperature ranges of
75-84°F.
Size: Ocellaris Clowns can get up to 4 in., but usually
don't get more than about 3" in the home tank. Minimum tank size should be
about 20 gallon for a pair.
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