Post by Chris4Reef on Sept 3, 2008 17:01:24 GMT -5
Welcome to percula/ocellaris clownfish. AKA "Nemo"
Clownfish belong to the damsel family and have been long admired for their beauty and personalities. Becomming ever popular from Disney's Finding Nemo, clownfish can and due require some special care and really not a beginner fish. This is a guide for identifying which clownfish you have.
Standard Ocellaris Clownfish
Standard ocellaris clownfish are orange, white and can have a black outline. Traditionally the "Nemo". Ocellaris can be confused with a True percula clownfish but notice the number of dorsal fin rays, in Ocellaris it will have 11 rays as oppose to the True perculas 10. Ocellaris typically have a smaller second stripe as oppose to the True perculas thicker and wider second band.
MisBar Ocellaris Clownfish
MisBars are the same fish as a standard Ocellaris clownfish but their 3rd stripe, or 2nd stripe isnt completely full. Misbars are cared for the same way but they only lack the full stripe.
Naked Percula
Naked clownfish have recently been massively bred from ORA fish farms in Florida. These clownfish are completely orange and lack the white stripes. They will have black in their fin outlines. Currently i dont believe there is a full black percula.
Picasso Percula
Picasso's are extremely rare and again a creation of selective breeding from ORA farms. Picasso's are based on grades and grade "A" are the best quality that you can buy. They will often have various white markings but "A's" usually have the most white on the fish, the marking on these fishes are extremely varied. Picasso's are rare due to the fact that they arent 100% spawnable and around 1/1000.
Black and White Ocellaris
Black and white Ocellaris are the same as a standard Ocellaris, They are just simply black and white as oppose to orange and white. Black and Whites can vary in their coloration and it is common to have smaller ones that have a great deal of orange on them. This typically disapates with age and a full black and white clownfish is an older fish. Black and White Ocellaris can also come in Misbar form.
True Percula
One of my favorite clownfish, they arent as easy to care for as Ocellaris but they are extremely colorful as far as clownfish come. They are traditional orange and white but their 1st and 2nd stripe turn black with time. This making them a lovely addition of color to an aquarium.
Onxy Perculas
Onxy's i believe are orange and white but they have extreme black coloration throughout the body. Care is the same as a True Percula.
--------Tank raised Vs. Wild Caught--------
Tank raised clownfish are typically easier to keep them wild collected fish. Wild collected clownfish or fish in general tend to be richer in coloration but the stress of capture and transport can sometimes make them harder to adjust to take life and can possibly kill them easily. Tank raised can sometimes have their flaws too. Over breeding can weaken immune system and create weaker fish. However tank raised clownfish tend to be much easier to move into your home aquaria.
--------Anemones----------
Clownfish dont need anemones to breed or to live in a home aquaria. Anemones need an established tank, reqular feedings, and specific conditions to thrive in aquaria. Tank raised clownfish often will not host in anemones like their wild counterparts will. But if you choose to go with an anemone percula clownfish like to host in carpet anemones, long tenticles, bubble tips, and Ritteri anemones. Gettign them to host can take time.
-------Breeding------------
All clownfish start life as a male. When one begins to dominate the others in the group, that one will grow larger and become the female in the pair. With anemones clownfish will often clear the base to the anemone and lay their eggs so that the anemones tenticles will protect the eggs. Without anemones, clownfish in home aquaria can breed on glass, rocks, and other artifical breeding objects like flower pots and breeding slates. A pair will usually lay eggs every 14-15 days. The fry should be moved to a rearing tank and feed BBS.(baby brine shrimp)
-------Care-------
Clownfish will like a specific gravity of 1.020- 1.024. Clownfish tend to be forgiving but should not be used to cycle an aquarium. They will often hide at first but they will bond with tank and you with time. Clownfish arent usually picky on foods but they should be fed a mixture of meaty foods and herbivour foods. You generally dont stock more than 2 clownfish in per tank. They will tend to fight and prehaps kill the others until 2 remain. Clownfish can get to around 4 inches(female) and 2.5 inches for the male. Their have been reports that their clownfish had lived for 20 YEARS!
-------Overall-------
Personally i love clownfish and they are the SW fish for me. They have their own personalities and can easily bond with you. Whatever clownfish you choose remember that they should be treated as the center point of the tank and fishes should be chosen around them. Best of luck and Enjoy your clownfish!
Clownfish belong to the damsel family and have been long admired for their beauty and personalities. Becomming ever popular from Disney's Finding Nemo, clownfish can and due require some special care and really not a beginner fish. This is a guide for identifying which clownfish you have.
Standard Ocellaris Clownfish
Standard ocellaris clownfish are orange, white and can have a black outline. Traditionally the "Nemo". Ocellaris can be confused with a True percula clownfish but notice the number of dorsal fin rays, in Ocellaris it will have 11 rays as oppose to the True perculas 10. Ocellaris typically have a smaller second stripe as oppose to the True perculas thicker and wider second band.
MisBar Ocellaris Clownfish
MisBars are the same fish as a standard Ocellaris clownfish but their 3rd stripe, or 2nd stripe isnt completely full. Misbars are cared for the same way but they only lack the full stripe.
Naked Percula
Naked clownfish have recently been massively bred from ORA fish farms in Florida. These clownfish are completely orange and lack the white stripes. They will have black in their fin outlines. Currently i dont believe there is a full black percula.
Picasso Percula
Picasso's are extremely rare and again a creation of selective breeding from ORA farms. Picasso's are based on grades and grade "A" are the best quality that you can buy. They will often have various white markings but "A's" usually have the most white on the fish, the marking on these fishes are extremely varied. Picasso's are rare due to the fact that they arent 100% spawnable and around 1/1000.
Black and White Ocellaris
Black and white Ocellaris are the same as a standard Ocellaris, They are just simply black and white as oppose to orange and white. Black and Whites can vary in their coloration and it is common to have smaller ones that have a great deal of orange on them. This typically disapates with age and a full black and white clownfish is an older fish. Black and White Ocellaris can also come in Misbar form.
True Percula
One of my favorite clownfish, they arent as easy to care for as Ocellaris but they are extremely colorful as far as clownfish come. They are traditional orange and white but their 1st and 2nd stripe turn black with time. This making them a lovely addition of color to an aquarium.
Onxy Perculas
Onxy's i believe are orange and white but they have extreme black coloration throughout the body. Care is the same as a True Percula.
--------Tank raised Vs. Wild Caught--------
Tank raised clownfish are typically easier to keep them wild collected fish. Wild collected clownfish or fish in general tend to be richer in coloration but the stress of capture and transport can sometimes make them harder to adjust to take life and can possibly kill them easily. Tank raised can sometimes have their flaws too. Over breeding can weaken immune system and create weaker fish. However tank raised clownfish tend to be much easier to move into your home aquaria.
--------Anemones----------
Clownfish dont need anemones to breed or to live in a home aquaria. Anemones need an established tank, reqular feedings, and specific conditions to thrive in aquaria. Tank raised clownfish often will not host in anemones like their wild counterparts will. But if you choose to go with an anemone percula clownfish like to host in carpet anemones, long tenticles, bubble tips, and Ritteri anemones. Gettign them to host can take time.
-------Breeding------------
All clownfish start life as a male. When one begins to dominate the others in the group, that one will grow larger and become the female in the pair. With anemones clownfish will often clear the base to the anemone and lay their eggs so that the anemones tenticles will protect the eggs. Without anemones, clownfish in home aquaria can breed on glass, rocks, and other artifical breeding objects like flower pots and breeding slates. A pair will usually lay eggs every 14-15 days. The fry should be moved to a rearing tank and feed BBS.(baby brine shrimp)
-------Care-------
Clownfish will like a specific gravity of 1.020- 1.024. Clownfish tend to be forgiving but should not be used to cycle an aquarium. They will often hide at first but they will bond with tank and you with time. Clownfish arent usually picky on foods but they should be fed a mixture of meaty foods and herbivour foods. You generally dont stock more than 2 clownfish in per tank. They will tend to fight and prehaps kill the others until 2 remain. Clownfish can get to around 4 inches(female) and 2.5 inches for the male. Their have been reports that their clownfish had lived for 20 YEARS!
-------Overall-------
Personally i love clownfish and they are the SW fish for me. They have their own personalities and can easily bond with you. Whatever clownfish you choose remember that they should be treated as the center point of the tank and fishes should be chosen around them. Best of luck and Enjoy your clownfish!
