False clownfish

OCEANARIUM
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False clown anemone fish Amphiprion ocellaris

The False clown’s typical coloration is bright orange with three white bars, each bar having a thin black outline. It differs from the similar clown anemone (A. percula) fish having 10 dorsal spines vs 11 in the percula and wider black margins on the white stripes. A colour variation comes from the Northern Territory exhibiting a pure black body with three white stripes.

Host anemones.

Heteractis magnifica
Stichodactyla gigantea
Stichodactyla mertinsii

Aquarium care.
False clowns are the most suitable of all clown fishes for a community aquarium. Care should still be taken when introducing the fish to the aquarium. Your clown fishes should be added at the same time to avoid territorial disputes; it is possible to add multiple fish to form a family unit. Avoid adding more than one large fish only one female will be tolerated.

Adding more fish at a latter date can be accomplished with some care and observation.

Choose a smaller fish to be added it must not be a alpha male fish or female.
Introduce the fish with care, use of a floating cage or bag is advisable initially to observe if there will be any adverse territorial defensive behavior.
Carefully watch the progress for a few days till he finds his place in the hierarchy. Expect some bif and barge during this process. If the newly introduced clown is relegated to a corner of the aquarium and not allowed to eat the introduction is likely to fail, be prepared to remove him from the aquarium.

A host anemone does not have to be provided, then false clowns often find a substitute in which to host. This can be leather corals, Euphyllia or similar fleshy corals and even plastic anemones.

Feeding.
False clowns are not fussy feeders; they will readily take any type of marine aquarium fish food, fresh pieces of prawn or fish, frozen commercial feeds and dry flake and pellet feeds.

Breeding.
False clown fish have been breed in captivity for many years being one of the first marine aquarium fishes ever successfully raised in captivity.

They may take a few months to years after being introduced to the aquarium before they start to lay eggs. Typically the fish will show behaviour of cleaning a patch of rock by biting it prior to the commencement of laying. Once fish are established breeders they will continue laying batches of eggs every 10-12 days.

The young are best feed rotifers for 3-5 days then feed on baby artema till metamorphosing after 8-9 days. The larva feeds should be enriched to achieve full adult colouration.

Once the larva metamorphose they can be quickly established onto crushed hydrated aquarium flake food, soon as they are big enough not to choke they can then be feed grated shrimp.