Characteristics
Bright orange with three distinctive white bars.
They reach about 4.3 inches in length.
Clownfish live in a "symbiotic" relationship with certain anemones. This means they benefit from living with the sea anemone, and the sea anemone benefits from the presence of the clownfish. They are the only fish that are able to live in sea anemones and not get stung by their tentacles. Clownfish are very active fish and are extremely aggressive. Because they
are quite active, the clownfish are thought to be "clowning around". They defend their territory and the sea anemone that they live in.
Clownfish eat the leftovers from fish on the anemone and algae.
Where they lives?
Clownfish live at the bottom of the sea in sheltered reefs or in shallow lagoons,
usually in pairs.
They live in the warmer waters of the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean.
They are also found in northwest Australia, southeast Asia,
Japan and the Indo-Malaysian region.
Life cycle of the clownfish
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. 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.
Changing sex
Surprisingly, all clownfish are born male.
They have the ability to switch their sex, but will do so only to become the dominant female of a group.
The change is irreversible.