Since clownfish are so colorful and beautiful in photos, they are one of scuba divers’ favorite fish. In the world, there are 28 different species of clownfish. The Pixar Animation Studios film “Finding Nemo” made them well-known.
What is a clownfish?
Small reef fish called clownfish typically measure between 5 and 12 centimeters in length (2-5 inches). They have vivid colors, usually orange with three white stripes, however, species can vary. In addition, they come in pink, yellow, red, black, and brown.
Why are they called clownfish?
Clownfish are territorial, energetic fish that can appear to be performing acrobatics while guarding the space around their anemone. Due to their activity and their vivid coloring, they came to be known as clownfish. Due to their strong ties to the other species, they are also known as anemonefish.
Where do they live?
They are mainly found in warm waters close to coral reefs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Likewise, Australia and Japan are home to them. Clownfish are bottom-dwelling creatures that you can always find inside of a Sea Anemone (or very close by).
What do they eat?
Clownfish eat both meat and plants. They will eat the leftover fish from the anemone and also the dead tentacles. They also eat different types of algae, small crustaceans, and plankton.
What eats clownfish?
They are prayed on by larger fish such as eels and sharks.
Fun facts about clownfish
– They Are Very Social
In addition to their symbiotic associations with sea anemones, clownfish are generally very gregarious creatures. These fish dwell in sizable male fish communities that include both a dominant male and a dominant female. They speak by making a succession of popping and clicking noises, which they employ for both self-defense and announcing their social standing within the group. Clownfish mate with anyone and develop exceptionally close relationships with that partner.
– All Clownfish Are Born Male
As hermaphrodites, clownfish have both male and female reproductive systems. In actuality, every male clownfish hatched from its eggs is a male. The largest fish in the newly deposited group will take over as the dominant female. The male fish that is second in size becomes dominant. The dominant male will change sexes and become the dominant female if the dominant female perishes within the school of fish!
– They Are Omnivores
Clownfish are omnivores, which means they consume both plants and other fish species. They frequently consume algae as well as leftover seaweed from their anemone, although they can also be spotted consuming other small invertebrates. This includes small crustaceans including shrimp, worms, fish eggs, and zooplankton.
– They Live Longer In The Wild
Clownfish do not have the tendency to live longer in captivity than other animals do because of the extra attention they receive. In actuality, a clownfish’s lifespan in the wild tends to be longer than it is in captivity. A wild clownfish can live anywhere between 6 and 10 years on average. A clownfish kept in captivity, however, typically lives for 3 to 6 years. Due to the stress of catching and transport, wild-caught clownfish that are afterwards kept in captivity typically pass away sooner.
– They Lay Hundreds Of Eggs
A dominant female clownfish will often lay between 100 and 1,000 eggs. Nevertheless, it’s generally believed that the median number is around 600. The female will swim away after laying the eggs, allowing the dominant male to seat the eggs. He will consume any eggs that he discovers to be infertile or otherwise harmed. This has nothing in do with the renowned film Finding Nemo! After the eggs hatch, their parents no longer rear or raise them. They are then dispatched to begin their own quest instead. They will, however, nearly invariably confine themselves to their own school.
Top places to see Clownfish
- Philippines
- Maldives
- Tofo, Peri Peri
- Fiji
- Palau
- Indonesia
- Red Sea
- South Pacific
- Japan, Okinawa
