*Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)

Carkii clown (Amphiprion clarkii)

Maroon or spine cheek clown (Premnas biaculeatus)

Black clown (Amphiprion Latezonatus)

False clown fish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

*The ocellaris is common from North West Australia (when there is a dark brown variation as well) through to Indonesia. The Percula is found in North East Australia through Indonesia. The white-banded Premnas is found in the same areas as the Percula, but the yellow-banded variation is found only in the Sumatra area. The Clarkii is common in North East Australia to Fiji, Vanuatu to Indonesia. The Latezonatus is only found from Sydney Australia, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and up to the early parts of the Barrier Reef and is most common from Coffs Harbour to North Stradbroke Island Queensland.

*All Amphiprions enjoy the same foods like algae, eg mussels; cunji, sushi wrap and marine meats plus good carbonate hardness and high PH. Clowns are of the Damsel family, but have evolved a symbiotic relationship with anemones. The Latezonatus does not like high temperatures as they are found in deep, cool stable waters. The Percula is weakest as an adult followed by the Ocellaris, Clarkii and Latezonatus.

*The same things that bother most marine fish bother clowns, like stress allowing parasitic attacks and food with bacteria on it and getting into their system. If a clown fish is under stress, they lose their mucus coating and can be stung or even eaten by their host anemones.

* When clowns are small, they will co exist, but once they attain their sex, they change a little of their attitude. Latezonatus have a very good temperament. They will often stop fights in a tank. If you want varieties of clowns to get on, don’t allow pairs; keep a distance between anemones, (clowns in a tank do not need an anemone). Also, have your Latezonatus, Ocellaris or Percula the largest. The nastiest varieties are normally dark brown to black or some red on them.

* The easiest to keep, once acclimatized, anything with red on it or brown/black on it and so on.

* Don’t get large clowns; they are biologically and mentally set in their ways. Mostly size governs age, so in a tank, they could live a very long time. Some clowns will never settle down to tank life and become a white spot and odinium factory until they die or they live in on going treatment. This rarely happens with youngsters. Clowns also attain their semi permanent sex at around 20 mil in length.

Damsels.Chromis

These are in the same family as the clownfish, so they eat the same foods and enjoy the same conditions. There are very few damsels that could be described as a good tank inhabitant. These fish are very aggressive on average and should only be used as tank starters. The few that are reasonable are, princess (Pomacentrus bankanensis)—Yellow tail (Neopomacentrus azysron)—Starki (Chrysiptera starki)—Orange tail (Chrysiptera hemicyanea). Chromis are a different story as these on average are of a far better nature then damsels. The only thing the chromis have a problem with, normaly, is each other. Check the books on damsels, if the one you like becomes black as an adult, then don’t get it they are the worst ones. Some people like to try and imitate the way they school in the ocean. give it time, it does not work on average.