Orange Skunk Clownfish

The orange skunk clownfish carries a single white stripe on its bright orange body, starting at the upper lip and running along the back to the tail; there is no band behind the head. In the very similar Amphiprion akallopisos, this stripe starts at the forehead and does not reach the lip. In the wild it lives mostly in Heteractis crispa and Stichodactyla mertensii anemones. Most of those sold are wild-caught; if you can find a captive-bred specimen, prefer it.

• At least 75 liters for a pair.
• Salinity specific gravity 1.023–1.026, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C.
• Reef-safe; it leaves corals and invertebrates alone.
• An anemone is not essential; its natural hosts are large anemones that are difficult to keep in the aquarium.

Omnivorous. Feed twice a day with small granules, frozen mysis, brine shrimp and copepods; with wild specimens, start with frozen food first.

Calm and shy; aggressive fish easily suppress it. Clownfish are born male, and the larger fish of a pair turns into a female. Only a single pair is kept in the aquarium; it is not mixed with other clownfish species.

Good companions: Gobies, firefish, cardinalfish, blennies, royal gramma, cleaner shrimp.

Avoid: Other clownfish species, aggressive damselfish, dottybacks, predators.