Red Sea Clownfish

The Red Sea clownfish is recognized by the two white bands on its yellow-orange body: one just behind the eye, the other in the middle of the body. As it ages, the back and upper flanks turn brown, while the fins stay yellow-orange. It resembles Clark's clownfish, which has its own page on this site, but it lacks a third white band on the caudal peduncle and its natural range is limited to the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean.

It grows larger than the ocellaris; females reach 12–14 cm and it has a tougher temperament. Some of the fish in stores are captive-bred; captive-bred fish switch easily to dry food and are more resistant to disease than wild ones. Choose these over wild-caught fish.

It lives in the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean as far as the Chagos Archipelago, in lagoons and on outer reefs at depths of 1–30 meters. In the wild it is always found with an anemone; it is most often seen in the bubble-tip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor) and in Heteractis crispa, H. aurora, H. magnifica and Stichodactyla gigantea.

• Volume: at least 150 liters for a pair.
• Water: salinity 1.023–1.026 specific gravity, pH 8.1–8.4, temperature 24–27°C; zero ammonia and nitrite, low nitrate.
• Reef compatibility: reef safe; it leaves corals, shrimp and snails alone.
• Anemone: not required. If you want one, the best host is the bubble-tip anemone; anemones need strong light and a mature aquarium.
• Layout: the pair picks a rock corner or a coral as its "home"; leave open swimming space around it.

Omnivorous. Use marine fish granules or flakes as the staple; add frozen mysis, brine shrimp and copepods. Foods containing algae keep the colors vivid. Feed twice a day, as much as is eaten within a few minutes.

The pair defends its chosen anemone or corner with determination; the female may even attack the keeper's hand. Outside its territory it is generally tolerant of other fish, but it chases small, timid fish away from its corner.

Good companions: tangs, dwarf angelfish, wrasses, cardinalfish, dottybacks, cleaner shrimp.

Avoid: other clownfish, damsels that would want to share the same anemone, predators such as lionfish; very small, timid gobies struggle in a small aquarium.

Kept as a single pair in the aquarium. To form a pair, buy two juveniles or two fish of different sizes: the larger one becomes the female. A third fish or another clownfish species will be chased constantly.

Like all clownfish, it is born male; the larger fish of the pair turns into a female. When the female dies, it takes weeks to a few months for the male to become female and spawn again. The pair lays eggs on a flat surface at the base of the anemone or rock; the male guards the eggs and fans them. The eggs hatch in about a week. The fry are fed first rotifers, then newly hatched brine shrimp; a separate rearing tank is needed.

• Brooklynella: seen especially in wild-caught fish; heavy mucus and peeling skin. It progresses quickly.
• Velvet and marine white spot: keep new fish in quarantine for 3–4 weeks.
• Captive-bred fish are more resistant to these diseases.

The larger fish of the pair is the female. There is no other reliable external difference; all juveniles are male.