Clownfish

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Data Sheet		Semi Picasso Clownfish
Scientific Name:	Pomacentridae Amphiprioninae
Other Names:	anemonefish
Origin:	Asia -Pacific Coral Reef
Adult Size:	2-5 inches, depending on species
Social:	Very good. peaceful fish, but may get territorial
Lifespan:	3-5 years
Tank Level:	bottom, coral	Tomato Clownfish
Minimum Tank Size:	20 gallons (but bigger recommended)
Diet:	Omnivore
Breeding:	Easy
Care:	Medium
Ideal pH:	7.0
Temperature:	75° F. to 82° F.
Tank setup:	With corals, etc
Sexing:	Females are the largest.

two banded clownfish Maroon clownfish Goldbanded Clownfish Sabae Clownfish Tomato Clownfish two banded clownfish Amphiprion Clarkii Saddleback Anemonefish Allards Clownfish Yellow Clownfish Percula ClownFish Black Ocellaris

Description: Clown fish are a speices of very beautiful fish that comes in various colors from yellow orange to red, and usually have white strips on their bodies. It grows to be about 8 cm in length. Habitat/Care: Saltwater fishes requires more space and care than freshwater fish. They are not recommended as beginner fishes as a result. For more information on requirements for saltwater fishes, please see the saltwater tank setup. In the wild they all form symbiotic relationships with sea anemones.Clownfish and certain damselfish are the only species of fishes that can avoid the potent poison of a sea anemone When a sea anemone is not available in an aquarium, they may settle in some varieties of soft corals, or large polyp stony corals. If the fish settles in a coral, it could agitate the fish's skin, and, in some cases, may kill the coral. Once an anemone or coral has been adopted, the clownfish will defend it. As there is less pressure to forage for food in an aquarium, it is common for clownfish to remain within 2-4 inches of their host for an entire lifetime. Clownfish that are far removed from their parents through captive breeding may not have the same instinctual behavior to live in an anemone. They may have to be coaxed into finding the anemone by the home aquarist. Even then, there is no guarantee that the anemone will host the clownfish. Diet: Most clownfish are omnivores. They should be fed a diet of brine shrimp, or chopped shrimp, squid or clams. They will also eat plant matter and can eat flake food, although the majority of their diet should consist of animal protein. They will also nip at algae and plant matter that grows in the aquarium and benefit from live rock growth. Breeding: Since these fish live in a warm water environment they can reproduce all year long. Each group of fish consists of a breeding pair and 0-4 non-breeders. Within each group there is a size-based hierarchy: the female is largest, the breeding male is second largest, and the male non-breeders get progressively smaller as the hierarchy descends. If the female dies, the male changes sex, becomes the breeding female and the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male. The fish apparently form lifetime pairs, exhibit courting behavior, and depending on the size of the female spawn about 400-1500 eggs per cycle The fish lay their eggs in a safe spot close to the anemone from where they are easily protected, and the parents can retreat to the safety of the anemone if danger threatens. Anemonefish usually lay their nests in the evening after a few days of carefully cleaning and examining the chosen site. Preferred egg sites are flat or slightly curved rocks or some other item the fish have dragged near their nest for the purpose. (In captivity, clay pots and saucers are an attractive choice.) First the female deposits some eggs with her ovipositor (a whitish tube descending from her belly), making a wiggling pass over the surface, then the male follows behind her fertilizing the eggs. After many passes, the nest is complete and will hatch in 6-8 days shortly after sunset, usually on a very dark night. In the meantime, the male is very protective of the nest and ceaselessly fans the eggs to provide proper oxygen circulation, and checks them for any bad eggs, which he eats before they can rot and damage more eggs. Females may or may not help the male tend the nest. At hatching, the larvae burst free and swim up toward the moonlight and the open ocean to ride the currents and eat plankton for about a week, before the still tiny metamorphosed clowns return to the reef and look for an anemone to settle into. Species: Amphiprion ephippium clownfish looks very similar to the Tomato and Cinnamon clownfish in body shape, but it lacks the single white stripe behind the eye in the adults. A white stripe may appear in juveniles and a very small white stripe in sub-adults. Amphiprion frenatus is usually bright red as juveniles, older females will often be mostly dark red or black on the body. Juveniles can often be seen with 2 or 3 white stripes, but it will only have one stripe behind the eye as an adult. Amphiprion melanopus (Cinnamon) normally has a red face and dorsal fin and a predominantly black body, pelvic and anal fins, and a pail yellow tail. Most have a white stripe behind the eye, but in some fish in some populations the white stripe can be absent. Amphiprion ocellaris (Ocellaris/False Percula or Nemo) is the most common clownfish in the hobby. This fish is nearly identical to the Percula clownfish (Amphiprion percula) in appearance. The general differences between the two species is the thicker black border surrounding the white stripes on the Percula, and the amount of dorsal spines, Ocellaris having normally 11 and Percula having normally 10. The thickness of the black border can vary on Ocellaris, on some fish it is very thin while on others it can be a couple millimeters wide. The color of Ocellaris is variable, from light yellow, orange, brown, and in rare specimens black (reported to come from Darwin, Australia). Amphiprion percula The color on this fish is variable from light orange to red, and often with such thick black borders around the white bands that they often connect the white bands. Amphiprion perideraion (Pink Skunk) is normally a pink color with a white stripe down the back and a white stripe down the operculum (gill plate). Amphiprion polymnus (Saddleback) is variable colored, ranging from light brown, black, and orange and black. This clownfish has 2 or 3 broad white bands with the middle band starting mid body and extending into the to back of the dorsal fin. The middle stripe often resembles a horse saddle. The black color form of this clownfish is often misidentified as a Black Percula, of which is also a misidentification of the Black Ocellaris. Amphiprion sandaracinos (Orange Skunk) is very similar to the Skunk Clownfish in color, except that the overall color of the fish is orange, and the white stripe down the back extends all the way to the top of the upper lip. Premnas biaculeatus (Maroon) is the largest clownfish with females some times reaching as much as 7 inches (16.25 cm). Females of this species are usually a dark maroon red or brown in color while the males are more bright red. This clownfish most often has 3 white or yellow bands. It is often difficult to pair this clownfish. Large females will some times if not often kill a potential mate when introduced to an aquarium together.

Got a photo? Contact me

References Cited:

SeaView Aquarium, Keeping Clown Fish CareSheet, [Online][Available], http://www.seaviewaquariums.com.au/images/caresheets/caresheet-clown.pdf ;

Peto, Clownfish Care Sheet http://www.petco.com/caresheets/fish/Clownfish.pdf

Wikipedia, Clownfish, [Online], [Available], http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphiprion_percula

The Aquarium Wiki, Amphiprion Percula, [Online], [Available], http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+2124+755&pcatid=755

Live Aquaria, Ocellaris Clownfish, [Online] [Available], http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+2124+755&pcatid=755

AquaWorld Aquarium, Clownfish and their Host Anemone, [Online], [Available] http://www.aquaworldaquarium.com/clownfish_and_their_host_anemone.htm

John H. Tullock, Clownfish and Sea Anemones: Everything about Purchase, Care, Nutrition, Maintenance, and Setting Up an Aquarium

Blue Crayfish

One of my readers has submitted some pics of his blue crayfish. :) Thank for sharing!

Saltwater Aquarium Setup

Saltwater aquarium set up takes time but it is exciting adventure. It usually takes 4 to 8 weeks before you can add any saltwater fish safely to your saltwater aquarium.I know it is disappointing to wait too long before you can start putting fish into your saltwater aquarium, but you wouldn’t want to risk losing them.

Saltwater fish are quite pricey. So I would say that patience is the key!

Before setting up a saltwater aquarium, think about these things first:
STEP 1: Choosing your Location, Aquarium Size and Aquarium Stand

The first step in saltwater aquarium set up is choosing a location that is nowhere close to natural lighting sources. Close to windows, entrance that has a clear door where sun rays can come in and patios are a BIG NO!

Intense sunlight can produce excessive algae which are a beginner aquarist's usual problem. A cooler room temperature that is well-ventilated would be the best.

Choose a large enough location for your aquarium. Set up a level and well supported area for your aquarium and stand and is highly preferred. Make sure to leave enough space for electrical connections and other equipments as well as around the aquarium for maintenance and cleaning.

Properly selected aquarium will help in a successful saltwater aquarium and set up will be a breeze. It’s not as hard as it may seem. The first requirement is a proper glass tank! It’s a mistake to buy a small aquarium "just to get started." My suggestion is to get the largest aquarium you can afford. It’s actually better generally for first timers. But make sure it will fit your space and of course your budget. Larger aquariums are more forgiving of beginners’ mistakes and provide a much more stable environment. If you buy a small aquarium, I’m pretty sure that you will just upgrade to a bigger one later on.

Surface area of the aquarium should also be taken into account in aquarium set up. Oxygen enters the water and, more importantly, noxious gases such as carbon dioxide escape into the air at the water surface. So the larger the surface area, the more efficient the exchange of gases will be.

Another important consideration in aquarium set up is the shape of the aquarium. There are now too many unusual shapes to choose from in addition to the usual rectangular shape. From hexagonal to octagonal, bow-fronted and even trapezoidal aquariums are available.

But they all have their problems. They can be difficult to light, the saltwater fish may find it hard to establish territories or even swim properly or make viewing distorted and are harder to clean. The surface area could be compromised by an unusual shape.

Next is choosing something to stand it on. Choose a sturdy stand that is capable of supporting the weight of a filled aquarium. If you don’t follow this simple step, you are likely to have a huge mess or worse, a broken aquarium if it hits your floor. Make sure that the aquarium will fit perfectly on the stand you chose.


STEP 2: Prepare and set up your aquarium

So you chose the perfect location and you bought your perfectly large enough aquarium with matching stand. You can’t wait to fill it up with saltwater fish, live rocks and other inhabitants you can think of. But wait! There are few more things lined up in aquarium set up before you can do that.

Make sure you clean your aquarium with freshwater and a soft cloth or sponge. Remember not to use any kind of chemical cleaners. Rinse it thoroughly and make sure all residues are washed out. You can now pour the sand or gravel, whichever substrate you’ve chosen to use into the bottom of the aquarium followed by your saltwater.

Then, you can either buy a pre-mixed saltwater, ready to use for your saltwater aquarium, or if you plan to use filtered water or the tap water at home make sure you get a sea salt mix. Follow the set up instruction on the manufacturer’s label on how to properly prepare your water using the sea salt mix. Tap water will have minerals and additives that are not good for your saltwater inhabitants. Your tap water contains substances that are toxic to your fish. When you have your dechlorinated water ready, fill aquarium 1/3 full. Measure the specific gravity of your saltwater. It should measure 1.025.
Install and start all the other equipments such us lighting, heater, and filter and let it run for a day. During this test run time, check for leaks, set and adjust the heater(s) to the required temperature, check and balance out the salinity of the water if needed, and test all the equipment to make sure everything is working properly.


STEP 3 Aquascape

Aquascaping your aquarium means decorating your aquarium. Possibilities are endless. There is no correct or perfect set up of decorating your aquarium. It is up to you on how you will make your saltwater aquarium attractive. Have fun and be creative. Here is a simple "how to" tips on aquascaping a saltwater aquarium.

Adding live rock as part of your aquascape is a plus. Live rock is important to your saltwater aquarium and inhabitants.

One importance of live rock is that fish will adjust better to their new environment because it is similar to their natural habitat. Live rock also becomes a biological filter of your saltwater aquarium. It provides the beneficial organisms for proper water management and so that you can enjoy your saltwater fish and other inhabitants for a long period of time.

Another advantage of live rock is that it acts as a home for corals and other invertebrates and can be used by shy or frightened fish as their hiding place.

You can get a live rock that are already cured and ready to be placed in your saltwater aquarium. If you have an uncured live rock, then it must be properly cured to create a healthy environment. Ammonia, which is a toxic compound and pollutant are released into your saltwater if you don’t properly cure your live rock.

This will compromise the health of your aquarium system. Most live rock will be fully cured in 1 - 3 weeks. By then, it will be safe to add to your saltwater aquarium.
Curing your live rock may be done in any type of plastic container that is suitable in size to fit the amount of live rock you have or inside the newly set up aquarium. Getting as large of a water container as you can is recommended, but curing inside the new aquarium is best overall.

STEP 4 Cycling

Once you have aquascaped your saltwater aquarium, the next step in saltwater aquarium set up would be allowing the aquarium to cycle.

You have to be very patient when your tank is in cycle. New aquariums don’t have the necessary bacteria for your inhabitants to thrive and survive. This is why your new aquarium must be cycled. Cycling is the process of establishing and maturing the biological filtration. Typically, new aquariums can be cycled in 3 to 6 weeks.

But for fully cycling your saltwater aquarium, it will really depend on factors like: (1) The amount of ammonia being produced during the cycling period; (2) The efficiency of the biological filtration and (3) Whether liverocks or live plants are used in the process.

If you don’t know much about this process, it can contribute to livestock loss. So understand what it truly is and learn the proper steps to take for a successful saltwater aquarium.

First you need to establish a source of ammonia to establish the system. The usual method is adding one or two hardy fish, such as damselfishes. The waste products they produce are the initial source of ammonia. Most of these hardy fish can tolerate ammonia but some don’t. This method is cruel in the extreme! It will be easier and less cruel to use on the commercially available maturation fluids. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Add the maturation compound to start nitrification. Ammonia level will rise and reach its peak then declines, while bacteria continues to multiply until they are undetectable during testing.

The by-product of ammonia is nitrite. Nitrite levels will rise until the number of bacteria has increased to the point at which they break down the nitrites faster than it is being produced. Measure the nitrite levels with a nitrite test kit after a period of time.

The end product of this process is nitrate. Nitrate is not toxic to the fish but high levels of it can produce problem to your aquarium. You can recognize the increase of nitrate when there is an algae outbreak to your saltwater aquarium. You can then control algae reproduction by constant water changes and chemical filtration. It will also help you in managing your cycle without losing any of your fish.

Testing your water parameters regularly during this time will prevent problems in your saltwater aquarium.

STEP 5 Make the Necessary Adjustments

While you are doing the water change and tidying the tank up to get it ready for the first few new or additional pieces of livestock, it's a good time to make any aquascaping changes you desire during this step of the set up.

When you're done and the system is restarted, let the tank run for a day or two to allow it to settle out. During this run time check and make adjustments to parameters of the aquarium water that may be needed, such as the temperature and salinity.


STEP 6 Add some new Livestocks

Once the tank has been cleaned up, it is ready for some new saltwater fish. The biggest and most often made mistakes at this stage of a newly cycled aquarium is that one tries to cram too much into the tank too quickly or all at once. It is important for you to be patient and go slowly on this set up to prevent causing problems from overloading the saltwater aquarium.

Whether it is fish, corals, or invertebrates, you should only choose and add 1 or 2 into the aquarium at a time.

After your selection has been placed into the tank, you need to allow the aquarium's nitrifying bacteria base to adjust to the additional bio-load. This means you DO NOT add anything else at this point of the set up, and over a week's time you should test the aquarium water daily for any appearance of ammonia and possibly nitrite.
Zero readings will show you it is safe to add the next 1 or 2 pieces of livestock. Better yet, even when the test results are showing zero, wait another week or two before continuing on.