Clownfish

Tomato Clownfish

Amphiprion frenatus

Coming from the Pacific Ocean this species can become very aggressive with age, however if you can buy a match pair, at the same time, they will often live together in harmony. It can be an excellent choice for the beginner since is very hardy and can live without an anemone. It is difficult to breed in a home aquarium. There are no external characteristics to differentiate male and female.

The Tomato Clownfish is a bright orange-red with one white vertical stripe behind the eye. A 30 gallon or larger tank with lots of hiding places is desirable. An anemone host such as Bubbletip (Entacmaea quadricolor) or Leathery (Heteractis crispa) is preferred, but not required.

Most clownfish do seem to survive perfectly well in a marine aquarium without anemones. Keeping an anemone alive for your clownfish will involve substantially more light than standard aquarium fixtures offer. Feed the anemone a bite of shrimp at least weekly, when the lights first come on.

If the anemone dies, or there is no anemone, the clownfish will adapt by feeding its rock. It will literally chose a rock in the aquarium as its own, and faithfully drop food on it at every feeding, and even sleep near it at night.

Tomato clownfish will eat almost anything it is fed, but the diet should include meaty food items such as chopped shrimp and herbivore preparations. A high quality marine flake food, rich in spirulina algae, as well as freeze dried and frozen foods are readily accepted.

There are no external characteristics to differentiate male and female. The fry do not have a pre-determined sex, and develop into males and females depending on the hierarchy of the school. A pair will lay eggs along the base of the host anemone, using it to protect the eggs. The eggs normally appear orange in color.

Tank raised Tomato clowns are usually darker in coloration to their wild counterparts, but as the fish matures, it will lighten to a nice red/orange coloration. Juveniles have three white bands, and black pectoral fins, that gradually disappear as the fish matures.

Tank raised Tomato clownfish are easy to breed in the home aquarium. The females will be the largest of the pair, and two fish will usually stay close to each other in the aquarium. These fish are egg layers and will deposit the eggs on a flat surface, and defend the eggs from other tank mates. The eggs will normally hatch in 6-11 days depending on the temperature. The fry must be reared in a separate aquarium on a diet of rotifers then baby brine shrimp.

Compatibility: Damsels, Dartfish, Dragonets, Filefish, Foxface, Gobies, Grunts, Jawfish, Hawkfish, Parrotfish, Pseudochromis, Puffers, Squirrelsfish, Tangs, Wrasse, Live Corals, Live Rocks and Invertebrates.

Avoid these tankmates: Groupers, Lionfish.

Clownfish Care:

Clownfish and Damselfish are the only species of fish which can avoid the stings of an anemone, which can be quite potent. The exact mechanism by which this is accomplished is the subject of debate

Clownfish in an aquarium environment can exist very well without an anemone (this may be advisable as most anemones are extremely difficult to keep alive even for experienced aquarists).

Clownfish Related Articles:

Breeding Clownfish: Breeding clowns is a very rewarding experience, and it's not nearly as hard as you might think. Obviously the first thing you need is a mated pair. There are several options to getting these. 

Sea Anemone: The long tentacles are equipped with stinging cells that paralyze prey. Anemones required excellent water conditions, moderate to strong current and intense lighting. A minimum light intensity of 10,000 lux is indispensable for them to survive and grow.

Coral Reef: Although corals are often mistaken for rocks or plants, they are actually composed of tiny, fragile animals called polyps. A polyp is a spineless animal. Polyps can be the size of a pinhead while others are larger, sometimes a foot in diameter. One coral branch is covered by thousands of these animals.

Maroon Clownfish. Do not move the Maroon Clownfish with a net as its cheekspines will become entangled. Use a specimen container if capture is necessary.