Clownfish Facts
Clownfish Facts
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| Interesting Clownfish Facts: |
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| Clownfish are small in size. They can reach between 2 and 5 inches in length. |
| Clownfish can be easily recognized because of the beautifully colored bodies. Clownfish are covered with white stripes that are combined with orange, red, yellow, blue or black basic color of the body. |
| Clownfish are also known as "anemonefish" because they live in community with sea anemones. |
| Relationship between clownfish and anemone is called symbiosis, which means that both species have benefits from mutual life. Clownfish eat anemone's leftovers (pieces of fish, for example) and use venomous tentacles to protect itself from various predators. Anemone uses clownfish for the removal of dead tentacles and to increase circulation of water (fast movement of fins increases aeration of water and amount of available food). |
| Clownfish is immune to the venom of anemone because it has thick layer of mucus on the surface of the body. |
| Percula clownfish is a type of clownfish which introduces itself to the anemone by performing a dance. |
| Besides dead tentacles and anemone's leftovers, clownfish eats various algae and plankton. |
| Even though anemone provides protection against predators, clownfish is often preyed by large fish, eels and sharks. |
| Clownfish lives in small family groups composed of mating couple and their offspring. |
| Clownfish is territorial animal that will fiercely defend its home (anemone) against other clownfish. |
| Clownfish are aggressive by nature. They will attack divers if they try to approach the anemones. |
| Interesting fact about clownfish is that all eggs hatch as males. When the female in the group dies, dominant male undergoes sex change and turns into female. |
| Females lay few hundred or thousand eggs (depending on the species) during the full moon. Eggs are placed on the underwater rocks. Male takes care of them until they hatch. Incubation lasts between 6 to 10 days and ends with huge number of young clownfish that appear usually 2 hours after dusk. |
| Almost all fertilized eggs of clownfish will hatch and reach adulthood. Because of that, number of clownfish is high and their population is stable. |
| Clownfish are often kept as pets but they can survive only 3 to 5 years in the aquariums. Clownfish live much longer in the wild (up to 10 years). |
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