Amphiprion ocellaris is perhaps the most famous saltwater aquarium fish in the world. Many know it simply as "Nemo," but thanks to aquarium breeding, the classic orange-and-white natural form is today just one of numerous different Ocellaris color morphs.
The natural form has a bright orange base color and three white vertical stripes, usually edged by a thin black border. The species strongly resembles the clownfish Amphiprion percula, and these two species are still often confused with each other.
The Amphiprion ocellaris clownfish sold at Korallifarmi are always captive-bred, not wild-caught. The Ocellaris was also one of the first saltwater aquarium fish to be successfully bred on a large commercial scale. A long history of breeding has also enabled a large number of different color and pattern variations.
Pairing and behavior
Ocellaris should be kept singly or, preferably, in pairs. Clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites: the larger and dominant fish of a pair is the female and the smaller one is the male. If the female disappears, the male can change sex and develop into a female. The sex change only works in this direction; a female cannot turn back into a male.
The Ocellaris is among the more peaceful clownfish, but it is not always entirely gentle. A pair will usually choose their own territory in the aquarium and may defend it against other fish, especially when sexually mature and during spawning. In a small aquarium, keeping more than one pair of Ocellaris can lead to the established pair harassing other individuals.
Does Nemo need a sea anemone?
No, it doesn't. A captive-bred Ocellaris thrives perfectly well without a sea anemone.
In the wild, A. ocellaris lives in symbiosis with sea anemones. Its natural hosts include Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla gigantea, and Stichodactyla mertensii.
In an aquarium, the situation can be significantly more flexible. Captive-bred clownfish may take as their host, for example, a Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor), even though it is not among the natural host species of the Ocellaris. Sometimes an LPS coral, soft coral, corallimorph, or even a specific crevice in the rock or a corner of the aquarium will suffice as a host.
If an Ocellaris chooses a coral as its host, constant rubbing and dwelling within the coral can sometimes irritate it.
Feeding
The Ocellaris is omnivorous and usually very easy to feed. Captive-bred individuals are already accustomed to standard aquarium foods.
It is recommended to combine high-quality marine fish pellets or granules with various frozen foods, such as mysis and brine shrimp. Foods containing algae are also suitable as part of a varied diet.
Spawning in the aquarium
A well-acclimated, sexually mature pair can also begin spawning in a standard reef tank. The female usually lays eggs on a cleaned hard surface near their territory or host. The male plays a major role in caring for the spawn: it guards the eggs and provides water circulation for them with its fins. Depending on the temperature, the eggs hatch in about a week.
Spawning, however, does not mean that small Nemos will suddenly appear in the aquarium. Newly hatched larvae are extremely tiny planktonic fry. In a standard reef tank, they easily end up as food for other animals or get trapped in the filtration.
Rearing the fry requires a separate rearing tank as well as suitable live starter food, usually rotifers. Later, the diet can be switched to, for example, newly hatched brine shrimp. Therefore, actual breeding is an entirely different matter than a pair successfully spawning.
Care instructions
Minimum aquarium size: approx. 75 liters for one or a pair
Temperature: approx. 24–27 °C
Salinity: approx. 34–35 ppt
Diet: omnivorous; high-quality dry foods and varied frozen foods
Behavior: usually peaceful, but may defend its own territory, especially as a pair and during spawning
Maximum size: approx. 11 cm
Reef safe: yes. Does not eat corals or common reef invertebrates, but a coral chosen as a host can sometimes become irritated by the fish's constant presence.
Difficulty level: easy
Natural distribution: Indo-West Pacific
Individuals sold at Korallifarmi: always captive-bred
Color morphs
All the different-looking "designer" Ocellaris are still the same Amphiprion ocellaris species. Advanced selective breeding has produced very different colorations and patterns, and new lines are still being developed. The names of color morphs can also be breeder-specific.
Examples of well-known color morphs include Ocellaris, Misbar, Extreme Misbar, Black Ocellaris, Misbar Black Ocellaris, Extreme Misbar Black Ocellaris, Caramel, Snowflake, Premium Snowflake, Black Snowflake, Premium Black Snowflake, Black Ice Snowflake, Gladiator, Premium Gladiator, Mocha Gladiator, Wyoming White, Naked Ocellaris, Midnight, Domino, Frostbite, Black Frostbite, Black Storm, Snow Storm, and Zombie. In addition, Longfin lines of the species are also being bred.
