Amphiprion ocellaris is perhaps the world's most famous marine aquarium fish. Many know it simply as "Nemo," but thanks to captive breeding, the classic orange-and-white wild type is now just one of many different ocellaris color morphs.
The wild type has a bright orange base color and three white crossbands, usually edged with a thin black line. The species closely resembles the Amphiprion percula clownfish, and these two species are still often confused with one another.
The Amphiprion ocellaris clownfish sold at Korallifarmi are always captive-bred, not wild-caught. Ocellaris was also one of the first marine aquarium fish to be successfully bred on a large commercial scale. A long history of captive breeding has also enabled a wide variety of color and pattern morphs.
Pairing and behavior
Ocellaris should be kept singly or, preferably, as a pair. Clownfish are protandrous hermaphrodites: the larger, dominant fish in a pair is the female and the smaller 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 become a male.
Ocellaris is one of the more peaceful clownfish, but it is not always completely docile. 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 does not. Captive-bred ocellaris thrive perfectly well without a sea anemone.
In the wild, A. ocellaris lives in symbiosis with sea anemones. Its natural hosts are Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla gigantea, and Stichodactyla mertensii.
In an aquarium, the situation can be significantly more flexible. Captive-bred clownfish may take a host such as a bubble-tip anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor), even though it is not one of the ocellaris's natural host species. Sometimes an LPS coral, a soft coral, a corallimorph, or even a specific crevice in the rock or corner of the aquarium will suffice as a host.
If an ocellaris chooses a coral as its host, constant rubbing and dwelling in the coral can sometimes irritate it.
Feeding
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-settled, sexually mature pair can also begin to spawn 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 clutch: he guards the eggs and ensures water circulation over them with his fins. Depending on the temperature, the eggs hatch after about a week.
However, spawning does not mean that baby Nemos will appear in the aquarium by themselves. Newly hatched larvae are extremely small planktonic fry. In a typical reef tank, they easily end up as food for other animals or are drawn into the filtration.
Raising the fry requires a separate rearing tank and suitable live starter food, usually rotifers. Later, the diet can be transitioned to foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp. Therefore, actual breeding is an entirely different matter than simply having a pair spawn successfully.
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: generally peaceful, but can defend its 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 constantly dwelling in it.
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 species, Amphiprion ocellaris. Intensive selective breeding has produced very different colorations and patterns, and new lines are still being developed. The names of the color morphs can also be breeder-specific.
Examples of 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, the species is also bred in lines such as Longfin.
