by Cathy Linton

Created on: May 25, 2007

Clown Fish are small tropical fish that, in the wild, live among anemone's poisonous tentacles. This symbiotic relationship between the Anemone and the Clown Fish is one of the most curious in nature. Clown Fish are protected from predators, who know not to go near the anemone's tentacles. A Clown Fish will wait until its host anemone paralyzes and eats a fish, then eats the remains which the Anemone doesn't eat. In return the Clown Fish keeps the Anemone clean and free of debris.

The movie Finding Nemo has increased the public interest in keeping tropical fish and Clown Fish in particular, and more Clown Fish facts have thus come into the open. An unusual but fascinating ability of the Clown Fish is its ability to switch sex. All Clown Fish are males at birth.

Clown Fish & Anemones

It seems like just about everyone in the world has seen the film Finding Nemo, and suddenly decided that they want an aquarium with Clown Fish and an Anemone. This is really a shame because to many people the Clown Fish is the first priority, while the host Anemone is just some pretty thing for them to live in.

Anemones are very hard to care for. Only 5 percent of hobbyists with 2-5 years of experience have been able to keep Anemones alive for more than two years, and only 1 out of 32 Anemones lived for more than 5 years. This is a tragedy, because in the wild, Anemones can live for hundreds of years. If we continue to take Anemones from the wild, some Clown Fish may go extinct. However, a Clown Fish in an aquarium environment can exist very well without an anemone as without predators and with an available source of food the Clown Fish does not require the relationship.

Keeping Clown Fish

Rearing Clown Fish in aquariums has met with spectacular success. It is recommended to keep only one Clown Fish or a mated pair per tank as Clown Fish are fiercely territorial. You are advised to purchase captive-born Clown Fish wherever possible. Clown Fish are omnivorous and will eat Tropical Fish Food flakes or meat.

Do not let a anyone convince you that Clown Fish need an Anemone in an aquarium. The Anemone is required in nature because reef life is dangerous for small, brightly colored fish with poor swimming abilities; in an aquarium lacking predators it is not needed. These anemones are fundamentally unsuited to aquariums. Despite all the evidence of anemones dying in aquariums, they are still offered for sale by some fish stores.

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