Species
Orange Clownfish
Amphiprion perculaAlso known as Percula Clownfish, Clown Anemonefish, Blackfinned Clownfish
Orange clownfish live in strict, female-dominated hierarchies within the stinging tentacles of host sea anemones. They protect themselves from the anemone's sting using a specialized mucus coat, in turn defending their host from predators and sharing food scraps. If the dominant female dies, the largest male changes sex to take her place.
MarineTropicalSymbiotic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyCopepods, Tunicates, Algae
Predators
- Groupers
- Snappers
- Moray eels
ThreatsCoral bleaching, habitat destruction, overcollection for aquarium trade
HabitatsCoral reefs, shallow lagoons
Life span6 to 10 years in the wild, up to 30 years in captivity
Classification
- FamilyPomacentridae
- SpeciesAmphiprion percula
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Identified by its bright orange body, three white vertical bands outlined in thick black, and a distinctive wobbly swimming style.
- Support conservation
- Observe them without disturbing the reef, and ensure any aquarium specimens are certified captive-bred rather than wild-caught.
Responsible observation
- Observe quietly: Watch their bobbing swimming motion from a respectful distance to avoid scaring them into their host anemone.
- Look for the host: Scan large sea anemones on shallow reefs to spot these fish darting among the tentacles.
- Avoid touching: Never touch the fish or its host anemone, as human skin can disrupt their protective mucus coating.
Host Symbiont Nhobgood Nick Hobgood / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Host Symbiont (c) Samuel Lee, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative "Ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)" by krokodiver is licensed under CC BY 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/. · cc-by
Close Relative Diego Delso / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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