A home that stings
It lives in a sea anemone whose stings would kill other fish. A coat of slime protects the clownfish.
Coral reef
Clown anemonefish
Amphiprion ocellaris
A small, bright orange fish with three white bands edged in black. It lives among the tentacles of a sea anemone.
- Size
- About 8cm long
- Look for it
- All year round
- Where
- Coral reefs of the Indian and western Pacific oceans
Wiggles after you with quick flicks. Move your pointer and see.
When to look
Clownfish
Good to know
Six things about the clownfish
A fair deal
The anemone gives shelter. In return, the fish chases off its enemies and feeds it scraps.
Boys can become girls
All clownfish are born male. When the female of a group dies, the biggest male turns into a female.
The female is in charge
The largest fish in each anemone is the female, and she is the boss.
Dad guards the eggs
The male fans the eggs with his fins and guards them until they hatch.
Never far from home
A clownfish rarely strays more than a few metres from its anemone in its whole life.
The real thing
Photos of the clownfish
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Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
How to spot one
Look for a big anemone on a shallow reef. The clownfish will be weaving in and out of its tentacles, and may dart out to see you off.
How to help
Wild clownfish were over-collected for aquariums after a famous film. If you keep fish, buy ones bred in tanks, not taken from reefs.
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