Due to their colorful appearance and playful behavior, clownfish are one of the most well known marine species. However, there is much more to these fish than first meets the eye, including their fascinating symbiotic relationships.
When people think of these little fish, an image of an orange fish with black and white stripes usually comes to mind. However, there are dozens of species of these fish, and each has a slightly different appearance. The most common body colors are orange or yellow, but pink, grey, red or black can also occur. Many fish have one or more stripes, in any of these colors, while other fish have splotches of color.
One of the most incredible facts about these fish is that they spend most of their lives in close proximity to a certain sea anemone. They are some of the few species that are not affected by the sea anemones’ poison. Instead, the anemones and the fish have a mutually beneficial relationship. The anemone provides safety for the fish. The fish also eats the dead tentacles of the anemone. In return, the fish defends the anemone, helps to aerate the water around it, and also provides nutrients in its waste.
Clownfish like to live in warm water, and are found in the southern Pacific and Indian Oceans in shallow reef areas. Some species have wide ranges, while other species are specific to a certain area, such as the two-banded anemone fish, which lives only in the Red Sea.
These fish have a diet that mainly consists of small matter such as algae and zooplankton. The fish pluck these bits of food from the water as they pass by. In addition, these fish sometimes eat the unfinished meals of their host anemones.
Groups of fish living in an anemone form a hierarchy that consists of one female, one dominant male and several juvenile males. The dominant male is the only male to breed, and is also in charge of taking care of any eggs. All clownfish hatch as males, and the dominant male changes gender if the female dies.
