Monday, March 2, 2009

Indonesia's psychedelic fish named a new species

A funky, psychedelic fish that bounces on the ocean floor like a rubber ball has been classified as a new species, a scientific journal reported. The frogfish - which has a swirl of tan and peach zebra stripes that extend from its aqua eyes to its tail - was initially discovered by scuba diving instructors working for a tour operator a year ago in shallow waters off Ambon island in eastern Indonesia.
The operator contacted Ted Pietsch, lead author of a paper published in this month's edition of Copeia, the journal of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, who submitted DNA work identifying it as a new species.
The fish - which the University of Washington professor has named "psychedelica" - is a member of the antennariid genus, Histiophryne, and like other frogfish, has fins on both sides of its body that have evolved to be leg-like.
But it has several behavioral traits not previously known to the others, Pietsch wrote.
Each time the fish strike the seabed, for instance, they push off with their fins and expel water from tiny gill openings to jet themselves forward. That, and an off-centered tail, causes them to bounce around in a bizarre, chaotic manner.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Jellyfish

The transparency of the jellyfish teaches the inner source within each of us. We have an enormous amount of power within us to draw upon. We can turn on the light even in the depths of darkness through the wisdom the jellyfish. It often shows up just when you believe there is no hope left.

The jellyfish sting symbolizes that even the most vulnerable has the ability to shield and protect itself from outside influences. The jellyfish is an electrifying totem. It offers a spark to energize and illuminate. Powerful!

source:http://healing.about.com

Transparent fish


The icefishes (or white-blooded fishes) are a family (Channichthyidae) of perciform fish found in the cold waters around Antarctica and southern South America.

Their blood is transparent because they have no hemoglobin and/or only defunct erythrocytes. Their metabolism relies only on the oxygen dissolved in the liquid blood, which is believed to be absorbed directly through the skin from the water. This works because water can dissolve the most oxygen when it is coldest. In five species, the gene for myoglobin in the muscles has also vanished, leaving them with white instead of pink hearts.


source:http://en.wikipedia.org

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

Amphiprion nigripes - Maldive anemonefish


Amphiprion nigripes, also known as the Blackfinned anemonefish or Maldives anemonefish, is a clownfish of the genus Amphiprion.

Description

This clownfish is characterized by its rusty, orange color with a single white stripe running vertically just behind the eye. It can attain a maximum length of 4.3in. (11 cm).

Habitat

The Blackfinned Anemonefish is found in the Western Indian Ocean among the coral reefs of the Maldive Islands and Sri Lanka. It is often associated with the magnificant sea anemone, and typically lives in small groups.

Amphiprion tricinctus - Three-band anemonefish

The three-band anemonefish, Amphiprion tricinctus, is a type of clownfish found near the Marshall Islands and in the western part of the Pacific Ocean. They can be found in lagoons around 3 to 40 m deep. They can grow to be about 5 inches long and can be found in anemone such as the bubble-tip anemone, Entacmaea quadricolor.

In the aquarium

Like many other clownfish, three-band anemonefish can be aggressive as they grow. For an aquarium, a minimum of 20-gallons is recommended.

Amphiprion ephippium-Red saddleback anemonefish



The red saddleback anemonefish, Amphiprion ephippium, also known as the saddle anemonefish, is a clownfish that lives in the Indo-Pacific area. They are considered small even for a clownfish, but are very aggressive toward other animals, especially to other types of clownfish.

They can grow up to be an average maximum of 5 inches. The minimum aquarium tank capacity is 30 gallons, and they should be fed chopped shrimp and frozen herbivore preparations.

Found in the genus Amphiprion, they are most closely related to organisms in the genus Abudefduf, within the family Pomacentridae. Within the sub-order Labroidae, identified by their possession of a specialized Pharyngeal Jaw apparatus, they are more closely related to families Embiotocidae and Cichlidae than Labridae.

Example of an analogous structure:

The Pharyngeal Jaw is found in generalized percomorph fish. The upper and lower "pharyngeal jaw" are found within the throat of the fish, and transport food into the oesophagus, while the oral jaws collect and crush the food. the families of Pomacentridae, Embiotocidae, Cichlidae and Labridae, however, possess a modified form of the pharyngeal jaw, know as the Pharyngeal Jaw Apparatus (PJA), that took on the task of crushing the food from the oral jaws, allowing them to diversify into different food collecting modes. This resulted in the four families to be placed together in the sub-order Labroidei, due to the uniqueness of the structure. However, due to recent comparisons of 78 whole mitochondrial genome sequences from a variety of perciforms and other species with similar characteristics, (the group known as Percomorpha), it was found that organisms in the family Labridae did not share a common ancestor that possessed the PJA with the other three families, including Pomacentridae. The PJA, therefore, must have evolved twice independently in the history of Percomorpha. Since the PJA performs similar functions and has a similar structure in family Labridae and Pomacentridae (and, by extension, organisms in family Pomacentridae, i.e. Red Saddleback Anemonefish) this is a prime example of an analogous structure.

Example of a homologous structure:

It is commonly thought by biologists that the similarities between the underlying structure of bird wings and fish fins are homologous. The internal structure of bird wings and fish fins are very similar, though these appendages are used for different purposes. The red Saddleback Anemonefish's pectoral fins are stretches of webbing between long spines, which attach to pectoral muscles and are used to stop and control the fish's movement well when swimming. The spines are like the central lines of a feather, for example, like those found in the wing of a field sparrow, Spizella pusilla.
wikipedia

Amphiprion frenatus - Tomato clownfish



Tomato clownfish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



The tomato clownfish, Amphiprion frenatus, is a clownfish that is found in the waters of the Western Pacific, from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, to Malaysia and Indonesia. It is also known as the bridled clownfish, red clownfish, or tomato anemonefish.


The adult fish is bright orange-red, with one white vertical stripe just behind the eyes, joined over the head. Some varieties have darker coloration or dark spots on their flanks. Juveniles are a darker red, with three vertical white bands and black pectoral fins.

They can grow to 14 cm (5.5 in) in length, however the female is usually larger than the male. The eggs are deposited on a flat surface and tended by the pair until they hatch (6 to 11 days). They prefer to nestle in purple anemones such as the bubble-tip anemone, Entacmaea quadricolor, or the Sebae anemone, Heteractis crispa.

In the aquarium

As a pet, an aquarium of at least 25 gallons is necessary, however, larger is recommended for this fish to have ample room for maneuvering. A quarantine tank is suggested prior to introduction into the main tank as it helps to rid the Tomato Clownfish of saltwater-borne diseases. This species of fish thrives well even without a host anemone, and will eat most meat or vegetable food preparations. It has been reported to be aggressive and territorial when mature, and specimens have been known to be extremely aggressive even towards clownfish of other species. For this reason, it is best kept singly or in mated pairs; but some claim that it will cohabit with other clownfish varieties if they are introduced at the same time[citation needed]. The Tomato Clownfish is easy to breed; the fry can be fed on baby brine shrimp and rotifers.

Amphiprion chrysopterus - Orange-fin anemonefish


The orange-fin anemonefish or orange-fin clownfish, Amphiprion chrysopterus, is a clownfish, found in the Western Pacific north of the Great Barrier Reef from the surface to 20 m. It can grow to 16 cm in length.

It feeds on mainly zooplankton and algae.

it changes colors.The tail fins can go from orange to yellow. The main belly can go from brown to black. The stripes can go from blue to white. And the tail fin is always white.
wikipedia

Amphiprion rubacinctus - Australian clownfish


Australian clownfish

The Australian clownfish (Amphiprion rubrocinctus), also known as the Red Anemonefish, is a type of clown fish found in tropical seas of Australia

Premnas biaculeatus - Maroon clownfish




White Stripe Maroon Clown Fish - Premnas biaculeatus: The Maroon Clownfish, also known as the Spine-Cheeked Anemonefish or Maroon Anemonefish, has a bold, red body color with a broad white stripe on the forehead, and white stripes on its midsection and in front of the anal fin. The Yellowstripe Maroon Clownfish is similar to the Maroon Clownfish except it has yellow stripes on the forehead, midsection, and tail, instead of white. They are strikingly beautiful, with the trademark spine on their cheeks. As juveniles, the Yellowstripe Maroon Clowns will have white stripes that will gradually turn yellow as they mature.

All the other 26 known Clownfish species belong to the genus Amphiprion, but the Maroon Clownfish belongs to the genus Premnas. Both Amphiprion and Premnas are included in the family Pomacentridae, a family that also includes the Damselfish species.

A 30 gallon or larger aquarium is desirable for the Maroon Clownfish as is a host anemone such as the Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor). It is aggressive towards other clownfish.

Tank raised clownfish are very hardy and durable fish making them a perfect addition for the novice or seasoned aquarist. If introduced to the aquarium at the same time, many varieties of tank raised clowns can be maintained together in the aquarium.

Do not move the Maroon Clownfish with a net as its cheekspines will become entangled. Use a specimen container if capture is necessary.

The Maroon Clownfish likes frozen shrimp and herbivore preparations. Because of its spines, this clownfish should not be caught using a net in case the spines get entangled. The stripes across the body are normally white, but can also be golden. The female is usually larger than the male, and the male is usually a deeper color red, although this is not true for every set of maroon clowns.

The Maroon Clownfish is a popular aquarium species and it is not very difficult to keep if you known how to keep a basic saltwater aquarium. It is a very beautiful fish and will look stunning in any aquarium set up. The entire body is maroon red and decorated with three very distinct white stripes; one on the forehead, one on the midsection and one just in front of the anal fin.

The Maroon Clownfish can be aggressive, especially towards other Clownfish regardless of species. Housing it with other Clownfish is therefore unadvisable unless you have a very large and well decorated aquarium. A male and a female can however do well together if they are compatible. The Maroon Clownfish will usually only display severe aggressive behavior toward non-clownfish species if a fish tries to venture into the territory claimed by the Maroon Clownfish. Since the Maroon Clownfish is a predator, it should naturally not be kept with fish that is small enough to be considered pray.

Social Behaviors: The Maroon Clownfish is generally easy to keep.

Habitat: The Maroon Clownfish, is a type of clownfish that are found in the eastern Indian Ocean, from Malaysia to Queensland.

Maximum Size: They can grow up to be about 16 centimeters (6. 3 inches), and as they grow, they get more aggressive to other clownfish. They are also known as the Spine-Cheeked Clownfish, or the Maroon Anemonefish.

Minimum Tank Size: They are suggested to have a 30-gallon tank. It normally likes to have a host anemone such as the Bubble Tip Anemone.

Feeding and Diet: The Maroon Clownfish diet consists of meaty items such as frozen shrimp and herbivore preparations. They feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

source:http://www.freshmarine.com

Amphiprion bicinctus-Red Sea clownfish


Red Sea clownfish

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Red Sea (or two-banded) clownfish (or anemonefish') (Amphiprion bicinctus, meaning "both sawlike with two stripes") is a clownfish of the family Pomacentridae.

Description

Length up to 14 cm, background colour yellow-orange with two black-edged white bands.

Distribution

Western Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the Chagos archipelago.

Habitat

Monogamous pairs inhabit host anemones, usually on coral reefs. Host species include Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractis aurora, Heteractis crispa, Heteractis magnifica, and Stichodactyla gigantea.

Amphiprion polymnus - Saddleback clownfish


 Saddleback clownfish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Image of an anemonefish. Identified as Amphiprion polymnas. Taken at Tasik Ria House reef, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.  

The saddleback clownfish, Amphiprion polymnas, also known as the saddleback anemonefish is a member of the family Pomacentridae.

Appearance
Saddleback clownfish come in a number of melanistic varieties. Color can range from black to dark brown to orange with two or three thick white bars. One is located just behind its eyes. The other is found in the middle of the fish's body and in some varieties there is a third bar on the caudal peduncle (pictured in taxobox). Can reach a maximum length of 12 cm.

Habitat
The saddleback clownfish can be found in the eastern Indian and Pacific oceans. It lives in anemones and rocky areas. When kept in a tank, the species requires rocky hiding places and at least 30 gallons of salt water.

Diet
This fish is an omnivore. It eats algae as well as small crustaceans. If it is kept as a pet, it should be fed three times per day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddleback_clownfish

Amphiprion sebae - Sebae clownfish


The True Sebae clownfish is a beautiful and hardy fish recommended for beginners. Aggressive only towards its own species it won’t harm smaller fish. Keep only 1 individual per aquarium. The A. True Sebae is easily confused with the Clarkii clownfish; it is so difficult to differentiate them that some specialists are beginning to consider that they may be in fact the same species.

True Sebae clownfish can be kept safe with invertebrates. They will eat almost anything it is fed, but the diet should include meaty food items such as chopped shrimp and herbivore preparations. A high quality marine flake food, rich in spirulina algae, as well as freeze dried and frozen foods are readily accepted. They will also graze on any algae in the aquarium.

The True Sebae clownfish does not need an Anemone to survive, but will accept many different Anemones as its host, including corals. It is probably the least picky when it comes to Anemones and will accept Carpet Anemones, Bubble Tip Anemones, Sebae Anemone, or Long Tentacle Anemones as its host.

If the anemone dies, or there is no anemone, the clownfish will adapt by feeding its rock. It will literally chose a rock in the aquarium as its own, and faithfully drop food on it at every feeding, and even sleep near it at night.

Unlike other fishes clownfish are born with no determined sex, meaning they can change sex. In a group of clownfishes the largest individual will become a female, the second largest clownfish will become a male. If you remove the female from the school the the current male will change to female and the next larger individual will become a male.

A pair will lay eggs along the base of the host anemone, using it to protect the eggs. The eggs normally appear orange in color.

The eggs will normally hatch in 6-11 days depending on the temperature. Is extremely important to remove the fry the first day from the tank. Rear them separately on a diet of rotifers and baby brine shrimp.

Other Names: Sebae Anemonefish.

Family: Pomacentridae | Species: Amphiprion sebae
Tank Conditions: 72-78°F; sg 1.020-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4; dKH 8-12
Size: 6 in (15 cm)
Diet: Omnivorous
Temperament: Semi-aggressive.
source:www.fish-tropical.net

Amphiprion akallopisos - Skunk clownfish


Orange Skunk Clown - Amphiprion akallopisosAlso known as: Pink Anemonefish, Orange Skunk
Maximum Size: the Amphiprion akallopisos grows up to 4 inches.
General Size Specifications: The small size will come to you generally ¾ to 1¼ inches; the medium generally 1¼ to 2½ inches; the large generally 2½ to 4 inches.
Minimum Tank Size: The Orange Skunk Clown prefers a tank of at least 30 gallons with plenty of places to hide & swim.
Diet: The Amphiprion akallopisos is a omnivore and likes to eat variety of foods (meats & veggies).
Level of Care: The Orange Skunk Clown is a medium maintenance fish.
Behavior: The Orange Skunk Clown may act semi-aggressively toward other fish.
Hardiness: This is a hardy fish.
Breeding: Able to breed.
Water Conditions: Keep water quality high (SG 1.020 - 1.025, pH 8.1 - 8.4, Temp. 72 - 78° F).
Range: Indo-Pacific.
General Notes: Coexists with Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla mertensii, or S. gigantea. The Orange Anemonefish is an uncommon find compared to the other Philippine anemonefishes. Most of the time the Orange Anemonefish I found were associated with the anemone Stichodactyla mertensii, characterized by short tentacles and a large surface area. Clownfishes have everything going for them as aquarium specimens. They`re hardy, behaviourally interesting, colorful, do well on all types of foods, & if you start with healthy specimens and meet their habitat requirements, they`re human-responsive and long-lived. Check out our Anemone & Clownfish Symbiotic Chart.

Note: Due to variations among each species, livestock may not look identical to the image provided. Expect diversity since each animal is unique in color, texture and shape.

source:http://www.marinedepotlive.com

Amphiprion perideraion - Pink skunk clownfish


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The pink skunk clownfish or pink anemonefish, Amphiprion perideraion, is a skunk clownfish found in the west Pacific Ocean. It is known to be one of the smaller clownfish. They can be found off the Cocos and Christmas Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean, and the Indo-Australian Archipelago.

Percula Clownfish ( Amphiprion Percula )



The Clownfish is supposed to be on of the cutest fish in the world. It is approximately 6 cm (2.4 inches) long with a weight of only few grams. It has got a typical body shape with a vivid orange-white-black coloration.
It has got a bright orange-brown body with 3 irregular shaped white stripes. The first one is just behind its eyes whereas the last one is situated on the tail fin. It has got tiny black eyes. It is distributed in western and eastern part of the Pacific Ocean. Understandably these bright fishes can be also found in plenty of aquariums all around the world as well. The spawns can be found on clear corals or rocks. Before the birth both parents take care of the laid eggs.
Amphiprion percula has got a very useful and worth symbiosis with the sea anemone. This anemone obtains a huge number of stingy cells. These cells are located on the sea anemone’s tentacles. The cells contain a highly poisonous substance which may cause even death to some fishes. That means that a subtle touch/sting may be lethal for plenty of fishes. Most of the fishes’ skin obtains glutathione, which is the amino-acid in the fish’s skin, and this substance triggers the sea anemone’s cells. Fortunately the clownfish lacks this substance therefore they are immune to its stings. In case of emergency or an attack the clownfish hide inside the sea anemone, which protects them. Other fish which are vulnerable to its stings end up their lives as a sea anemone’s food.
On the other hand the sea anemone has also got a benefit from the clownfish. They eat food debris located on the anemone’s surface. This debris would be otherwise harmful to the sea anemone because of the bacteria. Besides debris the clownfish also feed on sea plankton. 
source:http://www.wildanimalsonline.com/fish/perculaclownfish.php

Amphiprion ocellaris - Ocellaris clownfish


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



The Ocellaris Clownfish, Common Clownfish or False Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is a popular aquarium fish, even more so after it rose to stardom in Finding Nemo. It is very closely related to A. percula, the Orange Clownfish or "True Percula Clownfish", and often lives in association with the sea anemone Heteractis magnifica, using them for shelter and protection. Generally, Ocellaris clownfish are hardier, and slightly less aggressive than its Percula counterpart. Both species are found in coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific, particularly in the Fiji and Tonga regions.

Description

This clown anemonefish can be recognised by its orange colour with three white bars and black markings on the fins. It grows to about eight centimeters (three inches) in length. One can differentiate between Percula (true) and Ocellaris (false) by their respective colors and patterns. Ocellaris are usually less vibrantly colored, and have 11 dorsal fin-spines instead of 10, as on the Percula. Also the species have different eye arrangements, Percula have bright orange irises, making their eyes appear smaller whereas Ocellaris have grey/orange irises which make the species eyes appear bigger. There is a rare melanistic variety hailing from the reefs around Darwin, Australia, that is a dark black colour with the normal white stripes. Although not common in the wild, they are becoming more and more popular in the aquarium hobby. This species feeds on remnants that its home, the sea anemone, does not eat and nibbles on the tentecles of the anemone.

Phylogeny

The species Amphiprion Ocellaris are related to the class Osteichthyes which contains bony fish and ray-finned fish. A. Ocellaris is the most basal species in the genus Amphiprion which is closely related to the genera Premnas. The species most closely related ancestor is Amphiprion Percula, the Orange Clownfish. It is thought that A. Ocellaris specialized after diverging from the Premnas genera, scientific evidence confirms that all clownfish belonging to the genus Amphiprion could withstand the stings of only one type of anemone, after further diverging the 28 different species of clownfish including A. Ocellaris specialized to be able to resist the poisonous stings of many different species of anemone.

Analogous Structures

Clownfish have many structures which are analogous with other species, the distinctive stripes found on the clownfish can be seen in few animals. Lampropeltis triangulum elapsoidesor otherwise known as the Scarlet King Snake has a well-defined pattern of red, black and yellow bands. These two structures both have characterises that are similar in use, the bands of each species help warn off predators if the animal is in danger. These bands also help camouflage both organisms in each of their different environments. The bright orange base striped with white found on the clownfish allows it to be undetected in its surroundings of florescent corals and anemones. The red, black and yellow stripes on the Scarlet King Snake help it slither through pine woodland unnoticed.

Homologous Structures

All fish have a mucus membrane surrounding their scales. The mucus usually contains high amounts of lipids and glycoprotein’s, however the family Pomacentridae (anemone fish) have a special adaptation where the mucus coating the species is a great deal thicker. Also the protective layer lacks a specific substance that triggers nematocysts (the stings of an anemone); this allows the fish immunity against the toxic stings. Little is known about the mucus except it is genetic and passed through the generations of each species, scientists have many theories to why it is effective but none have been proven. In other families of fish, the mucus is used as protection against harmful bacteria, an osmotic regulator and also aids the fish in nest making. The difference in mucus’s has led to the divergent path of anemone fish and other species.

In Popular Culture

Nemo, an Ocellaris Clownfish is the lead character the 2003 Pixar-Disney film, Finding Nemo, and was voiced by Alexander Gould. Other Ocellaris clownfish characters that appear in the movie are Nemo's father, Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) and Nemo's mother, Coral (voiced by Elizabeth Perkins).

Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii)


Clark's anemonefish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clark's Anemonefish or Yellowtail Clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii, family Pomacentridae) with sea anemone.

Clark's anemonefish or the Yellowtail clownfish (Amphiprion clarkii) is a widely distributed clownfish. It is found in tropical waters, in lagoons and on outer reef slopes, from the Persian Gulf to Western Australia and throughout the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean as far as Melanesia and Micronesia, and as far north as Taiwan, southern Japan and the Ryukyu Islands.

Clark's Anemonefish is a spectacularly colourful fish, with vivid black, white and yellow stripes, though the exact pattern shows considerable geographical variation. There are normally two white bands, one behind the eye and one above the anus. The tail fin may be white or yellow, but is always lighter than rest of the body.

Clarke's Anemonefish are a popular aquarium species. They are omnivorous, and in the aquarium will readily eat brine shrimp. They will regularly host in many sea anemones in the home aquarium.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark%27s_anemonefish

Monday, January 5, 2009

Amphiprion melanopus - Cinnamon clownfish


These fish are being successfully bred in captivity and you can sometimes purchased Cinnamon Clownfish in pairs.

Maintenance difficulty:
  The Cinnamon Clownfish is generally easy to keep.

Maintenance:
  Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
  Cinnamon Clownfish are found in Indonesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, southeastern Polynesia, and the Great Barrier Reef - Coral Sea..

Host Anemones:
  Entacmaea quadricolor ~ Bulb tipped or purple base anemone. (Usually)
  Heteractus crispa ~ Leathery sea anemone. (Occasionally)
  Heteractus magnifica ~ Magnificent sea anemone. (Rarely)

Foods:
  All kinds. See maintenance above.

Social Behaviors:
  Like all damselfish, they can be territorial and aggressive, especially as they get older.

Sex: Sexual differences:
  The female is usually much larger than the male.

Light: Recommended light levels:
  No special requirements.

Breeding/Reproduction:
  Cinnamon Clownfish have been bred in captivity. See general breeding techniques on the Breeding Marine Fish page.

Temperature:
  No special requirements.

Length/Diameter of fish:
  Cinnamon Clownfish adults can grow to 12 cm ( 4.7 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
  A minimum 20 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
  No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
  No special requirements.

source:www.animal-world.com

Amphiprion allardi - Allard's clownfish


 Allard's Clownfish are readily available, reasonably priced, and fairly easy to keep. Their host anemones are also generally available. These fish have been bred in captivity and the fry successfully reared. The Allard's Clownfish is a bold striking specimen. It is a great fish for a new aquarist.

  This fish will do well in a either a coral-rich tank or in a fish only tank. Provide some open space for free swimming along with a place to retreat that also gives shelter to juveniles. In the wild they are associated with anemones but they will readily adapt without one, and may even adopt a rock structure or other invertebrate as a substitute host.

  The Allard's Clownfish is also commonly known as the Twobar Anemonefish. These Anemone fish are one of the clown fish species in the Clarkii Complex. They are similar in overall appearance to the Clark's Clownfish Amphiprion clarkii, but lack the distinct white break between the body color and the tail fin that can be seen on the Clark's Clown. They are also just about as robust though they are not always as readily available.
Habitat: Natural geographic location:
  The Allard's Clownfish Amphiprion allardi, also known as the Twobar Anemonefish, was first described by Klausewitz in 1970. They are found on the east coast of Africa between Kenya and Durban. They inhabit outer reefs and lagoons and are usually found at depths between 10 - 82 feet (3 - 25 meters).

Status:
  These fish are not listed on the IUCN Red List.

Description:
  The Allard's Clownfish is very similar to the Clark's Clownfish. As an adult it can range in color from yellow to nearly black with yellow fins, and never showing any black coloring in either the pelvic or anal fins. They have two bold vertical white stripes across the body. The stripes are wide at the top, becoming narrower and pointed at the bottom. Just like in the Clark's Clown, the frontal stripe is broad, but the mid-body stripe differs, it is narrower.
  Another clownfish that is also very similar to the Allard's Clownfish is the Orangefin Anemonefish Amphiprion chrysopterus. This fish is also called the Blue-stripe Clownfish because its white stripes can sometimes have a blue cast to them. If it is lacking the bluish color in its stripes, then it can best be distinguished from the Allard's by the form of its stripes. The Orangefin's stripes are not wide at the very top like the Clark's, but rather widen part way down, and they point forward on the bottom.

Length/Diameter of fish:
  Allard's Clownfish adults can grow to 12 cm ( 4.7 inches)

Maintenance difficulty:
  The Allard's Clownfish is generally easy to keep and can be recommended for beginners. No special care is needed to feed this fish as it will take a variety of foods. It does need some crevices to retreat into, and also lots of open space to swim freely. It can be bred and the fry raised in captivity.
  Amphiprion members are very hardy. They are quite resistant to most infectious diseases and seldom suffer from infections. They can be safely treated with medicine or copper drugs if infected.
  In the wild a cleaner wrasse (Labroides sp.) will help them by taking parasites from their bodies, however these wrasses are extremely difficult to sustain in captivity. Alternative fish such as Neon Gobies (Gobiosoma spp.) can help them by providing this cleaning service in the home aquarium.
  For more information see Fish diseases.

Foods:
  The Allard's Clownfish are omnivores, In the wild the Amphiprion members eat plankton, and will also pick at the dead tentacles of their host anemone. In the aquarium no special food is necessary. This fish will readily accept a wide variety of foods; including live foods, frozen and flake foods, algae, meaty foods, shrimps, and may feed on tablets. Finely chopped meaty foods (like brine shrimp) can be fed regularly. Feed at least twice a day, whatever they will consume in about 3 minutes. It does not generally harm live corals or small inverts, but large adults may attack ornamental shrimps.

Maintenance:
  Clownfish can be kept in either a saltwater aquarium or a mini reef. In the wild they are associated with anemones, but they don't need an anemone host in the aquarium. They will readily adapt to a salt water tank without one. Often they will use a coral or other invertebrate, or even a rock structure, as a substitute.
  In a reef setting you can provide a host anemone to provide a rich naturalistic environment for your clown fish. While other fish avoid the anemones stinging tentacles least they become its food, your clown fish will spend most of its time nestled down in it. Though sea anemones are a striking addition to any reef aquarium, they are more challenging to keep. If you decide to keep an anemone you must make sure its special needs are met.
  The relationship a clown fish and a sea anemone have is known as symbiosis. Clown fish stay with certain anemones in the wild. In these symbiotic relationships, clown fish and sea anemones live together, each benefiting from the others company. Immune to the sting of the anemone's tentacles, the clown fish is protected from predatory fish and gets to snack on the remnants of any meal the anemone has captured. In return the clownfish will defend its host by tenaciously chasing off any intruders. It will also feed the host anemone and clean it, removing pieces of detritus picked up from the substrate.
Host Anemones the Allard's Clownfish is associated with in the wild:

  * Bulb-tipped or Purple Base Anemone Entacmaea quadricolor
  * Beaded Sea Anemone Heteractus aurora
  * Merten's Sea Anemone Stichtodactyla mertensii


  For a saltwater tank a normal water change of 10% biweekly or 20% monthly is necessary. For more information on maintaining a saltwater aquarium see: Saltwater Aquarium Basics: Maintenance. A reef tank will require specialized filtration and lighting equipment. Regular water changes of 15% bi-weekly will help replace the trace elements that the fish and corals use up. Learn more about reef keeping see: Mini Reef Aquarium Basics.

Aquarium Parameters:
  This fish are very active and will swim to the surface to eat once it is accustom to its home. It needs open space for free swimming, but it also needs nooks and crannies to retreat into. It will appreciate a host anemone or an other invertebrate or rock structure to adopt as a substitute host. A saltwater aquarium well decorated with rocks/ corals will providing it with many places for retreat.
Minimum Tank Length/Size:
  A minimum 20 gallon (189 liters), or larger.
Light: Recommended light levels
  It has no special lighting requirements though if kept with a host, the anemone will need strong lighting.
Temperature:
  This species lives in tropical areas and their natural habitat is generally about 80° F (26.7° C). In an aquarium, water temperatures between 70 - 79° F (21 - 26° C) work best.
  Though optimum spawning occurs between 77 - 85° F ( 25 - 28° C), temperatures higher than 82° F (28° C) or below 66° F (19° C) would not be desirable for normal maintenance. Extremes above 90° F (32° C) or below 64° F (18° C) would be beyond their tolerance.
Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
  Water movement is not a significant factor, but it needs at least a slow circulation in the tank to feed.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
  They will spend the majority of their time with a host, but will also swim in all parts of the aquarium.

Social Behaviors:
  The Allard's Clownfish is moderately assertive. This fish will do well in a either a coral-rich tank or in a fish only tank. Like all anemone fish they can be territorial and aggressive, especially as they get older. They can get along together with a variety of fish that are assertive but not so aggressive, providing the aquarium is large enough to provide them with a place of their own to defend.
  Clown fish can be kept together with small or non-aggressive fish species. Larger butterflyfishes, angelfishes, wrasses, and non-aggressive damselfishes of some genera (not those of the same genus) would also be okay. The very territorial fishes such as dottybacks or sea basses that will eat anything should be avoided. You can introduce one or more young specimens of this anemonefish in the same tank if there are host anemones. This clown fish is associated with the anemone species Entacmaea quadricolor, Heteractus aurora, and Stichtodactyla mertensii and they are generally available.

Sex: Sexual differences:
  The female is usually much larger than the male.

Breeding/Reproduction:
  Allard's Clownfish have been bred in captivity. See general breeding techniques in the Breeding Marine Fish page.


source: http://animal-world.com

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Community Living

An anemonefish community is unlikely any land-animal group; none of the fish found in the one anemone are related and therefore, anemonefish do not live in family groups. This type of community is common in reef fish though.

So how do the fish get in the anemone without being related? Its one of those amazing reef occurences; when young anemonefish hatch from their eggs at the base of the anemone (they are called fry), they float away on currents. In the currents they eat and swim. Somehow they have a built in homing device which allows them to swim back to the same area of their birthplace and locate a host anemone that is friendly to their species. Just how they do it, is still a mystery.
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source: http://www.squidoo.com

Group or Species of Clown Fish

Did you know that the 28 species of true clownfish or anemonefish are the subfamily Amphiprioninae of the family Promacentridae. Of the 28 species within the genus Amphiprion exists, one is the genus Premhas. The other pomacentridd are called damselfish.
There are also two species of Dascyllus-D. trimaculatus and D.albisella - that are sometimes observed within host anemones. These are members of the subfamily Chrominae and are not dependent upon an anemone for survival in nature.

SPECIES:

Twenty-seven, including:

  1. Amphiprion allardi - Allard's clownfish

  2. Amphiprion melanopus - Cinnamon clownfish

  3. Amphiprion clarkii - Clark's anemonefish

  4. Amphiprion ocellaris - Ocellaris clownfish

  5. Amphiprion percula - Percula clownfish

  6. Amphiprion perideraion - Pink skunk clownfish

  7. Amphiprion polymnus - Saddleback clownfish

  8. Amphiprion sebae - Sebae clownfish

  9. Amphiprion bicinctus - Red Sea Clownfish

  10. Amphiprion tricinctus - Three-band anemonefish

  11. Amphiprion ephippium - Red saddleback anemonefish

  12. Amphiprion frenatus - Tomato clownfish

  13. Amphiprion chrysopterus - Orange-fin anemonefish

  14. Amphiprion akallopisos - Skunk clownfish

  15. Amphiprion nigripes - Maldive anemonefish

  16. Amphiprion sandaracinos - Orange skunk clownfish

  17. Amphiprion rubacinctus - Australian clownfish

  18. Premnas biaculeatus - Maroon clownfish
source:http://www.squidoo.com

What Do you Know about Clownfish?


Did you know that Clownfish are the only fish that
can live in sea anemone without being stung by the tentacles of the anemone? It's true! The clownfish are actually a big help to the anemone. The clownfish live at the bottom of the sea with the host anemone. The clownfish live in two different types of anemone.

In sheltered inshore reefs it lives in Stichodactyla gigantea and one outer reefs it usually lives in Heteractis magnifica.

The colorful fish clean the anemone by eating the algae and food leftovers on the anemone. Clownfish also help to protect the anemone by chasing away poly-eating fish such as the butterfly fish. In return the anemone protects the clownfish. This is known as symbiotic (or living together) association.

Not all anemones are friendly to the clownfish, of more than 1000 types of anemone found around then world only ten (10) act as hosts for the clownfish. All ten species are found in the Indo-Pacific region.
source:http://www.squidoo.com

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