Clown Fish

Clown fish are also commonly known as anemonefish due to where they live in the wild, and are an extremely beautiful and sought-after fish for many home aquariums. However, what most people don't know is that there is more to them than meets the eye. Before you think about getting one of these gorgeous beauties for your new aquarium, make sure that you know what may be required of you first.

• Environment. One of the most important things to remember about clown fish is that they live in very warm waters. Frankly, they are a tropical fish that can usually be found in areas like the Great Barrier Reef, the Red Sea, and warmer areas of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The fish that you find in these areas will also be found in the shallower waters that are protected by reefs, or are lagoons. If you are going have some in an aquarium make sure that you mimic this as much as possible.
• Diet. Clown fish are fairly omnivorous and will usually eat just about everything that they can. Some examples of these items when the fish are in the wild are things like algae, plankton, mollusks, and small crustaceans. However, since it can be rather expensive to duplicate in a closed environment, you can substitute things like fish flakes or pellets instead.
• Reproduction. These beautiful fish have a rather unique method of reproduction that you should be aware of when purchasing them for your aquarium. The thing is, clown fish are hermaphrodites. This means that they are both genders, and can thus reproduce quite easily when there are two of them in the tank. If you find yourself with two male fish when you first purchase them, one of them will shortly turn female and allow them to reproduce. Unless you want to find yourself with quite a few more clown fish than you would like, only purchase one at a time for your aquarium.
• Symbiotic relationship. Clown fish are called anemonefish for a reason, and that is they live in a symbiotic relationship with the anemone, and actually live within one. An example of this is clearly seen in the movie Finding Nemo. While it may not be strictly required for clown fish in an aquarium, if you do purchase one it will definitely make the place much more enjoyable for the clown fish.