Amphiprion Ocellaris (Nemo)

The Clownfish is probably the most popular saltwater fish species today and one of the reasons that many people want to get into the saltwater hobby. The Disney movie Finding Nemo probably has a lot to do with the incredible popularity of this fish. Clownfish have a somewhat unique way of swimming. They don't swim like other fish, they waddle and it kind of reminds you of a happy dog when it comes up to greet you. The orange, white and black coloration on the Ocellaris is strikingly beautiful. The Ocellaris Clown is often confused with the True Percula Clownfish because the two species look very similar. The Ocellaris has very thin black bands around the white stripes whereas the True Percula has much wider black bands on the white stripes. They will take almost every type of marine food available and can be very easy to keep.

Many believe that you can't keep a clown fish without their host anemone. This is not true. You can keep them without their host anemone and many have reported success with breeding them even without having their host anemone present. Because many breeders are having success breeding them, tank raised clowns are readily available. In fact, you are generally much better off buying a tank raised clown than a wild one because the tank raised fish tend to have better survival rates and should acclimate more quickly. Tank raised clowns usually cost slightly more than the wild ones but if they adapt better and live longer, it's worth it.

The host anemones that are found in their natural environment of the clownfish can be difficult to care for in captivity and are not recommended for the saltwater novice. Very high output aquarium lighting such as metal halides is often required.