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Animal profile · Fish · Ray-finned fish
Ocellaris clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
This small, bright fish lives among the tentacles of sea anemones. The fish gets a guarded home, while its swimming and leftovers can help its host.
✓ This really is a fishWater
Saltwater
Shallow tropical lagoons and coral reefs, almost always close to a host sea anemone.
Temperature
24–28°C · 75–82°F
A typical warm tropical-reef range; local reefs change with depth and season.
Size
Usually 8–11 cm (3–4.3 in)
About as long as a crayon
Lifespan
Often estimated at 6–10 years in the wild
Life expectancy varies with place, conditions, and what scientists have been able to observe.
01 · Signature adaptation
What does it do?
Clownfish live in small groups with a strict size ranking. They stay close to one anemone, darting into its tentacles when danger approaches.
02 · Home coordinates
Where does it live?
Warm coastal waters from the Andaman Sea through Southeast Asia to northern Australia and the western Pacific.
Regions: Eastern Indian Ocean · Western Pacific
03 · The menu
What does it eat?
It picks tiny animals and algae from the water and around its anemone home.
Omnivore: zooplankton, algae, tiny crustaceans, food scraps.
04 · Remember this
Two wow facts
Anemone teammate
The clownfish and its anemone both benefit: one gains shelter, and the other gains water movement, nutrients, and sometimes protection.
Sources [1] [2]
A family can change
The largest fish in a group is the breeding female. If she disappears, the breeding male can change sex and become female.
Sources [2]