Reef Fish
Clownfish & Anemonefish
Amphiprioninae · Bony fish — subfamily Amphiprioninae, family Pomacentridae (damselfishes); family-level overview covering roughly 30 anemonefish species
The partnership defines the fish. An anemonefish spends its adult life inside the stinging tentacles of a host anemone, protected by a mucus coat that keeps the nematocysts from firing, and it rarely strays more than a few meters from home. Each anemone houses a strict hierarchy: one large female, one breeding male, and a queue of small non-breeders. Remove the female and the male changes sex to replace her, because every clownfish begins life male. Around thirty species divide the Indo-Pacific, from the two-banded anemonefish on Red Sea reef tops to the false clown of the Coral Triangle and the tomato and skunk anemonefishes farther east. Expect bold defense passes, egg-fanning beside the anemone base, and the occasional harmless nip at a lingering finger. None live in the Caribbean.
Où et quand en observer un
« Résident » signifie que la plupart des plongées sur ce site permettent de les observer ; « saisonnier » signifie qu'ils sont présents de manière fiable durant les mois indiqués ; tout le reste est un bonus, pas une certitude.
| Destination | Fiabilité | Mois | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bali & Nusa PenidaIndonesia | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Sipadan & MabulMalaysia | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Cairns & the Ribbon ReefsAustralia | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Sharm El Sheikh & Ras MohammedEgypt | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| North & South Malé AtollsMaldives | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année | |
| Raja AmpatIndonesia | Resident — seen on most dives | Toute l'année |
Meilleur mois, en un coup d'œil
Les comprendre
Habitat: Shallow, sunlit reef flats, lagoon patches, and upper slopes wherever one of about ten host anemone species grows.
Aire de répartition: Tropical Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, from East Africa to French Polynesia; absent from the Atlantic and Caribbean.
Comportement: Strict size-ranked hierarchies on a single anemone; all individuals begin life male, and the dominant male changes sex when the female is lost. Pairs tend and fan eggs laid at the anemone base.
Régime alimentaire: Zooplankton and algae taken within a few meters of the host anemone, plus scraps from the anemone itself.
Taille: généralement autour de 0.09 m; documenté jusqu'à 0.17 m (total length; varies by species, and females are the larger sex in every one).
Comment se comporter avec lui
Watch from a meter away and keep hands clear. Never nudge a fish out of its anemone for a photo — exposed clownfish are easy prey and the anemone stings.
Conservation
Most assessed species are not threatened, but anemone bleaching and aquarium-trade collection have thinned local populations; captive breeding now supplies much of the trade.
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