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.
Waar en wanneer je er een kunt zien
"Resident" betekent dat je ze bij de meeste duiken op die bestemming tegenkomt; "seizoensgebonden" betekent betrouwbaar aanwezig in de vermelde maanden; al het andere is een bonus, geen garantie.
| Bestemming | Betrouwbaarheid | Maanden | Notities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bali & Nusa PenidaIndonesia | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| Sipadan & MabulMalaysia | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| Cairns & the Ribbon ReefsAustralia | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| Sharm El Sheikh & Ras MohammedEgypt | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| North & South Malé AtollsMaldives | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door | |
| Raja AmpatIndonesia | Resident — seen on most dives | Het hele jaar door |
Beste maand, in één oogopslag
Ze begrijpen
Habitat: Shallow, sunlit reef flats, lagoon patches, and upper slopes wherever one of about ten host anemone species grows.
Verspreidingsgebied: Tropical Indo-Pacific and Red Sea, from East Africa to French Polynesia; absent from the Atlantic and Caribbean.
Gedrag: 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.
Dieet: Zooplankton and algae taken within a few meters of the host anemone, plus scraps from the anemone itself.
Grootte: doorgaans rond 0.09 m; gedocumenteerd tot 0.17 m (total length; varies by species, and females are the larger sex in every one).
Hoe je je ertegenover gedraagt
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.
Behoud
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.
Gekende duiksites waar je ze tegenkomt
Bekijk
Via de officiële kanalen
Best Places to Dive with Whale Sharks
Outrageously Tiny Fish
Sink or Swim? with Monét X Change | Monterey Bay Aquarium
Video's zijn ingesloten links naar de kanalen van de makers zelf — wij hosten niets en vermelden altijd de bron.