Caring for Clown Fish

Author: Kasan Groupe

There is a lot of extra care that goes into raising a beautiful clown fish. For a little refresher, a clown fish is a “Nemo fish.” It is very vibrant dressed in yellows, oranges, and reds, with a black and white striping. Clown fish are native to both the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Clown fish are great family pets; they will get along easily with all the other species in your fish tanks. Keep reading for simple instructions on how to care for your clown fish properly.

1. First of all, it’s important to invest in the right size fish tank. Clown fish should be housed in as big of a tank as possible. Since some of them are saltwater fish, they require a lot more space. Even the smallest tanks should not go lower than 30 gallons of water. Anything larger will create a thriving environment for your friendly clown fish.

2. For lighting and filter advice, talk to an aquarium technician or a knowledgeable pet store employee. And when it comes to feeding your clown fish, it should take place about two to three times a day. Be sure to thaw the food beforehand if it is frozen.

3. Make sure the water temperature of your tank is steady between the temperatures 76 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. The salinity levels should be between 1.020 and 1.026.

4. Decorate your tank with necessary coral and sea anemone. Clown fish have a special relationship with these types of sea creatures and the inclusion of them will make them feel more at home. This can also help them feel more protected if there are predators in the tank.

5. Keep in mind that you should never over crowd your tank with too many fish. Clown fish need a lot of room to feel comfortable and thrive in their environments. Overcrowding will only result in stress, illness, and hard to cure diseases.

When it comes to your fish tanks, get some clown fish for yours. They are very beautiful, fun to watch, and make for excellent salt water pets. Visit FishTanksWarehouse.com for the best tank for your fish.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/caring-for-clown-fish-1566155.html

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The clownfish is a type of fish that lives in salt water habitats. It is also called an Anemonefish. Clownfish are typically very bright, orange fish that have three white stripes, one at the head, middle and tail. If you look really closely, you may notice that there are thin black lines around the white stripes. Also, the tips of their fins have a thin black rounded stripe.

Clownfish can grow to be from 2 to 5 inches long. The males tend to be significantly smaller than the females. However, there are various types of clownfish that range in colours from blue to yellow.

Clownfish live in a "symbiotic" relationship with certain anemones. This means they benefit from living with the sea anemone, and the sea anemone benefits from the presence of the clownfish. They are the only fish that are able to live in sea anemones and not get stung by their tentacles. Clownfish are very active fish and are extremely aggressive. Because they are quite active, the clownfish are thought to be "clowning around". They defend their territory and the sea anemone that they live in. Clownfish eat the leftovers from fish on the anemone and algae. The leftovers include copepods, isopods and zooplankton.

Clownfish have a few ocean predators, but their greatest threat is humans. People who catch clownfish and keep them as pets in aquariums are making a mistake. There are only ten out of more than one thousand types of anemone that are able to host these fish. Many people put the fish in a tank with the wrong anemone. In captivity, the clownfish can live from 3 to 5 years. In the wild, they live 6 to 10 years.

What is Symbiosis?

Symbiosis describes the special relationship between clownfish and sea anemones. They are the only fish that do not get stung by the tentacles of the sea anemone. Clownfish have a slimy mucus covering that protects them from the sea anemone. However, if this covering is wiped off of a clownfish, it will get stung and possibly be killed when it returns home to the anemone. The clownfish and the sea anemone help each other survive in the ocean. The clownfish, while being provided with food, cleans away fish and algae leftovers from the anemone. In addition, the sea anemones are given better water circulation because the clownfish fan their fins while swimming about.

Where do Clownfish Live?
Clownfish live at the bottom of the sea in sheltered reefs or in shallow lagoons, usually in pairs. Clownfish have a special
relationship with the anemone and are very important to them. They are a large help to the anemone as they clean the anemone by eating the algae and other food leftovers on them. They also protect the sea anemones by chasing away polyp-eating fish, such as the butterfly fish.

What is the Life Cycle of the Clownfish?
The spawning season of the clownfish, a time when they breed, is year round in tropical waters. Males attract the females by
courting. Courting behaviours include chasing, biting and extending fins. Clownfish lay their eggs in batches on coral, rock or next to the sea anemone that they call home. The male clownfish will build a nest on the rock or coral near the anemone in order to be provided with protection from predators. Breeding starts by the male chasing the female to the nest where the eggs are released. One hundred to one thousand eggs are laid. The male clownfish guards and protects the eggs until they hatch. They hatch within 4 to 5 days.

What are Some Special Characteristics of the Clownfish?
In a group of clownfish, there is a strict hierarchy of dominance. The largest and most aggressive female is found at the top. Only two clownfish, a male and a female, in a group reproduce through external fertilization. The clownfish are hermaphrodites,
meaning that they develop into males first, and when they mature, they become females. Also, as mentioned earlier, more than one clownfish is able to live in a sea anemone. If the female clownfish is removed from the group, such as by death, one of the largest and most dominant males would become a female. The rest of the remaining males will move up a rank on the hierarchy.

Source: YouTube