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Pairing Clownfish with Anemones

Maroon Clownfish with Bubble Anemone.

A pair of Maroon Clownfish (Premnas biaculeatus) with their host Bubble Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor).

By Tony Griffitts

This is a list of the most common clownfish found in the aquarium trade and their host anemones they are most commonly associated with in the wild.  In the aquarium many clownfish will accept other host anemones and even corals as hosts.  If you want to duplicate the interaction of clownfish with anemones in your aquarium, you may use this list as a guide to selecting the proper pairing.

Cinnamon Clownfish

Common Name: Cinnamon

Scientific Name: Amphiprion melanopus

Preferred Anemone:

Clarkii Clownfish

Common Name: Clarkii, Sebae, or Clark's

Scientific name: Amphiprion clarkii

Preferred Anemone:

Maroon Clownfish

Common Name: Maroon

Scientific name: Premnas biaculeatus

Preferred Anemone:

Ocelaris Clownfish

Common Name: Ocellaris, or False Percula

Scientific name: Amphiprion ocellaris

Preferred Anemone:

Orange Skunk Clownfish

Common Name: Orange Skunk

Scientific name: Amphiprion sandaracinos

Preferred Anemone:

Percula Clownfish

Common Name: Percula

Scientific name: Amphiprion percula

Preferred Anemone:

Pink Skunk Clownfish

Common Name: Pink Skunk

Scientific name: Amphiprion perideraion

Preferred Anemone:

Saddleback Clownfish

Common Name: Saddleback

Scientific name: Amphiprion polymnus

Preferred Anemone:

Skunk Clownfish

Common Name: Skunk

Scientific name: Amphiprion akallopisos

Preferred Anemone:

Tomato Clownfish

Common Name: Tomato

Scientific name: Amphiprion frenatus

Preferred Anemone:

Red Saddleback Clownfish

Common Name: Red Saddleback

Scientific name: Amphiprion ephippium

Preferred Anemone:

Published - 2005


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