RANGE Indonesian waters of Northern Queensland, Australia and Melanesia
HABITAT Coastal seaward reefs and in shallow and sheltered lagoons at depths of 3 - 39 ft.
DIET Primarily zooplankton; also eat bottom dwelling invertebrates and algae
The clown anemonefish is also called the clownfish, true clownfish, and orange clownfish. They rarely move more than 12 in. from the protection of their host anemone.
Anemonefish are protandrous hermaphrodites. This means that they all mature as males but have the ability to change their sex to female.
Juvenile anemonefishes can locate the same host anemones preferred by their parents. This is believed to be due to an olfactory (smell) stimulus imprinted at the time of egg incubation.
Over-collection of this species for the aquarium trade has impacted the populations in some areas. Clownfish face threats from over-collection for the aquarium trade and degradation of their coral reef habitats.
