The clown anemonefish is the most recognisable reef fish in the world. Kids will spot it instantly. It's small, colourful and easy to keep, and it's a great flagship species for teaching guests about coral reefs.
Fun facts for your education board
- All clownfish are born male. The biggest fish in a group becomes female.
- They live among anemones, which protect them from predators.
Water
- Salt water
- 24–28 °C. I set my reef tank to 26 °C, which also suits palette surgeonfish, bannerfish and ocellated eagle rays.
Building a reef
Clownfish want a proper coral reef:
- Stack reef rocks and rotate them randomly so they don't look repeated.
- Coral variants (three of each): red coral, spongy coral, purple urchin, stringy coral, seaweed (flat and standing), and the anemone coral that clownfish love.
- Search "coral" in the blueprints menu for ready-made coral clusters.
- Use the align to surface option so corals sit flush against rocks.
Exhibits or habitats?
Clownfish work in both:
- A large round exhibit can hold clownfish alongside palette surgeonfish. Set the exhibit to 26 °C.
- A reef habitat gives you more room for coral and other species. My "Nemo & friends" habitat needed about 95 m² of water for clownfish, bannerfish and surgeonfish together.
Research
Clownfish only have three research levels. Level 3 boosts fertility by 30%, so it's well worth finishing.
Diseases
Fish can catch white spot disease and velvet disease. Velvet is serious. Research those diseases to cut the chance of outbreaks, and keep the tank clean. If cleanliness drops to around 50%, fish start disappearing.
Tips
- Name the tank something guests recognise. A "Nemo & friends" sign is a nice touch.
- Clownfish, palette surgeonfish ("Dory") and bannerfish make a perfect family-friendly trio.