Amphiprion frenatus AMPFRE-053096-WHIMAT-004
The Breeder’s Registry© Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations from aquarist unless noted otherwise (see comments). Information may be reproduced providing the Breeder’s Registry is cited.
Breeder ID: AMPFRE-053096-WHIMAT-004
Date received: 5/30/96
Identification: Amphiprion frenatus (Brevoort, 1856)
Geographic origin: Pacific (Malaysia northwards towards Japan)
Taxonomy: (after I.C.Z.N.)
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Osteichthyes
Order Perciformes Superorder Teleostei
Family Pomacentridae
Genus Amphiprion
Species frenatus (Brevoort, 1856)
Description: One of the larger species of anemonefish attaining a maximum length of 140 mm. Females larger than males (typical) with red to blackish coloration on most of body with a single vertical white bar behind the eye . Male is generally redder. Juveniles may have 2 – 3 white bars. Commonly associated with the anemone Entacmaea quadricolor (Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828).
Duration male(yr): 8/1/89
Size male (mm): 55
Duration female (yr): 8/1/89
Size female (mm): 85
Physical differences: Female appears stronger and is much darker in color.
Adult diet: Alternating “marine mix”, bloodworms, flakefood, vegetables. Fed daily.
Pre-spawning activity: Both male and female had locked jaws on fractured end of coral head as if trying to move it. No other nest preparation was observed, but the aquarium had just been established ( 7 – 10 days) and the coral piece was the only one present. (~40cm x 23cm x 23cm)
Time spawning began: not indicated
Area spawning occurred: on fragmented piece of coral; occasionally on glass
Frequency of spawning: every 10 days
Egg description: oval mass, 50 – 75 mm. From a distance looked like “bubble gum
Approximate quantity: 400 – 500
Size: < 0.5 mm
Egg changes / development: Most obvious was development of eyes. Used to gauge night of hatching.
Incubation period: 7 – 8 days, but sometimes as long as 12
Time hatching occurred: night
Size of hatching larvae: Had difficulty pinpointing time of hatching and on most occasions suffered loss of entire fry population. Assumed eaten by parents.
Yolk sac present?: yes
Newly hatched appearance: Fry large in comparison to other clownfish
Transfer / removal method: Coral transfered with eggs without exposure to air, however experienced repeated fungal infections if separated.
Spawning tank size (liter): 105 ( 52cm x 44cm x 46cm)
Sides of tank covered? 2 sides, painted sky blue
Lighting & photo period: 15 watt fluorescent daylight bulbs; NEC BioLux®, FL15BR (15 hours). Bulbs are ~50 mm from surface. Changed as needed.
Filtration: 15 mm PVC UGF powered by AquaClear 400® powerhead. 5 – 6 cm of medium shell grit.
Additives and dosages: not indicated
Water temperature (F): 80.6
Specific gravity: 1.024
pH: 7.7 – 7.8
Nitrate: 40 ppm
Other: Nitrite = < 0.5 ppm; Ammonia not detected; Copper = < 0.3 mg/l
Fry development / changes: not indicated
First food offered: Egg yolk emulsion, algae fed with yeast, infusoria
Survival: not indicated
Original description: Brevoort 1856, Perry Exped. v. 2 (fig. 4) from specimens collected at Okinawa, Ryukyu Is., Japan. Based on a drawing. Validated by Allen 1991. Later described as Prochilus polylepis, by Bleeker 1877 in Versl. Akad. Amsterdam (Ser. 2) v. 11 from specimens
collected at Amboina, in southeast New Guinea. Synonym of Amphiprion frenatus.
Word origin: Amphiprion is from the Greek roots amph, -I, -o, meaning Around, on both sides; double, and -prion which means a saw. The genus frenatus is from the Latin root fren, -a, -at, =um, meaning bridle, probably in reference to the single head stripe.
Suggested Reading:
Hoff, Frank H., Conditioning, Spawning and rearing of Fish with Emphasis on Marine
Clownfish, 1996, Aquaculture Consultants, Inc., 33418 Old Saint Joe Road, Dade City, FL
33525, USA, softbound, 212 pages.
Fautine, Daphine G. and Allen, Gerald R., Anemone Fishes and their Host Sea Anemones, 1994,
Tetra-Press, Tetra Werke, Dr. rer. Nat. Ulrich Baensch GmbH, P. O. Box 1580, D-49304 Mella,
Germany. Distributed in USA by TetraSales (Division of Warner Lambert), 3001 Commerce
Street, Blacksburg, VA 24060-6671, USA. WL-Code: 16088. ISBN 1-56465-118-5, hardbound,
157 pages.
About this report: Information contained in this report is taken from submitted observations. Taxonomy, Synonomy, Original description , Word origin and Suggested reading are provided by member(s) of The Breeder’s Registry staff. Information is presented under the belief that it is
accurate. If you have information in addition to, or contrary to that presented you are encouraged to contact the Breeder’s Registry. Permission is granted for “one-time” personal use. Reproduction as distributed or accessible media is prohibited without prior written permission. All rights reserved. 1999
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