Report: Amphiprion clarkii (Rcvd: 2/18/03)

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: AMPCLA-021803-BAKDEN-006 Date received: 2/18/03

Identification: Amphiprion clarkii (Bennett, 1830)
Geographic origin: Indo-pacific

Taxonomy:(after I.C.Z.N.)

Description: Usually dark (black) with
varying amounts of orange / yellow on face and tips of fins. Three bars; head
stripe behind eyes, mid-body stripe, and tail stripe at base of caudal fin,
usually white, sometimes with yellow edges. Maximum size is ~ 140 mm. Found
with a wide variety of anemone hosts. This species of
anemonefish has the widest distribution.

Broodstock tank: 260 gallon tank as part of a 2600 gallon
system

Are sides or back covered? No

Dimensions in cm (LxWxH): 200x80x80

Lighting & photoperiod: 180 watts fluorescent (13
hours), changed yearly, 10 cm from surface

Filtration: Protein skimmer, 1000 GPH

Water: Reverse Osmosis/Reef Crystals ASW Temperature (C):
25-26 Specific gravity: 1.025

pH: 8.2 Nitrate: 2 ppm Calcium: 460 ppm

Frequency/Volume of changes: bi monthly 10% in system

Duration male(yr): 4+ Size male (cm): 8

Duration female (yr): 7+ Size female (cm): 11

Physical differences: Female is larger

Adult diet: Artemia, Frozen Mysids, Spirulina Flakes. Twice
daily.

Pre-spawning activity: Both male and female start cleaning
a place for spawning during the day prior to spawning

Time spawning began: 18:00 hrs Area spawning
occurred: front window

Frequency of spawning: every 9 days

Egg description:

Approximate quantity: 400

Were eggs/fragment removed to a separate tank? No

Egg changes / development: Bright Yellow at spawning, after
3 days orange, after 5 days brown/purple w eyes visable,

after 6 days silver.

Incubation period: 7-8 days depending on water temp. at 25c
8 days, at 26c 7 days

Time hatching occurred: 22:15 hrs – lights out at 22:00 hrs

Larvae attracted to light? Yes

Size of hatching larvae: ~ 3.0 mm Yolk sac present?
no

Newly hatched appearance:

Transfer / removal method: Larvae attracted by bright
flashlight siphoned from tank to place them in another 260 gallon tank in the
same system.

First food offered: Rotifiers (Brachionus “L”
plicatilis) twice daily

Second food offered: Artemia nauplii, day 8 twice daily

Fry development / changes: After experiments with small
tanks I prefer larger tanks now (250g), rate of feeding

goes down from 7 times a day to twice a day approximately 1.000.000 rotifers
per feeding which will stay present, available and alive in a big tank much
longer (up to 10 hours). To keep rotifers alive a bit of phytoplankton is dosed
directly in the larval tank. Enriching the Brachionus with algae with a
DHA profile (Isochrysis) did raise survival rate at 3 weeks from

60-80 without to >200 with.

Survival (approx): starting: 400 Êweek 1: 300 Êweek 2: 200Ê week
3: 200

Rearing tank size (gallons): 260 Sides of tank
covered? No

Lighting & photoperiod: 32 watts fluorescent (18 hours);
80 cm above surface.

Filtration: Protein skimmer, starting with 50g/h to 300g/h
after 4-5 weeks

Water: same as spawning tank (above)

Original description: Originally described by Bennett 1830
as Anthias clarkii, in Fishes of Ceylon First edition Pl. 29, from
specimens collected at the south coast of Sri Lanka. Validated as Amphiprion
clarkii by Allen 1991. Described by Cuvier in 1830 as Amphiprion
xanthurus, in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1830, in Hist. Nat. Poiss. v. 5.
From specimens collected at. Mauritius. Described by Valenciennes 1833 in
Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. v. 9.

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 clarkii is named in
honor of Clark.

Suggested
Reading

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. &copy 2003. All rights reserved.