Amphiprion ocellaris AMPOCE-100509-WARCLI-009
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: AMPOCE-100509-WARCLI-009 Date posted: 10/3/2009
Identification: Amphiprion ocellaris (Cuvier, 1830)
Common name: Common Clownfish (this report describes Black and White Ocellaris)
Geographic origin: Indo-Pacific
Taxonomy: (after I.C.Z.N.)
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata
Class Osteichthyes
Order Perciformes Superorder Teleostei
Family Pomacentridae
Genus Amphiprion
Species ocellaris (Cuvier, 1830)
Description: Normally orange body (orange replaced by black in this spawning pair) with three distinct white body stripes (or bars ); the head stripe is anterior to the eye and continues down across the preoperculum. The body stripe extends from between the spinous (anterior) and soft-rayed portion of the dorsal through the body to the abdomen just in front of the anal fin with the center of the stripe “bulging” towards the head.
The tail stripe covers the caudal peduncle. The stripes have narrow black margins. The fins are rimmed in black just prior to a small non-pigmented edge. A. ocellaris is commonly confused with A. percula which is “shorter” in height (A. Percula is 3.1 – 3.3 in head-length compared to 2.1 – 2.9 head-length for A. ocellaris). Additionally A. ocellaris has 11 dorsal spines (rarely 10) compared to A. percula having 10 dorsal spines (rarely 9). Maximum size is listed by most sources at 90 mm – 95 mm, however, Burgess, 1988, lists 150 mm. Females are typically larger than the male.
Distribution is from the Indo-Malaysian Archipelago, Philippines, southward to northwestern Australia and northward to the Ryukyu Islands. The symbiotic relationship of clownfishes is well documented and this species is found with Heteractis magnifica (Qouy & Gaimard, 1833), Stichodactyla gigantea (Forsskål, 1775) and S. mertensii (Brandt, 1835).
Length of time in captivity male: not reported
Size male (mm): not reported
Length of time in captivity female: 1 year
Size female (mm): 63 (2.5 inches)
Physical differences: None other than size (male is smaller) Photo:
Adult diet: PE Mysis shrimp, 1 time daily
Location of spawning: Live rock, next to anemone
Approximate quantity: 250 eggs
Size: not indicated
Incubation period: 9 days
Time hatching occurred: 10:30 PM
Larvae attracted to light? Yes
Transfer / removal method: I tried two methods, neither of which worked very well; a plastic cup and a plastic cooking ladle. It took me about 45 minutes to collect all of them.
Spawning tank size (liter): 106 liters (28 gallons), 61x36x46cm (24x14x18 inches)
Sides of tank covered? Back is painted black
Filtration: HOT Protein Skimmer
Pumping volume: 650 gallons per hour
Type of seawater used: Synthetic – Oceanic or Reef Crystals
Volume / Frequency of water changes: 5 gallons / 2 weeks
Specific gravity: 1.025, measured by refractometer
Source of make-up water: Reverse Osmosis/Deionized
Temperature: 26° C., 78° F.
Fluctuation: 3° F.
Lighting & photo period: #1 – T5 HO, 48 watts, 10 hours #2 – T5 HO, 13 watts, 13 hours, ~ 20 cm (8 inches) from organism, changed as needed, < once per year
LARVAL DATA
Fry appearance: Yok sac present
First Food Offered: Rotifers (Branchionus plicatilis), 3 times per day
Second Food Offered: Otohime A at day 8, 3 times per day.
Survival: Week 1 – 60; Week 2 – 45
Development description: Metamorphosis 10 days after hatch
Rearing tank size (liter): 21 (5.5 gallons)
Specific gravity: 1.024, measured by refractometer
Source of seawater: parent tank
Temperature: 26° C., 79° F.
Fluctuation: 2° F.
pH: 8, measured by pH probe
Sides or Back covered?: Yes, black
Lighting & photo period: #1 – Compact Fluorescent (CF) bulb, 13 watt, 15 hours, #2 – Halogen spot light, 15 watts, 15 hours
Filtration: Sponge filter added at week 2
Original description: Cuvier first described Amphiprion ocellaris in 1830 in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1830:399 in the Hist. Nat. Poiss. V.5 reference 999, from a specimen collected in Sumatra, Indonesia. Validated by Ida in Masuda et al., 1984 and Allen in 1991.
Synonomy:
Amphiprion melanurus, Cuvier in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1830:400 in Hist. Nat. Poiss. v. 5; ref.
999, From a single (Holotype ) specimen also collected in Sumatra, Indonesia. Synonym of
Amphiprion ocellaris Cuvier 1830 (Allen 1991:237 [ref. 19344]).
Amphiprion bicolor, Castelnau 1873:92 in Proc. Zool. Acclim. Soc. Victoria v. 2; ref. 758. From a single (Holotype) specimen collected near Darwin, Northern Terr., Synonym of Amphiprion ocellaris Cuvier 1830 (Allen 1991:237 [ref. 19344]).
Vernacular name: Common clownfish, Ocellaris clownfish, Anemone Demoiselle, False Clown Anemonefish and False percula clownfish (Black and White Ocellaris described in this report).
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 ocellaris is confusing; the Latin root o, meaning an egg; cell, -a, -i, meaning a cell; or perhaps ocell, =us, meaning little eye and -ris meaning laughter (little laughing eye?). The synonym melanurus is composed of the Greek roots melan, -o, meaning black; and ur, =a, -o, meaning tail (thus black tail). The synonym bicolor means two colors (bi = two).
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 which is 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. Copyright © 2009 The Breeder’s Registry. All rights reserved.
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