Clownfish Question

[new2saltyfish]

I was just wondering if there is a difference between an Ocellaris and percula clown. I just bought another smaller clownfish today so now i have two clowns. The firts one got is a little brighter orange and the white middle stripe isnt as wide in the middle as the new one's. The guy at the store said the new one was a percula. I was just wondering if there is a difference, and if so would they pair up anyway?

 

[afmo]

I was just wondering if there is a difference between an Ocellaris and percula clown. I just bought another smaller clownfish today so now i have two clowns. The firts one got is a little brighter orange and the white middle stripe isnt as wide in the middle as the new one's. The guy at the store said the new one was a percula. I was just wondering if there is a difference, and if so would they pair up anyway?

hrm, i know a lot of ocellaris clowns are tank bred. I also know that ocellaris clowns are from a different region than the perculas. other than that, dunno

 

[Lynden]

Telling an Amphiprion ocellaris from an A. percula may be difficult without the aid of an experienced eye. Normally, the main difference is the black edging to the white bars, in which case A. percula has a larger black edge. But the captive bred A. ocellaris do tend to have a fairly thick black edging.

Other traits include the shorter dorsal fin of A. percula, and the oftentimes more rich orange colouration.

-Lynden

 

[new2saltyfish]

well the frist one i got is a brighter and better looking orange and does have thicker black lines. Teh smaller one is a little less bright and black lines between the white and orange aren't as big. But it is smaller so the black lines might get bigger as it grows. another question is if there different species, can they interbreed and will they still pair up with each other. They kind of swim together now but not all the time.

 

[Lynden]

They will interbreed, but the offspring are nothing special. They may also be weak or sterile (as a result of hybridization).

 

[new2saltyfish]

ok. thanks for all the help. how do you know which ones are males and which are females?

 

[Mr.September15]

Clownfish are born sexless. They determine their own sex on their own by solving agression issues. Usually the larger one is the female while the smaller one is the male.

 

[new2saltyfish]

ok cool thanks a lot everyone.

 

[flamingonhot]

I think all clownfish are born as males, but the most dominant becomes the female. Just what i've always read.

 

[Mr.September15]

I think all clownfish are born as males, but the most dominant becomes the female. Just what i've always read.

No, sadly male isn't dominant when it comes to clownfish.

 

[AliRichardson]

I think all clownfish are born as males, but the most dominant becomes the female. Just what i've always read.

Thats what I have also read!

I like to think of it as all babies (sprats?) are male and the more dominant then become female.... wait for it..... dominatrix's