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-030195-DIMROB-004 Date received: 3/1/95

Identification: Amphiprion ocellaris (Cuvier, 1830)

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)


Duration male(yr): 5+ Size male (mm):70 Duration female (yr): 5+ Size female (mm): 89

Broodstock notes: Usual clownfish behavior

Physical differences: Female is larger than male

Adult diet: Fresh and frozen shrimp, scallops, Artemia, flake foods, Formula One®;fed 3 - 4 times daily.

Pre-spawning activity: Typical clownfish behavior (male prepares nest site)

Time spawning began: 1700 - 1830 hours Area spawning occurred: Ceramic tiles.

Frequency of spawning: 13- 16 days Egg Description: oval mass; 25 - 52 mm

Approximate quantity: not counted Size: not indicated

Incubation: 7 days Time hatching occurred: 7th night

Egg changes / development: Color changed from pink to brown to clear.

Transfer / removal method: not indicated


Spawning tank size (liter): 225 Sides of tank covered? No

Lighting & photo period: 2 40 watt fluorescent daylight bulbs, ( 16 hours). ~65mm from surface. Changed as need

Filtration: Wet / dry , water changes 10% weekly. Instant Ocean ASW

Additives and dosages: Selcon®, Vita-Boost®, Vita-Chem® saturated food (alternating dosing)

Water temperature: 78 - 82 F Specific gravity: 1.021 pH: 8.0 Nitrate: 0 - 50 ppm


Fry development / changes: Metamorphosis temperature dependant; as early as day 7 but mostly day 10.

First Food Offered: rotifers, every 4 hours

Second Food Offered: Artemia

Survival: 50%

Development description: Long term survival is 50%. Most advanced larvae develop head and waist band and overall orange body coloration.


Rearing tank size (liter): not indicated Sides covered?: Yes, green / black

Lighting & photo period: incandescent 24 hours until day 21

Filtration: Airstones only. 50% water changes daily

Additives & doses: Selcon® and microalgae daily, enough to cloud water a "light green".

Water temperature: not indicated Specific gravity: 1.021 pH: 8.0 Nitrate: none detected


Comments: Amphiprion ocellaris was also described by Cuvier, 1830 as Amphiprion melanurus, which was validated by Allen in 1991 as a synonym of A. ocellaris. In 1873 Castenlau described Amphiprion bicolor, which was also listed as a synonym of A. ocellaris by Allen in 1991.

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:

Fautin, Daphne G., and Gerald R. Allen, Anemone Fishes and their Host Sea Anemones, Tetra-Press, Germany, 1994 ISBN 1-56465-118-5

Hoff, Frank H., Conditioning, Spawning and Rearing of Fish with Emphasis on Marine Clownfish, Aquaculture Consultants Inc., Dade City, FL, 33525 USA 1996

Moe, Martin A., The Marine Aquarium Reference: systems and invertebrates, Green Turtle