If someone mentions “fish”, what is one of first associations which comes to your mind? Well, if not the first, then probably towards the top, clownfish is one of the most popular species on the planet.
by Fabian
Updated: July 1, 2021 / 8 mins read
Fabian is the dedicated Chief Editor at Aquarium Nexus. From a young age, he was captivated by the vibrant world of aquatic life, leading him to accumulate over 20 years of experience in keeping and breeding various fish species. The fulfillment derived from the aquarium hobby has remained a constant throughout Fabian's life. As an expert in the field, he finds great pleasure in imparting his extensive knowledge and personal experiences to both seasoned aficionados and budding enthusiasts.
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Not just they are beautiful and peculiar thanks to their unique coloration and stripes, but they are one the favorite animals among kids. Yes, you have probably seen Finding Nemo at least once. Or twenty times, if you have kids around.
But apart from the ultra-popular Nemo fish which everyone knows about, there are plenty of other clownfish types available. Some of them are more or less similar to the other, so let us briefly go through the main kinds together. And who knows, maybe you find your perfect pet among them.
Percula Clownfish
To begin, this is the smallest yet one of the most adorable clownfish variations available. The percula clownfish can only grow up to 2 or 3 inches in body length, which makes them extremely vulnerable both to water conditions and to aggressive tank mates.
Even though they are known for being the most peaceful and less territorially aggressive type, they can become subject of harassing, so please make sure to provide your pet both with plenty of spots where to hide as well as with carefully selected aquarium companions.
If you are planning to adopt just one specimen, that is fine, and it can happily live inside a 10-gallon home. On the other side, if you wish to house a happy pair, please ensure at least 20 gallons for these cute fish.
Whatever your choice may be, this fish type will certainly add a nice dose of orange, white and black color to your tank. And do not be fooled by their tiny size, as these guys can survive up to even 20 years in captivity.
Red Sea Clownfish
This particular type gets its name thanks to being the most common clownfish across the Red Sea. However, its coloration mostly varies from yellow to brownish, not red. The stripes are purely white.
This is one of the largest kinds and they can grow to a fully mature size of almost 6 inches. Therefore, they require a tank size of at least 30 gallons for a pair. Even though being quite peaceful during their juvenile phase, a such established pair can develop quite an aggressive behavior once they reach their adulthood.
If you are looking to purchase them the most ideal anemone, try setting up a Bubble Tip Anemone for these, sometimes overly active, adorable pets.
This is not essential as they can thrive perfectly fine even without a host anemone, but it will be certainly happily accepted. If you care well for your colorful pets, you can expect them to survive up to even 20 years.
Tomato Clownfish
The tomato clownfish is another fairly large type of clownfish. As its name suggests itself, their coloration is uniform and does really resemble to a tomato. It is, therefore, of a vibrant orange to an almost red.
Particularly, this type of fish features only one bold vertical stripe, reaching immediately after the eyes. To clownfish lovers, this really is a beautiful species and so it should come as no surprise learning that this is one of the first pet choices for many modern aquarists.
The tomato clownfish can grow up to 5 inches in body size, so do expect to feed it with fairly amounts of appositely designed flakes or pellets. When it comes to aquarium size, an individual should have at least 30 gallons of water volume at disposal, but you can keep a happy pair into a 40-gallon tank.
Even though this particular type does tend to become slightly aggressive during the adulthood phase, it can function pretty well with semi-aggressive species such as angelfish.
To minimize their stress, you can provide your tomato clownfish with Bubble Tipped Anemones. And finally, when great living conditions are provided, these cute fish can survive around 15 years in captivity.
Yellowtail Clownfish
This fish may certainly add a nice dose of sunshine to any suitable tank. Indeed, its tail is completely yellow, as its name suggests. And then, heading towards the head, its body is formed out of large black parts as well as out of two white bold vertical stripes.
And finally, its head and fins are yellow again, but slightly darker from the tail color. All in all, a magnificent palette combination which reassures how beautiful life can be.
If you are looking to adopt a happy pair of yellowtail clownfish, please expect your female specimen to grow up to even 6 inches, while its male companion should not exceed 4 inches in body length.
Such a pair will thrive at best inside a tank of at least 40 gallons. Furthermore, if you planning to add a Bubble Tip Anemone, which works best for these joyful creatures, please allow them to have at least 55 gallons of water volume.
These beauties have a somehow shorter lifespan in captivity and usually live around 10 years, although the maximum case reported was 14 years for a single specimen.
Maroon Clownfish
Moving on, maroon clownfish are the largest kind you will ever find, with females growing to an amazing size of 7 inches. But not only. These intense red beauties are also intelligent and can easily recognize their owners.
However, this surely does not make them less aggressive. On the opposite. Female maroon clownfish are actually well-known for occasionally even deciding to kill their own male living partners. Therefore, teach your males not to mess around with these powerful ladies.
Because of their large size, pairs should be kept in nothing smaller than 55 gallons. However, a single specimen can survive happily into a 30-gallon tank. Their expected lifespan is not that long as it may be among smaller types, so they usually survive around 7 to 10 years when held as special pets.
Picasso Clownfish
Oh yes, these little fish really do present a natural work of art. Their base color is still a vivid orange as it is in most other clownfish, but their uniqueness lays in the black and white stripes.
These do not resemble to stripes with this fish, but more as irregular patches of pure white surrounded by black lines.
Some of the variations, however, can feature differently mixed color combinations: from white bodies with orange patches and black lines to the completely opposite. And we simply cannot decide which one is more spectacular!
Picasso clownfish are a fairly small kind and rarely exceed 3 inches in length. Their price, however, can certainly compensate for their tiny size. Indeed, these are one of the most expensive clownfish types available. The rarest, the pricier.
A happy pair can be housed into a 30-gallon tank, and you can expect these artistic fish to live for a minimum of 10 years.
Black & White Clownfish
Continuing with little works of art, the black & white clownfish is a pure delight for minimalism enthusiasts. And if you own a reef tank, can you even imagine how good would these fantastic splashes of black and white look on such background?
Additionally, they are known for being quite peaceful and greatly adaptable to other clownfish companions. Their expected maximum size is 3 inches.
This is a captive-bred species, and their lifespan is, therefore, long. You can expect to keep them around for even 30 years if you take good care of them.
Clarkii Clownfish
Clarkii clownfish can grow around 6 inches in length, and they are characterized by particularly thin vertical stripes. Their base color can vary anywhere from black to dark orange, and their fins can feature totally different colors sometimes.
What is peculiar about these fish is that they are quite peaceful when enough living space is provided. Apart from adapting well to tank mates, they usually adapt very well also to different types of anemones.
If you are looking to adopt a pair, please ensure at least 55 gallons of water volume for these active swimmers. And finally, expect them to stick around for about 15 years.
Three Stripe Clownfish
Last but not least, the three-stripe clownfish, also known as three-band clownfish is considered to be one of the most docile clownfish out there. It grows to a fairly large size of about 5 inches, but they are extremely peaceful and even sociable.
Adding to that, they are also one of the hardiest types of clownfish one could ever adopt. Extremely adaptable and resistant, this beauty can survive for at least 15 years with some basic care.
Wrapping Up
Okay, we knew that clownfish are adorable, but it is only after going through this list that we actually came to realize how cute all of these different variations of fish are. Now, it is up to you to choose the most suitable one for your home.
While doing so, please make sure to take in consideration your tank size and its predispositions, as well as any possible tank mates and level of care. And we are sure you will fall in love with these guys.
