Tomato Clownfish
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Photo of Tomato Clown Fish |
Water Type: Saltwater |
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The tomato clownfish, or amphiprion frenatus, start life in the
same way as other clownfish, with all of them males. They are a
tomato red, and young fish can have 2-3 vertical white bars that
will disappear as they mature, leaving the adult with one bar on
the head.
As is typical of the species, one dominant female will emerge,
growing larger than the sexually active male, and also
developing blackish coloring to her sides. They are a very
forceful fish with their own species, and should be kept only in
pairs or as a single fish.
These are an excellent starter fish for saltwater aquarium
hobbyists, as they are extremely hardy and known to live for
many years. While they live amongst the anemones in the wild,
and each type of clownfish appears to develop a relationship
with specific kind, it is not necessary to have an anemone in
your tank. Caves, and shelves of rock or coral will serve them
just as well, and also provide hiding places for other fish. The
tomato clown tends to be very hard on anemones, and because they
can be a tricky thing to raise, a beginner should start out with
other habitat structures for them.
A large fish, growing up to six inches, they will require a tank
of at least 20 gallons, with an alkaline environment kept at
75-82F, and a varied diet of live and flaked omnivore foods.
Clownfish as a species are interesting to watch, partly due to
their "clowning" behavior, which is actually territorial, and
because of the unusual wiggling motion when they swim.
Researchers believe this developed as the fish adapted to
swimming in and out of the tangled arms of the anemone. The
clownfish remains impervious to their stings in its natural
environment, thanks to a coating of mucous on their bodies,
which is either produced by the fish itself, or acquired from
rubbing up against the anemone. |
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