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Ocellaris Clownfish

Amphiprion ocellaris · family Pomacentridae

Also: Common Clownfish, False Percula Clownfish, Nemo Fish

Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) — aquarium fish
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA

Parameters

Temperature
24–27 °C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
12–18 °dGH
Tank volume
from 80 L
Maximum size
up to 9 cm
Group size
min 1, ideal 2
Temperament
Peaceful
Swimming zone
Middle
Difficulty
Beginner
Lifespan
8–15 years

Description

The Ocellaris Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is the world's most popular and hardy marine reef fish, instantly recognizable by its vibrant orange body and three black-edged white bars. Famous for its mutualistic symbiosis with stinging sea anemones, captive-bred Ocellaris thrive in nano-reef aquariums with or without a host anemone at specific gravity SG 1.023–1.025 and pH 8.1–8.4.

Care

Maintain a saltwater nano-reef of at least 80 liters (20 gallons) with live rock, specific gravity SG 1.023–1.025, a 360° magnetic wavemaker for reef circulation, and a surface/protein skimmer. Full setup guide: /articles/nano-reef-tank-setup-beginners-guide.

Feeding

Marine pellets with krill and spirulina, frozen Mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, and copepods fed twice daily.

Breeding

Protandrous hermaphrodites: all juveniles start as males, and the largest dominant fish in a pair irreversibly transitions into the breeding female, laying eggs on rock near their host anemone.

Compatibility

  • Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

    Lysmata amboinensis

    Полностью совместимы в рифовом аквариуме: креветка-доктор очищает воду и рыб от паразитов. / Completely reef-safe and peaceful together in nano and standard marine aquariums.

    Good
  • Firefish Goby

    Nemateleotris magnifica

    Мирные соседи по нано-рифу, занимающие разные участки у камней. / Peaceful nano-reef tank mates that coexist harmoniously around live rock.

    Good

FAQ

Do Ocellaris Clownfish require a sea anemone in an aquarium?
No. Captive-bred Ocellaris Clownfish thrive without an anemone and will happily host in soft corals (like Toadstool leather corals) or rocky overhangs.
Goldie editorial team — collective profile photo
AuthorGoldie Editorial

Goldie editorial team

Practising aquarists with a combined 30+ years of experience · Biologists and editors, fact-checking against FishBase and Seriously Fish · Every piece is reviewed by a qualified ichthyologist before publication

Goldie Science Board — collective scientific review panel
Reviewed byGoldie Science Board

Scientific board — ichthyologists and veterinarians

Ichthyologists and veterinarians with university degrees · Reference FishBase, Seriously Fish and peer-reviewed literature · Sign every reviewed article with their credentials shown

Sources

  1. FishBase: Amphiprion ocellaris · FishBase · 2026-05-22
  2. Seriously Fish: Amphiprion ocellaris · Seriously Fish · 2026-05-22