Not all clownfish are created equal. With nearly thirty species to choose from, the genus Amphiprion includes mellow dwarves, territorial bruisers, and even a handful of oddballs with unusual lifestyles. Marijke Puts introduces the rest of the family.
When you think of clownfish, you think of common clownfish. Which is fair, they are famous across the world, but there’s so much more to the genus Amphiprion than Nemo!
Although the clowns have been lumped, unlumped, and re-lumped, and the species within the genus described, undescribed, and resurrected so many times I stopped bothering to keep close track, taxonomists should mostly agree we’ve currently got twenty-nine species to work with. As an added bonus, there are also two suspected natural hybrids.
Many of these anemonefish are available in the aquarium trade, and they’re far from being carbon copies of the two orange-and-white celebrities that currently hog the spotlight (A. ocellaris and A. percula). Their colours, sizes, and temperaments vary widely, meaning fishkeepers can learn something new from each species. Indeed some marine aquarists fall deep down the clownfish rabbit hole – no matter the cost and effort involved, they simply gotta catch ‘em all.
Scientific debate on how to group the anemonefish rages on, with the latest overview of the different clades (also known as complexes in the aquarium hobby) having appeared in 2025. That study promptly lost some of its relevancy when a new clown was described a few months later. I’m sure everyone’s simply dying to see it repeated, allowing us to figure out where the new addition (A. maohiensis, the Polynesian anemonefish) fits in.
Luckily for us aquarists, we don’t have to concern ourselves much with how closely related the different clowns are. What matters to us is how they behave, what they need to thrive in the aquarium, and how well they fit into different types of systems. Today, let’s leave the percula complex behind and give the rest of the bunch some much-deserved attention. Move over, Nemo: your cousins are getting their 15 minutes of fame.
Did You Know?
Scientists would probably prefer we call them anemonefish, but the ‘clown’ denomination is so iconic that using them interchangeably is fairly commonplace, just as I have done here.
Related article: Beginner’s Guide to Reef Tanks: Choosing the Right Marine Aquarium.
All photos by Shutterstock
Clownfish Care At A Glance
Before we start, let’s quickly go over what to expect from the average clownfish. There are several reasons the genus Amphiprion is so ubiquitous in the aquarium hobby, and it’s not just down to their eye-catching colours and patterns.
One of the biggest bottlenecks in saltwater fishkeeping is the fragility of many marine fish, but this one’s a pleasant exception: clowns combine their lovely looks with a decided sturdiness, making most species suitable for beginning marine aquarists.
How Common Are Clownfish?
Captive-bred clowns of many species (not just ocellaris and percula) are easy to come by. Many of these will set you back less than £30 each. Some of the rarer species that are less commonly bred and hail from remote places are harder to find and will cost considerably more.
What Size Aquarium Do You Need For Clownfish?
Smaller clownfish species can do well in tanks of 75 litres (16 gal) and up. Not often do you get away with such a small system in the marine hobby!
Of course, the larger species will need more spacious aquariums, so read on to find more specific guides for these.
Do Clownfish Need An Anemone?
Anemones are usually optional, which is just as well given their challenging care. In fact, many of the captive bred specimens offered for sale have probably never encountered an anemone before.
In aquariums, many clownfish are not especially picky about what they adopt as a host and may use corals or other substitutes. I have seen them host various LPS corals, including torch corals, and even pairs associating with short-tentacled zoa polyps. They are not at all fussy.
Do Clownfish Need Specific Food?
Amphiprion is a plankton-eating genus that will go nuts for all the standard frozen reef fare. Commercial pellet or flake foods will generally be accepted without issue, especially captive bred fish, meaning it will be easy to give them plenty of variety.
Can I Breed Clownfish At Home?
Never bred a marine fish before? Many clown species make a great first breeding project, as they readily spawn and produce offspring in aquariums.
Their reproductive process is fascinating to watch, with the male clownfish carefully fanning and caring for his eggs until they hatch (if he’s not busy eating them, that is).
But it is important that you have a plan for all of the clownfish offspring you'll end up with before you start a breeding project.
Related article: How to set up a marine fish room for breeding.
What Type Of Water Do Clownfish Need?
Clownfish are a classic reef fish, so they will thrive in the usual reef tank water. A pH between 8.1-8.4, an alkalinity of 8-12 KH, around 1.025 S.G, and temperatures between 24 and 27°C (75-81°F) will work nicely.
For those not familiar with marine fishkeeping, this is usually achieved by mixing a high grade marine salt with reverse osmosis (RO) water. When mixed correctly, this will give the perfect water parameters for your saltwater fish tank. You can make the RO water at home, or buy it from your local fish store and add the correct volume of salt (check the packaging for the right ratio to use). However, some stores will even sell premixed saltwater that already has the perfect water chemistry for your reef.
Choosing Your Clownfish Species
As I already touched on, the 29 different clownfish species are split into different complexes, or clades. These are groups of closely related species, and as such they typically have similar care requirements when it comes to keeping them in marine aquariums.
Let's take a look at each complex below to help you decide which one is right for you.
Orange skunk clownfish (A. sandaracinos)
The Mellow Crowd
Let’s start with my personal favourites: the skunk clown complex. It is made up of four species, although only three tend to be available in the aquarium trade. The Pacific clownfish is left out: although it was given full species status in 2005, it has a very small natural range and is often lumped in with the nosestripe clownfish. No matter, because the skunks we can find in our local aquarium shops are plenty to work with.
Compared to most other clownfish, skunks look decidedly… naked. They’re a fleshy pink or orange in colour and mostly lack the vertical barring that makes anemonefish so recognisable, although the smaller pink skunk sports a single, thin line on its gill covers. They instead have cool racing stripes on the tops of their heads – narrow in the pink and nosestripe skunk, but quite broad in their orange counterpart (A. sandaracinos), allowing us to tell them apart at a glance.
My love for the skunk complex isn’t just down to their unusual looks, but also their dainty appearance and especially their temperaments. Skunk clowns tone the territoriality down quite a bit and are considered the mellowest of the bunch. This makes them the best choice if you’re looking to avoid squabbles in your tank.
Nosestripe clownfish (A. akallopisos)
Skunk Clownfish Complex Fact File
Species: Nosestripe clownfish (A. akallopisos), pink skunk clownfish (A. perideraion), Pacific clownfish (A. pacificus), orange skunk clownfish (A. sandaracinos).
Size: Small, usually up to 11cm (4.3”)
Minimum Tank Size For A Pair: 70cm (28”) or longer
Temperament: Mellow (for a clownfish anyway)
Availability & cost: Easy to find, from £20 each
The Hotheads
If you don’t mind a fish with a temperament, the Clarkii complex should be right up your street. I’ve photographed a bunch of different anemonefish in their natural habitat on my tropical diving trips, but the only one that’s ever gone as far as to physically attack me was the Clark’s clown.
Clark's clownfish (A. clarkii)
The much rarer three-band clownfish isn’t known to be quite such a terror, but I think that’s mostly because its smaller size limits its potential for shenanigans.
To prevent trouble in a Clarkii tank, it’s important to provide plenty of space and carefully consider tankmates. The female can even go so far as to evict her own mate from their territory! You’ll want something that’s neither aggressive nor overly vulnerable in order to keep the peace. I particularly like gobies and blennies, which inhabit different water layers and should therefore manage to stay out of the line of fire.
Three-band clownfish (A. tricinctus)
Clarkii Clownfish Complex Fact File
Species: Clark's clownfish (A. clarkii), three-band clownfish (A. tricinctus)
Size: Up to 15cm (6”)
Minimum Tank Size For A Pair: 90cm (36”) or longer
Temperament: Highly territorial
Availability & cost: Easy to find, from £25 each
Rotten Tomatoes
Of everything aquarists could have called these clowns, they went for ‘tomato’? ‘Angry ball of magma’ would have been much more appropriate, both in terms of colour and temperament.
These five species are easy impulse buys thanks to their spectacular appearance and hardiness, but they really only make a good choice for the well-planned community or a solo system due to their terrible attitudes.
Tomato clownfish (A. frenatus)
Your local aquarium shop will generally carry A. frenatus and A. melanopus, the tomato and cinnamon clownfish respectively. I personally like the red saddleback (A. ephippium) the most, however: it’s one of the few wild-type clowns that’s entirely stripe-free in adulthood. The others are born with three vertical bars, which is reduced to a single band on the gill cover as they mature.
Red saddleback clownfish (A. ephippium)
Tomato Clownfish Complex Fact File
Species: Red saddleback clownfish (A. ephippium), Barber's clownfish (A. barberi), tomato clownfish (A. frenatus), cinnamon clownfish (A. melanopus), Australian clownfish (A. rubrocinctus)
Size: Up to 14 cm (5.5”)
Minimum Tank Size For A Pair: 90cm (36”) or longer
Temperament: Highly territorial
Availability & cost: Easy to find, from £35 each
Aussies Rule!
Say hello to the clownfish complex no one ever cares to remember! The Australian anemonefish were long tucked away in the Clarkii wastebasket, where the species that scientists didn’t know what to do with went to collect dust. McCulloch’s clownfish in particular has a very limited natural range, so despite being described all the way back in 1929, it has always been a bit of a ‘non-entity’.
McCulloch's clownfish (A. mccullochi)
Today, the Aussie clowns are still far from anemonefish celebrity status, but sourcing them should not be impossible. Barrier Reef and orange-fin clownfish have become more widely available in recent years, and you should be able to find them for under £100. Amphiprion mccullochi is a bit more of a problem, but it does pop up from time to time. Hopefully, captive breeding efforts will commence soon!
Barrier Reef clownfish (A. akindynos)
Australian Clownfish Complex Fact File
Species: McCulloch's clownfish (A. mccullochi), Barrier Reef clownfish (A. akindynos). The orange-fin clownfish (A. chrysopterus) is closely related to this complex and has been included for comparison.
Size: Up to 14cm (5.5”) (related A. chrysopterus reaches 17cm/6.7”)
Minimum Tank Size For A Pair: 90cm (36”) or larger, A. chrysopterus requires tanks of at least 100cm (39”).
Temperament: Highly territorial
Availability & cost: Moderate to rare, prices vary from £45 to £250
Lonely Maroons
Aww, no friends! Maroon clownfish were long thought to constitute a second, monotypic (containing only one species) genus of clownfish, known as Premnas. Nowadays, it’s considered to be a lone branch on the Amphiprion tree. Maybe the others would want to hang out with you maroons if you could behave for once…
Male maroon clownfish are small and reasonably inoffensive. The females, which sport the wine red the species was named for and can grow to a whopping 17cm (6.7”) in length, are a different story. But aquarists don’t care: they love the various spectacular colour morphs too much to forego them for a more peaceful species. I can see why, because those gold nugget, lightning, gold stripe, and ‘peacekeeper’ maroon clownfish really are show-stoppers – and so are the maroon × polymnus and other man-made hybrid varieties.
Maroon clownfish (A. biaculeatus)
Maroon Clownfish Fact File
Species: Maroon clownfish (A. biaculeatus)
Size: Up to 17cm (6.7”)
Minimum Tank Size For A Pair: 100cm (39”) or longer
Temperament: Ridiculously territorial
Availability & cost: Easy to find and prices start from £40, although some captive strains cost up to £200.
The Oddballs
If maroon-level aggression isn’t for you but you’d like something unusual, how about this oddball duo? The Sebae clownfish (A. sebae) was fished out of the Clarkii wastebasket and placed with the saddleback clown (A. polymnus), a species no one quite knew what to do with before then, in the early 2000s. They used to be accompanied by a third musketeer, the wideband “saddleback”, but that one has since been moved to a solo branch on the family tree.
Sebae clownfish (A. sebae)
Saddlebacks are unique among anemonefish in that they don’t have a strong reef association. They do, like all clowns, associate with anemone hosts. The difference is in that they specifically pick anemones that tend to grow on sandy substrates and seagrass meadows rather than rocks. In the aquarium, this means yours may appreciate a few host options close to the substrate.
These two are by no means as popular as Nemo, but most aquarium shops should be able to source them for you. Their former clade-mate, A. latezonatus, is a different story: the cheapest one I found was listed at £750.
Saddleback Clownfish Complex Fact File
Species: Saddleback clownfish (A. polymnus), Sebae clownfish (A. sebae), and formerly: wideband saddleback clownfish (A. latezonatus)
Size: Up to 14cm (5.5”)
Minimum Tank Size For A Pair: 90cm (36”) or larger
Temperament: Territorial
Availability & cost: Moderate to rare, from £30 although the wideband saddleback will cost far, far, more.
Loyal Clowns
The Indian clowns have been evolving separately from their Indo-Pacific cousins for a long, long time, and that’s made them different. Whereas the super-spicy Clarkiis and maroons are generalists with low host fidelity (they’ll cheat on their anemones, basically) and the tendency to patrol wide habitats, their Indian Ocean cousins are loyal to a small range of anemones and rarely stray from their hosts. They’re basically homebodies, which shows in their aggression level: they’re the defensive type, rarely going on the offence unprovoked.
Red Sea clownfish (A. bicinctus)
You should be able to get your hands on most of these clowns nowadays – except the Mauritian and Seychelles species. I see them listed for sale, but I highly suspect these are mislabelled A. bicinctus or similar. The real thing is rarely exported, so anyone looking to keep them should keep their eyes wide open while buying! Red Sea and Allard’s clowns are now aquacultured in captivity and therefore quite common.
Did you know?
We might soon see the aforementioned saddleback clade added to the Indian group. They’ve always been considered closely related, but it remains to be seen whether scientists can agree on the matter.
Maldive clownfish (A. nigripes)
Indian Clownfish Complex Fact File
Species: Maldive clownfish (A. nigripes), Chagos clownfish (A. chagosensis), Mauritian clownfish (A. chrysogaster), Seychelles clownfish (A. fuscocaudatus), Red Sea clownfish (A. bicinctus), Oman clownfish (A. omanensis), Allard’s clownfish (A. allardi), Madagascar clownfish (A. latifasciatus)
Size: Up to 15cm (6”)
Minimum Tank Size For A Pair: 90cm (36”) or larger
Temperament: Territorial, but they rarely go out of their way looking to fight other fish
Availability & cost: Many species are moderately common while others are rarely exported, prices from £30 for the routinely available species.
Related article: Red Sea Biotope Aquarium: A Guide to Reef Zones, Fish & Setup.
Amazing Amphiprion
Whether you're setting up your very first reef tank or you're looking to add another clown to your collection, there's an Amphiprion species to suit almost every aquarium. From the gentle skunks to the fiery maroons, each has its own personality, quirks, and appeal. So don't overlook the less famous members of the family – Nemo may have stolen the spotlight, but his relatives have plenty to offer anyone willing to give them a second look.