Percula clownfish

Care at a glance

The percula clownfish looks much like the better-known ocellaris, but can be told apart by the broader black edging around the white bands and the ten or eleven spines in the dorsal fin. Enthusiasts happily pay more for those extra black lines; in terms of care there is barely any difference.

As with the ocellaris, virtually everything in the trade is captive-bred, which makes it hardy and easy to get onto prepared food. It is home-loving and needs no anemone. Keep a pair: the dominant animal becomes female and grows substantially, the other stays small. Putting two adults together later often leads to fighting, so start with two juveniles.

Best not combined with

• Maroon clownfishPremnas biaculeatus
• Clarkii clownfishAmphiprion clarkii
• Tomato clownfishAmphiprion frenatus
• Skunk clownfishAmphiprion akallopisos
• Pink skunk clownfishAmphiprion perideraion
• Orange skunk clownfishAmphiprion sandaracinos
• Saddleback clownfishAmphiprion polymnus
• Cinnamon clownfishAmphiprion melanopus

Related species

• Lawnmower blennySalarias fasciatus
• Maroon clownfishPremnas biaculeatus
• Blue reef chromisChromis cyanea
• Kole tangCtenochaetus strigosus
• Green chromisChromis viridis
• Purple tangZebrasoma xanthurum