Animals

... that clownfishes adults live in pairs associated with an anemone?

Did you know that to protect the eggs from the tentacles of the anemone, the clownfish takes the eggs one by one on its mouth and then rubs them on the tentacles and the mucus on the tentacles covers the eggs and immunises the embryos against the stinging substance? Discover the clownfish in the Temperate and Tropical facility of the Oceanogràfic.
... that clownfishes adults live in pairs associated with an anemone?

CLOWNFISH
Order: Perciformes.
Family: Pomacentridae.
Distribution: Tropical western Pacific.
Measurements: up to 8 cm.
Food: is basically composed of elements of the zooplankton (fish larvae and small crustaceans) and zoobenthos (benthic crustaceans, cnidarians and algae).
Special characteristics: Adults live in pairs associated with an anemone.

The clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) is no more than 8 cm long and is distributed throughout the tropical western Pacific, in coastal reef areas and at depths ranging from 1 to 15 meters.

Adults live in pairs associated with an anemone. During the spawning season the female deposits 500 to 1500 eggs, which are fertilized and guarded by the male. They are deposited on a hard substrate, next to the anemone and within reach of their tentacles. With the continued movement of its fins, the male moves the water around the eggs to keep the developing embryos oxygenated and prevent fungus.

To protect the eggs from the tentacles of the anemone, the clownfish takes the eggs one by one on its mouth and rubs them on the tentacles. The mucus on the tentacles covers the eggs and immunises the embryos against the stinging substance.

Discover the clownfish in the Temperate and Tropical facility of the Oceangoràfic.