Tag: clown fish

In 2003 the film Finding Nemo was made and Nemo shot to fame as the bravest little fish on the reef. Although we all love Nemo and his tales of bravery, he tends to steal the limelight when it comes to anemonefish (also known as clown fish). You see, alongside Nemo, there are 27 other species of anemonefish, each deserving its own 15 minutes of fame. So to restore the balance, although I cannot promise each species its own blockbuster movie, I am here to enlighten you on all things weird and wonderful about the anemonefish family. Species: Clarks anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) Where Do They Live?  As their name suggests anemonefish live in sea anemones. Anemones are animals related to jellyfish and are essentially a blob of tentacles surrounding a central mouth, attached to the reef. They are mostly sedentary, typically selecting a suitable spot on the reef and remaining there. However, they are also capable of movement, slowly crawling along the reef and taking their anemonefish along for the ride.  Life on the reef can be dangerous for small fish, with size not on your side you must find clever ways to survive. The tentacles of anemones are lined with stinging cells, for most fish this sting can be painful or even fatal but anemonefish can safely hide amongst the deadly tentacles without receiving a nasty sting. This immunity develops gradually. As the fish rubs against the anemone’s tentacles, the two exchange bacteria, allowing the clownfish to build a mucus layer on its skin that closely matches the anemone’s own. As a result, the anemone no longer recognises the fish as a foreign body. In effect, the clownfish becomes part of the anemone, and is spared from being stung. Species: Skunk Anemonefish (Amphiprion akallopisos) But as any true symbiotic