Saltwater Fish Breeds
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Stan and Debbie Hauter are aquatic experts and writers with three decades of professional experience in the field of saltwater fish aquariums and pet fish. They have worked in many aspects of the aquarium pet fish industry, including owning a fish collecting business.
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Updated on 03/03/23
Reviewed by
Nick Saint-Erne
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/NickSaint-ErneDVM_-30b4179ff3794544812debeb7cf27a32.jpg "Types of Clownfish and the Anemones That Love Them (1)")
Reviewed byNick Saint-Erne
Dr. Nick Saint-Erne, DVM, is a highly accomplished veterinarian and writer who has treated zoo animals and exotic pets for more than 35 years. He has worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve pet store animal care among other endeavors. Dr. Saint-Erne is part of The Spruce Pets' veterinary review board.
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Fact checked by
Emily Estep
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Fact checked byEmily Estep
Emily Estep is a biologist and fact checker focused on environmental sciences. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and a Master of Science in Plant Biology from Ohio University. Emily has been a proofreader and editor at a variety of online media outlets over the past decade and has reviewed more than 200 articles for The Spruce Pets for factual accuracy.
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:strip_icc()/clownfish_sea_anemone-581b994d3df78cc2e879cc71.jpg "Types of Clownfish and the Anemones That Love Them (3)")
In their natural habitats, clownfish and anemones have a symbiotic relationship; both help the other to survive. Clownfish rely on anemones for protection from predators, while anemones rely on clownfish for food.
Different types of clownfish tend to prefer living with, or hosting, different types of anemones. If you're setting up an aquarium and would like to keep clownfish and anemones, it makes sense to try one these natural pairings, but don't be surprised if your clownfish have different ideas.
As with any critter in the ocean, nothing is cast in stone, and many clownfish will not go anywhere near their "preferred" anemone. Clownfish have been known to host many things other than anemones, including feather dusters and toadstool corals after rejecting every anemone presented to it.
Some aquarists believe that tank-raised clownfish do not host anemones as readily as wild-caught clownfish after a few generations. The suggested reason is that their parents and grandparents have never seen anemones and therefore have lost the instinct or need for the protection from potential predators.
01 of 12
Cinnamon, Red and Black (Amphiprion melanopus) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (Heteractis crispa)
02 of 12
Clark's Yellowtail (Amphiprion clarkii) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Carpet Sea Anemone (Cryptodendrum adhaesivum)
- Bubble Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
- Beaded (Aurora) Sea Anemone (H. aurora)
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (H. crispa)
- Magnificent Sea Anemone (H. magnifica)
- Malu Anemone (H. malu)
- Corkscrew (Long Tentacle) Sea Anemone (Macrodactyla doreensis)
- Giant Carpet Sea Anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea)
- Haddon's (Saddleback Carpet) Sea Anemone (S. haddoni)
- Merten's Carpet Sea Anemone (S. mertensii)
03 of 12
Maroon, Spinecheek, White-Stripe, Gold-Stripe (Premnas biaculeatus) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Bubble Tip Anemone (E. quadricolor)
- Corkscrew (Long Tentacle) Sea Anemone (M. doreensis)
Ocellaris, False Percula (Amphiprion ocellaris) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Magnificent Sea Anemone (H. magnifica)
- Giant Carpet Sea Anemone (S. gigantea)
- Merten's Carpet Sea Anemone (S. mertensii)
- May adapt to Bubble Tip Anemone (E. quadricolor) in aquariums
- Also known to host the Haddon's Saddle Carpet Anemone (S. haddoni)
Continue to 5 of 12 below
05 of 12
Orange Skunk (Amphiprion sandaracinos) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (H. crispa)
- Merten's Carpet Sea Anemone (S. mertensii)
- May adapt to other anemones in aquariums
06 of 12
Percula, True Percula, Clown Anemonefish (Amphiprion percula) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (H. crispa)
- Magnificent Sea Anemone (H. magnifica)
- Giant Carpet Sea Anemone (S. gigantea)
- Merten's Carpet Sea Anemone (S. mertensii)
- May adapt to Bubble Tip Anemone (E. quadricolor) and other anemones in aquariums
07 of 12
Pink Skunk Clownfish (Amphiprion perideraion) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Magnificent Sea Anemone (H. magnifica)
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (H. crispa)
- Corkscrew (Long Tentacle) Sea Anemone (M. doreensis)
- Giant Carpet Sea Anemone (S. gigantea)
08 of 12
Red Saddleback, Fire (Amphiprion ephippium)
Host Anemones:
- Bubble Tip Anemone (E. quadricolor)
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (H. crispa)
Continue to 9 of 12 below
09 of 12
Saddleback (Amphiprion polymnus) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Haddon's (Saddleback Carpet) Sea Anemone (S. haddoni)
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (H. crispa)
10 of 12
Sebae, Seba's (Amphiprion sebae) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Haddon's (Saddleback Carpet) Sea Anemone (S. haddoni)
11 of 12
Skunk (Amphiprion akallopisos) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Magnificent Sea Anemone (H. magnifica)
- Merten's Carpet Sea Anemone (S. mertensii)
- May adapt to Bubble Tip Anemone (E. quadricolor), and other anemones in aquariums
12 of 12
Tomato, Red (Amphiprion frenatus) Clownfish
Host Anemones:
- Bubble Tip Anemone (E. quadricolor)
- Leathery (Sebae) Sea Anemone (H. crispa)
The Spruce Pets uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Research Reveals Origins Of Clownfish-Hosting Sea Anemones.American Museum Of Natural History.
