About Ocellaris Clownfish
The classic beginner saltwater fish — hardy, peaceful, and famously bonded to anemones (though anemones are advanced and not required).
The Ocellaris is the species nearly everyone pictures when they think 'clownfish.' Captive-bred specimens are widely available, hardier than wild-caught, and accept prepared foods readily. They form pairs and can be aggressive in defense of their host territory but are otherwise peaceful tankmates. They do not require an anemone — keeping one as a beginner is a common, expensive mistake.
Notes from the editors
What it looks like. Bright orange body with three white vertical bars edged in thinner black borders than the percula. The species nearly everyone pictures when they think "clownfish" — the "Nemo" species.
In your tank. Hardy, peaceful, and famously bonded to anemones (though anemones are advanced and not required). Will defend a small territory but rarely escalates to harm. Pairs form readily when introduced young.
Care notes. Captive-bred specimens dramatically outperform wild-caught. Designer morphs (Snowflake, Picasso, Wyoming White, Black Ice, etc.) are widely available — verify the line is stable since extreme inbreeding causes deformities in some lineages.
Sourcing and feeding. Captive-bred universally available and inexpensive ($20–50 for standard; $40–200 for designer morphs). Omnivore — pellets, frozen mysis, frozen brine, occasional nori.
Care info is a starting point, not a guarantee. Individual specimens, water chemistry, and tankmate dynamics vary. Verify against multiple sources and adjust to what you observe. See our terms & disclaimers.
Related fish
Sources & attribution
- Taxonomy and accepted name from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS AphiaID 278400).
- Description content adapted from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo: (c) Ria Qorina Lubis, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (via iNaturalist or Wikimedia Commons).