facts about the-clownfish

clownfish live in small groups among sea anemones. Anemones are flesh-eating animals that look like plants. clownfish are one of the very few fish that can co-exist with the anemones. clownfish and anemones are said to have mutualism. Mutualism is a scientific term for mutual understanding. The relationship between the clownfish and sea anemone is symbiotic. Our 'Nemos' benefit the anemones by eating the leftovers of the anemones. clownfish also eat the dead tentacles of the anemones, thus helping them to survive. clownfish help the sea anemones by circulating the water around them. In return the anemones protect the clownfish from the attack of other fish by their venomous tentacles.

Another interesting fact is that clownfish are not mammals, they lay eggs. They can lie around thousand eggs at one time, and unlike other fish, out of the thousand eggs, all can survive! The eggs are laid only during the full moon and they hatch only after dusk! The male clownfish guards the eggs.

clownfish get their name because of their stripes and their bouncing movements, which make them look like clowns! Apart from the orange and white color, clownfish are also found in black and white color. Their body is black in color and the stripes are white. These are called Ocellaris clownfish.

All clownfish are born males. But when a female dies, the most dominant clownfish changes itself into a female! Isn't this one of the most interesting facts about clownfish?

Though clownfish are shown as calm and modest in the movie, 'Finding Nemo', they are actually known to be aggressive fish! But there are exceptions, like the skunk clownfish. The skunk clownfish do not have stripes like the other clownfish.

One species of the clownfish, called the percula clownfish, dances when it comes into contact with the anemones for the first time!

clownfish have different names in different languages! In Japanese they are called kakure-kumanomi , in Russian they are called obyknovennaya rybka-kloun and they are also called klovnfisk in Danish. So, our clownfish are international!

One more interesting clownfish fact is that the clownfish are mainly found in the warm water of Indian and Pacific oceans. Coral reefs in warm waters are the clownfish habitat. In the wild, clownfish are said to live for six-eight years, and they grow up to only three to five inches!

clownfish are not pure vegetarians, they are omnivores. They eat algae, and the food left by the anemones. If you are to keep a clownfish in a fish tank, don't worry. clownfish care is easy as they can survive without anemones also.

Wondering how clownfish protect themselves from the poisonous tentacles of the anemones? Well, they are protected from the venomous tentacles of the anemones by a layer of mucus which is present on their bodies.