Last updated on July 1st, 2022 at 02:47 am
Maroon clownfish care is easy. The fish, also known as premnas biaculeatus, are found in the Indo-Pacific region. They often hide amongst coral and anemones to avoid predators, but may also be seen swimming among seagrasses or on top of rocks and other hard surfaces from time to time. Maroon Clownfish are usually bright orange with various black or white markings along their body that make them easy to spot.
Maroon Clownfish have a symbiotic relationship with anemones in the wild and are known for being able to recognize when their host is threatened, at which point, they will aggressively defend it by biting nearby predators. This defense mechanism may be what led scientists to believe that Maroon Clownfish could possibly eat algae off of anemones.
Maroon Clownfish are prey to many animals, including wrasses, flatfishes, and lionfish. These predators typically reside near the water’s surface at night where they can more easily spot Maroon Clownfish swimming in search of food or moving up towards hard surfaces where they may feel safer from attack.
Maroon Clownfish are highly sought after in the aquarium trade. Due to their large size and beautiful coloration, they make excellent additions for any saltwater tank setup. They can be difficult to catch though if anemones aren’t present in one’s home marine environment.
Origin
Maroon clownfish are native to the Indian and Pacific oceans. They can be found around Indonesia, Japan, and Australia. They grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) in length on average with a lifespan of 15 years or more.
Species profile
Maroon clownfish are a member of the family Pomacentridae. They can be identified by their large black and white stripes, which extend from its head to tail fins as well as its red tail fin and snout.
Maroons feed on coral polyps or small invertebrates such as shrimp. They are considered an herbivore.
They are known to be a host fish for the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis, which is found in Japan and Indonesia. The symbiotic relationship between maroons and Nematostella allows both organisms to survive better than they would on their own because of reduced predation pressure against nematostella and assimilation of organic nutrients from the maroon’s diet.
Color and appearance
Maroon Clownfish are typically a deep maroon in color, with yellow highlights on the caudal fin (tail) and dorsal fin. They have brown eyes. They get their name from their black-and-white striped markings that resemble a clown’s face paint and costume. The stripes extend onto its body to give the fish a “maroon” appearance.
They have an average length of 20 cm but can grow up to 24 inches long. They are hardy and adaptable with no special feeding requirements or habitat needs.
Maroons live in open water habitats that include reef limestone pinnacles, sandy bottoms near reefs, and small patches of coral near the surface.
Maroons spend most of their time in waters less than 30 meters deep and can tolerate temperatures between 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit. They are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant matter and animal flesh like crustaceans or mollusks.
They are peaceful fish that will not bother other fish or corals.
They are also one of the most popular clownfish and can be found in aquariums all over the world. This is due to their hardiness, attractive color pattern, and popularity with hobbyists. They make a great addition to any saltwater tank, keeping it healthy and happy.
Habitat and breeding
The Maroon Clownfish is a comfortable reef fish that lives among other clownfishes. The female can lay up to 300 eggs and live in groups of 50 or more like adults, while the males are slightly territorial and will fight each other for territory. They are omnivorous creature that feeds on algae-covered rocks near reefs with corals that have plenty of nooks and crannies.
They get their names from the orange-red color of males, which fades to a more brownish red as they mature and become females. They are small fish that grow up to two inches long and have little spots on their head area (ocelli). Males can be distinguished by an elongated first dorsal spine (a projection on their back) and a curved second anal spine.
Maroon clownfish size
The Maroon Clownfish is a smaller species, typically averaging around four inches in length.
Life cycle
Maroon Clownfish are hermaphrodites, meaning it has both males and females. Young fish need to find a mate before they can reproduce.
Clownfish have been found living in every reef of the Indo-Pacific region from India to Australia as well as eastern Africa.
They are widespread species of clownfish found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, though it’s most common in the Western Pacific. The female will usually lay eggs on hard surfaces like rocks or coral. It takes about 24-28 days for them to hatch from an egg into what we know as a fry. They live in a symbiotic relationship with the anemones, eating their leftovers while they provide shelter. This is why you will usually find them near or on one of these creatures.
The Maroon Clownfish can grow to about six inches long and has been known as “the beginner’s clownfish” because it’s less aggressive than other species.
They are a popular species of saltwater aquarium fish and can be found in the tank at your local pet store. They also have an increased chance of surviving in captivity which is why they are recommended for beginners.
Are maroon clownfish aggressive?
Maroon Clownfish are one of the most peaceful species in their family. They aren’t aggressive and won’t attack, but they will defend themselves if under attack by nudging or biting an intruder that comes into their territory.
Maroon Clownfish will sometimes live in communities of other fish, but only if they can avoid predation because it’s a small species – too small to eat most things that would attack them. They’re not aggressive so they get preyed on themselves.
Maroon clownfish care information
What they eat
Maroon clownfish have a varied and omnivorous diet. They will eat zooplankton, crustaceans, other fish eggs and larvae, polychaete worms, kelp detritus (mostly from the genus Acetabularia), tunicates such as Ascidia spp., bivalves like clams and scallops, and even other fish. They will scavenge anything they can find in the water column or on the seafloor that is not too tough to break down with their teeth.
Maroon clownfish tanks mates
Maroon Clownfish are often found in the wild living with a few different species of fish, but they are very territorial and should be housed alone. They can tolerate some moderately aggressive tankmates such as large wrasses or larger damsels if enough hiding places are provided for them. If you plan to keep more than one Marron clownfish in a tank, two clownfish of the same species will often do better than one male and one female.
They are suitable for reef aquariums but should be fed carefully to avoid overfeeding them which can cause excess bacteria levels.
Do not mix with: Rasboras, Dottybacks, or aggressive fish such as damselfish
Water condition
They are considered reef safe and will be found on the reefs of Guam, Palau, and New Guinea. They like to drift in open water with a lot of sheltering structures for them to hide from predators. They are one of the few clownfish species that prefer not living in personal anemones.
The Maroon Clownfish is a beautiful and rare species that prefers to live in open water with sheltering structures for them to hide from predators. They are reef safe but prefer not living inside anemones as other clownfish do. The males of the species have red bodies while the females have blue-green bodies which makes them easier to tell apart.
Breeding
They are monogamous, but one male can mate with more than one female. Males can often be seen guarding their territory against other males, as well as egg-sitting for the females while they leave to feed themselves. After a successful mating session, the eggs hatch within about 30 days, and the larvae stay together in small groups.
Breeding occurs in a crevice or hole. The female lays her eggs on the inner surface and then leaves to feed. A male will immediately take up guard duty, fanning his fins for aeration and defending from intruders. He remains there until the eggs hatch, about 30 days later.”
Maroon clownfish lifespan
Maroon Clownfish live to be approximately 12 years. They grow up to about six inches in length and are typically found at depths of 85 feet or more, deep down on the ocean floor where there’s a lot of sand.
Parasites and diseases
Maroon Clownfish are host to many parasites and diseases, including the following:
Sea lice (Lepeophtheirus) – attaches themselves to the skin of a Maroon Clownfish. They’ll suck blood from their hosts for up to 12 months before they move on to another fish’s body.
Heteropoda – a small parasitic crustacean that infects the Maroon Clownfish. They attach themselves to the outside of their host’s body and feed on its tissues or blood before they’re fully grown, which takes about two weeks.
Cirrata – these are found in much smaller numbers and attach themselves to the outside of a Maroon Clownfish. They feed on mucus and tissue that’s exposed when they’re attacked by other species
Oodinium – these are found in much larger numbers (upwards of 500,000) and attack a Maroon Clownfish from within its body. It can take up to two weeks for the parasite to fully grow, which is when they start attacking their host’s skin and fins.
Acanthocephala – a parasitic worm that attaches itself to the outside of its Maroon Clownfish host’s body. They’ll feed on its tissue or blood before moving on to another fish in about a month.
Acanthobothrium – these are found deep on the ocean floor and will infect a Maroon Clownfish when they’re in its vicinity. They’ll either burrow into their host’s body or attach themselves to it, feeding off of tissue for up to two weeks before moving on to another fish.
Predation
Predation in the wild of this species is poorly known, but they are thought to feed on small shrimp-like crustaceans such as copepods and amphipods.
Maroon Clownfish will not eat corals that have been damaged by other fishes or pollution from outside sources. This makes them a great candidate for a coral reef tank.
Maroon Clownfish are typically seen in pairs or groups of six, and juveniles can be found with other fish such as yellow tangs (Zebrasoma flavescens). They also maintain associations with algae-eating wrasses.
At night the Maroon Clownfish will retreat to algal growths near the base of corals where they feed on copepods.
Maroon Clownfish are nocturnal and will swim out into open water to hunt for food at night, while during the day you may find them resting in crevices or hiding under ledges.
This species is a voracious eater that does not shy away from other species of fish, often taking bites out of them.
They are also known to eat anemones and sea urchins that they find on the reef floor as well as sponges growing near coral colonies.
Does it make good pets?
No. Maroon Clownfish are not recommended as pets because they can be difficult to care for. They may also harm other fish in a tank with them since their diet consists of meaty invertebrates like shrimp and crabs rather than the usual plant-based fare offered by most aquariums. If you do choose this type of clownfish as a pet, be sure to take care of the following:
- Provide a tank without any other fish. The Maroon Clownfish is known to harm or even kill smaller fish in the same tank as them with their naturally meaty diet and sometimes aggressive behaviors.
- Feed it live food, like shrimp, crabs, lobster roe, or freeze-dried shrimp.
- Provide a sufficient amount of hiding places, like rockwork and other artificial caves in the aquarium to prevent it from feeling threatened by its surroundings.
- Spend time with it regularly so that you can gauge if it is eating well and behaving normally. If not, this may be an indication that something is wrong with the tank.
Signs of a healthy fish
Maroon Clownfish are often very active, and they will dart about in the tank. Healthy sweaters also have a nice color to their skin with no signs of scale loss or ich (a type of parasite). A healthy Marron Clownfish has bright red bands on its fins that glow when it’s dark out!
Here are the signs of a healthy Maroon Clownfish:
- Active in the tank (darting about)
- No scale loss or ich present on the skin. There should be no red spots, either.
- Bright red bands show up when it’s dark out!
Here are some things that could cause a fish to become unhealthy:
- Being in an overstocked tank.
- A lack of food or a diet lacking proper nutrients.
- The presence of ich (a type of parasite). This is often indicated by red patches on the body and fins, as well as white spots that will appear later on the skin from where they were attached to it.
- Not increasing water temperature when the seasons change, which can make them vulnerable to ich.
- Excessive handling and stress.
