- Check the sub-map for the specimen information files -
ANEMONEFISH - AMPHIPRIONINAE
This is probably the most known fish species on a coral reef. Anemonefish are very bad swimmers and hardly swim more than two meters away from their anemone. If in danger, they will hide between the poisonous tentacles of their symbiotic host. The poison of the anemone does not harm them because they grow up in the anemone and build up immunity. It is only the Clarks anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) that are known to be immune from birth. The anemonefish also protects the anemone from polyp-feeders like butterflyfish, who try to feed on the anemone’s tentacles. This process of symbiosis is a very common way of life on coral reefs. Every anemone has its own big dominant female that is in charge and she surpresses the growth of the other anemonefish living with her. If this dominant female dies or disappears, the first male in rank will change sex and become the new dominant female. Anemonefish are one of the few species who take care of their own eggs. The female will stick the eggs on a place next to the anemone which they will have cleaned. Then the male takes care to protect the egg mass from potential robbers. After about a week the larvae will hatch during night and travel with the current. Two to three weeks later they will settle themselves on a matching anemone. The Amphiprion family feed on certain algae and plankton. There are around a thousand different anemonies, of which only ten species are inhabited by anemonefish. After the movie "Nemo", I was quite afraid for the anemonefish population because of the demand in their export. Luckily enough, many of this family breed well in captivity, so they were not stolen from coral reefs.
- Check the sub-map for the specimen information files -