Clownfish (ocellaris)
The ocellaris clownfish is a small reef fish that lives among the tentacles of a host sea anemone. It feeds on tiny animals and algae and eats parasites from its anemone.
Key numbers
Scientific name: Amphiprion ocellaris
| Length | 8–11 cm (3–4 in)(animaldiversity.org) |
|---|---|
| Lifespan (wild) | 6–10 years(animaldiversity.org) |
| Diet | Mostly eats tiny drifting animals such as copepods, plus algae. It also picks parasites off the sea anemone it lives in.(animaldiversity.org) |
| Habitat | Ocean: Tropical Indo-Pacific: northwest Australia, Southeast Asia and north to the Ryukyu Islands of Japan; coral reefs and sheltered lagoons to about 15 m deep.(animaldiversity.org) |
Sources give different figures for some of these numbers; we show the range they support.
Our full clownfish (ocellaris) profile is on the way. Meanwhile, see it next to a person, to scale.