Black Ocellaris Clownfish

Looks how to spot one

Personality what they are like

Calm and peaceful for a clownfish, though it will claim and defend a favourite spot in the tank.42

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Stays close to a chosen home base such as an anemone, coral or rock and bobs in and out of it rather than roaming the whole tank.72

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

A fully marine fish. Suggested aquarium water: about 22 to 26 °C (72 to 78 °F), pH 8.1 to 8.4, carbonate hardness 8 to 12 dKH and specific gravity 1.020 to 1.025. Rated easy to care for, and it does not need an anemone to do well.4

Home where they are happiest

A saltwater reef or fish-only aquarium of at least about 76 L (20 US gallons), with rockwork or a host anemone or coral to settle into.42

Food basics what goes in the bowl

An omnivore that readily takes marine flakes, pellets and frozen meaty foods, with some algae-based food in the mix.42

Company who they like around

Best kept alone or as a bonded pair. Two young fish put together will settle into a pair, with the larger one becoming the female.23

The story where it all began

This black form occurs naturally only in a small area around Darwin, Northern Australia, so wild fish are hardly ever exported. Aquaculture breeders took it on, and today captive-bred fish supply nearly the entire hobby. Scientists have discussed whether it deserves species status, but it is still treated as a colour variety of the ocellaris clownfish.1

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List

Parent species Amphiprion ocellaris assessed as Least Concern; the black form is treated as a colour variety, not a separate species3

ORA (aquaculture breeder)

Classed as a colour morph of A. ocellaris; its status as a possible separate species has been debated1