Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Clark's Clownfish
Amphiprion clarkii
Also called Clark's anemonefish, Clarkii clownfish, Yellowtail clownfish
From Indo-West Pacific, the widest range of any anemonefish: from the Persian Gulf to Western Australia, the Indo-Australian Archipelago, Melanesia and Micronesia, north to Taiwan and southern Japan123
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Personality what they are like
Generally easygoing with suitable tank mates but territorial towards other clownfish once fully grown. Within a group there is a clear pecking order, with the biggest fish as the female.432
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Keeps to its own territory around its home anemone or rockwork.23
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
A fully marine fish rated easy to care for. 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. Benefits from a host anemone but is flexible about which one.43
Home where they are happiest
A saltwater aquarium of at least about 114 L (30 US gallons). In the wild it lives in lagoons and on outer reef slopes from about 1 m down to 60 to 70 m.412
Food basics what goes in the bowl
An omnivore that readily eats meaty foods and plant-based preparations; some algae should be part of its diet.431
Company who they like around
Kept singly or as a pair; pairs are monogamous, and in the wild only one male and one female in a group breed.214
The story where it all began
Bennett described the species in 1830, naming it after the Scottish engraver John Heaviside Clark. It has the largest range of any anemonefish and has long been bred in captivity, making it a regular in the marine aquarium hobby.123
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It can live with all ten sea anemone species that host clownfish, making it the least picky clownfish of all.2
- 2
It shows the greatest colour variety of any anemonefish.2
- 3
Pairs can lay nests of more than 1,000 eggs up to three times a month.3
- 4
A rare mutation called 'Pearl Eyes' gives some fish a pale blue crescent in the eye.3
- 5
It has been recorded as deep as 70 m, unusually deep for a clownfish.1
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 2021)1
- Edward Turner Bennett
- Species described by Bennett in 18301
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Clark's Clownfish. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Salinity checkevery week
- Top-upTop up evaporation with fresh RO water, not salt waterevery day
- Water testevery week
- Water changeAbout 10 to 20% of the waterevery 2 weeks
- Glass cleanevery week
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Amphiprion clarkii, Yellowtail clownfish fishbase.seused for range, max size, depth, IUCN status, describer, longevity, diet
- Wikipedia: Clark's anemonefish en.wikipedia.orgused for names, colour variation, size by sex, hierarchy, habitat depth, host anemones, lifespan, history, fun facts
- ORA: Clarkii Clownfish orafarm.comused for range, colour forms, diet, temperament, spawning, Pearl Eyes
- LiveAquaria: Clarkii Clownfish quick stats liveaquaria.comused for care level, temperament, size, tank size, water parameters, diet
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.