Clownfish is a common name for the sea anemone fish subfamily of the family Snapper, which is a tropical saltwater fish because it has one or two white stripes on its face, resembling a harlequin in Peking Opera. Clownfish and sea anemones have an inseparable symbiotic relationship, so they are also called anemone fish. Ranked eleventh on CNN's list of the world's cutest species in 2013. Clownfish are robust and lively and easy to raise, and are an introductory breed for many new hands.
Clownfish inhabit coral reefs and rocky reefs, and juvenile fish often coexist with large anemones, sea urchins or small coral tops. Small flocks to large schools of fish are formed, and gastric inclusions include algae, copepods, and other planktonic crustaceans. Adult fish can change color depending on the geographical location.
The most attractive feature of the clownfish is its symbiosis with the anemone. The clownfish has a special surface mucus on the surface of its body, which protects it from the influence of sea anemones and lives in it. The anemone protects the clownfish from other larger fish, while the leftover food of the anemone can also be supplied to the clownfish, and the clownfish can also use the anemone's tentacles to safely build nests and spawn. Clownfish help anemones remove necrotic tissue and parasites, while clownfish can also remove parasites or mold from their bodies by rubbing their bodies between the anemone's tentacles.
Clownfish are not the only hermaphrodites, but they are one of the few species in which males can become females, and females cannot become males. Each clownfish population has a dominant female and several adult males, and the males are hermaphrodites in their youth. If a dominant female dies, one of the adult males will undergo hormonal changes and transform into the new female in the population. During the spawning period, male and female fish have the behavior of protecting the nest and protecting the eggs.
Clownfish native to the warmer waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea. Although the distribution of most species is limited, some are very widespread.