Clarkii Clownfish question

[flip_lx]

Ok this may sound dumb but how do these fish color? In the local stores they are almost all yellow with white stripes (think a False Perc) but then when i look online and through my book they are shown with large or almost fully black parts of the body, do they darken with age or is it somewhat a gamble on color?

 

[Devilishturtles]

A true A. clarkii has black in it, from what I've always seen. Juveniles are almost all black, and they gain more orange as they age. My guess is that your store is confusing the Clarkii with another clownfish of the same species. Sounds like an ocellaris to me (false perc).

 

[flip_lx]

no they arn't the false percs because the stripes are "wrong" these have the straight lined not the curved one on percs (the middle stripe) so they loose the black when they grow older?

 

[Lance M.]

Could it be that they are tank raised and just lack the dark coloring? or As I've seen with ocellaris clowns at my lfs some are yellow instead of orange and the ocellaris clowns I have are orange going very dark orange, maybe it's where they are collected?

 

[flip_lx]

could be i'll have to ask my LFS when they get a new batch in, checking tomorrow for my green chromis but debating between a trio of those or a pair of clowns since my tank wont accomodate much more than either of those choices

 

[Innovator]

I think it is a regional discrepency as the one I had years back was also yellow and grew into a dark orange with age. Could they be highly mistaken and selling juvenile A. bicinctus?

 

[severum mama]

Green chromis are pretty too, but the clowns are probably more interesting to watch IMO.

 

[Sadielynn]

Could be misidentified , that they are perhaps a saddleback clown .
I had a saddle back that had mostly orange and white marks and he is now all black except for his fin tips and lips. With out pics it is just speculation tho

 

[flip_lx]

calling em now if i buy em go to the store today you'll see pics taken by my crappy camera phone

 

[Sadielynn]

alot of saddle backs are misidentified as being a clarkii or a black occ clown (at least in our LPS) or even as a sebae clown fish

 

[flip_lx]

ok they are actually clarkii just tank rasied so they seem to lessen on color and are more yellow. This is a bit of and off shoot question, if i buy clowns and a fake anemone and they host it what would the cleaning procedure be for it? just pop a gravel vac over it once during PWC to get rid of the food they bring it?

 

[Innovator]

Depends on the maker as different companies have different protcols. A safe bet would be to just use a toothbrush to remove algae or take out and wash w/fresh water, so they don't deteriorate, every month or so.