True or false percs? Trying to decide.

[todd_nano]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to decide between purchasing a true perc pair or a false perc pair, and I'm having a lot of trouble making the choice. I've tried to find information comparing/contrasting the two, but the only differences I've come up with are that the false percs are hardier and the true percs grow to have some black bands outlying the white. Is it true that false percs are hardier? Are there any other differences? Is one better suited for a smaller/larger aquarium? (They are going in a 7g nano) Are there any personality differences? Well, thanks a lot for any info regarding these fish, and any pictures/personal stories you have of them would be great to see/hear about. Thanks.

-Todd

 

[danmhippo]

IMHO, these are all very similar in regards to requirement and temperaments. Ocellaris is a bit cheaper, and maybe just me, also cuter.

 

[MattM]

They are virtually identical. We have even seen Ocellaris with the wide black bands normally attributed to the Percula. They were thought to be color variants of the same species until it was shown that their natural ranges do not overlap. That was in the 1970's.

FYI - they have been known to inter-breed, so even they can't tell each other apart!

 

[Anonymous]

i heard it was determined by the number of dorsal spines.
no truth to that?

 

[kparton]

I personally would say to go on what you find more aesthetically pleasing. Also, if your hope is for them to host in a particular anemone, you should read about what their natural host anemone is.

I personally like the true percs better, but it's only personal preference. I had a pair and they both lived in my anemone. Mine turned almost completely black over time with the exception of their white lines and some orange still showing. they were very pretty. Get tank raised and your concerns over hardiness should be alleviated.

 

[brewerbob]

Just be careful on the false ones that the implants don't leak. 8O

 

[MattM]

...Also, if your hope is for them to host in a particular anemone, you should read about what their natural host anemone is.

The natural hosts for both are Carpet anemones (Stichodactyla genera). These do not do well in captivity. Stick to bubble-tip anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor), both Ocellaris and Percula will take to them in captivity and can breed.

 

[Garry thomas]

Todd personally i prefer the ocelloris, purely i think they are prettier. :roll:

 

[wombat1]

Podman, they can be identified by the # of dorsal spines. One species has one more than the other, but I don't remember which off the top of my head.

 

[lawndoctor]

I picked A. percula because it hosts naturally in H. crispa, which is reputedly less difficult to keep than any of the natural hosts of A. ocellaris. If you don't care whether the host relationship is natural, then I don't see any meaningful difference between the two clown species.

 

[sammystingray]

I personally like false percs better based on looks, but ONLY if they have the black border. The true get too much black in my opinion, and they don't look as nice. This is good for me since false are so much cheaper. True percs have 10 dorsal spines....sometimes 9, and false have 11 dorsal spines, sometimes 10. I don't like the false lacking ANY black outlines on the stripes, but I don't like the true percs with too much black.....personal preference really. They are pretty much exactly the same aside from minor differences such as color and dorsal spines.......oh and price. I think false percs tend to have a much brighter orange and contrast in colors.....or atleast the ones I have seen.

 

[Enzo]

I always thought that the variation between the two were the shape of the dorsal. I thought the oscelleris' dorsal kind of went out a little and to the top, kind of like a round shape. They had a bigger angle from the body of the fish. While percs had a little less of an angle, maybe 75 degree angle. Another that I saw was that percs are a little bit darker in their orange. It gives it a nice look because the conrast between the black and white make it look really nice. Personally I would get a true perc. I use to have a very beautiful one. They look so much better than oscelleris in my opinion. GET THE REAL THING!!!

 

[esmithiii]

Ocellaris is by far the best choice. They are the easiest to breed, slightly heartier, and they grow noticibly larger.

They look so much better than oscelleris in my opinion. GET THE REAL THING!!!

I have seen literally hundred of each and IMO only a trained breeder or biologist can tell the difference. I have even seen almost completely black ocellaris. It all depends on the specimine. I have personally visited the hatchery in Puerto Rico, and can tell you first hand that you can get light colored true perculas and dark colored ocellaris.

Ernie

 

[lawndoctor]

Ocellaris is . . . slightly heartier . . . .

Hardy? One of my A. perculas went over my overflow, through my entire filtration system, then turned up a week later in my sump with half his tail fin missing. The moment I put him back in the display he started following me around for food. His tail grew back within a few weeks. They don't get much hardier than that.

 

[LFS42]

don't go with the false ones, people can always tell.
you don't want to show off your tank and hope they don't notice you have falsies. Make sure you don't do alot of jumping too, that always gives it away. 8O


IMO, they are almost the same fish now-a-days

 

[esmithiii]

They don't get much hardier than that.

Actually they do. They are called Amphiprion ocellaris. According to Joyce Wilkerson and the folks at Sea Quest, the ocellaris are hardier than the Amphiprion percula.

Both species are quite hardy when tank raised, and are excellent choices for almost any marine aquarium.

Personally I often can't determine if a particular specimen is one or the other. You can get light-colored perculas or dark colored ocellaris.

As I said, the primary benefits to the ocellaris are first, they are marginally more hardy, second, they grow larger (I have seen a female over 5" at sea quest), they breed more easily in captivity and lastly, they are far less expensive.

Ernie

Ernie

 

[lawndoctor]

Ocellaris is by far the best choice. . . . Both species are quite hardy when tank raised and are excellent choices for almost any marine aquarium.

I think we're all with you on the latter statement, not the former.

 

[Anonymous]

Just flip a coin but get Tank Raised. Mine is doing great all by himself.no partner..no anemone. Tank Raised False Perc.

 

[esmithiii]

Good point on getting tank raised.

Ernie

 

[todd_nano]

I think I'll just get true percs, simply because they stay the smallest, and since its a small tank, the smaller the better I spose.
Thanks for the replies.