Ocellaris or Percula poll
- Thread starter DustinDorton
- Start date
I guessed ocellaris, only because I think it's a trick question. 
It sure looks like a perc to me. Isn't there a foolproof way to ID them with their dorsal spines, something like one species has 9 and one has 10? And if this is true, how many dorsal spines do the hybrids have?
It sure looks like a perc to me. Isn't there a foolproof way to ID them with their dorsal spines, something like one species has 9 and one has 10? And if this is true, how many dorsal spines do the hybrids have?
Technically the difference between the two has little to do with
coloration - most of the clowns show coloration variation throug-
hout their range. The real difference is in the number of fin rays
in the dorsal fin:
A. ocellaris has 11 (but in rare individuals 10) fin rays
in the dorsal fin.
A. percula has 10 (but in rare individuals 9).
http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/blank/blpercula.htm
coloration - most of the clowns show coloration variation throug-
hout their range. The real difference is in the number of fin rays
in the dorsal fin:
A. ocellaris has 11 (but in rare individuals 10) fin rays
in the dorsal fin.
A. percula has 10 (but in rare individuals 9).
http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/blank/blpercula.htm
Even if you count the fin rays, you could still make the mistake of calling an ocellaris a percula. The ocellaris can have as many as the percula. Its a lot easier when you have both species side by side. . .
Most people go by color, which can get tricky. Especially when you have sources like the one you posted Jime that say that ocellaris never has black bordered bars. That is completely wrong.
Most people go by color, which can get tricky. Especially when you have sources like the one you posted Jime that say that ocellaris never has black bordered bars. That is completely wrong.
Amphiprion percula. I'm certainly willing to be wrong but it has characteristics that speak strongly of percula. First is the overall amount of black on the body. Then there is the color - perculas seem to be more reddish-orange while ocellaris seem to be more yellowish-orange. Look at the wide black border on the pectoral and anal fins...that spells percula to me.
John_Brandt":3utizpn8 said:
I have seen completely black ocellaris clownfish before, so color is not a really good indicator.
I was wrong about the all black clowns being exclusively A. Ocellaris though: Here is a link to a very dark A. Percula: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/totm/index.htm
Here is a link to a completely black A. Ocellaris: http://www.marinedepotlive.com/tanraismelcl.html
I feel that coloration is almost always an excellent indicator of which is which. There are exceptional individuals that look somewhat ambiguous, but I can tell nearly all of these fishes apart in a very quick glance.
The "black ocellaris" don't have much (or any) orange, when they show color it is generally yellowish. The very dark perculas seem to always show some orange, though it may appear as burnt-orange.
The more time you spend around these fish the easier it is to differentiate them.
The "black ocellaris" don't have much (or any) orange, when they show color it is generally yellowish. The very dark perculas seem to always show some orange, though it may appear as burnt-orange.
The more time you spend around these fish the easier it is to differentiate them.
I personally have seen Ocellaris clownfish that have the same coloration as the above fish. Most breeders breed for darker A. Perculas and lighter A. Ocellaris, but in nature there is almost complete overlap of coloration between the two species, even though A. Ocellaris are generally lighter in color.
If you can tell the difference based on coloration alone, then maybe you should write a book on clownfish too, because according to Joyce Wilkerson, author of Clownfishes, she can't.
Either way, that is a beautiful fish, and I won't be at all embarrassed if I am wrong. It could go either way.
Ernie
If you can tell the difference based on coloration alone, then maybe you should write a book on clownfish too, because according to Joyce Wilkerson, author of Clownfishes, she can't.
Either way, that is a beautiful fish, and I won't be at all embarrassed if I am wrong. It could go either way.
Ernie
The ranges supposedly do not overlap. True percs are found in the north western part of Australia, up around New Guinea then out further west to about the Vanuatu area. Ocellaris are found on the north east coast of australia, through indonesia and up to the japan area.
The only place they really come close to touching would be the north east end of new guinea.
This is all assuming the distribution maps for the species are accurate.
Also Matt, I doubt that hybrid ocellaris/percula would be sterile. Take leucokranos for example. They have proven that it is a hybrid, yet two leucokranos juveniles, can spawn and produce more leucokranos clowns. The "rule" of sterile offspring is sorta blurred in clownfish. Another crazy example of hybrids would be a cross between ocellaris and maroon clowns. They arent even in the same genus.
The only place they really come close to touching would be the north east end of new guinea.
This is all assuming the distribution maps for the species are accurate.
Also Matt, I doubt that hybrid ocellaris/percula would be sterile. Take leucokranos for example. They have proven that it is a hybrid, yet two leucokranos juveniles, can spawn and produce more leucokranos clowns. The "rule" of sterile offspring is sorta blurred in clownfish. Another crazy example of hybrids would be a cross between ocellaris and maroon clowns. They arent even in the same genus.
Matt, I know that ocellaris and percula can interbreed and have a viable spawn. I do not know of anyone who has tried to spawn the resulting offspring.
I used leucokranos as an example, Jameso had some success raising them, as did Fernando at Scripps. While some disagree, leucokranos was pretty much proven to be a hybrid of chrysopterus and sandaracinos.
Yes maroon/ocellaris hybrids have been made. A "basement" breeder in Florida was able to do it, the pair just started to spawn one day in his tank. They were a colored like a normal ocellaris, maybe a bit dirty looking, and they had a cheek spine.
I used leucokranos as an example, Jameso had some success raising them, as did Fernando at Scripps. While some disagree, leucokranos was pretty much proven to be a hybrid of chrysopterus and sandaracinos.
Yes maroon/ocellaris hybrids have been made. A "basement" breeder in Florida was able to do it, the pair just started to spawn one day in his tank. They were a colored like a normal ocellaris, maybe a bit dirty looking, and they had a cheek spine.
Dustin,
Occasionally over the past 15 years or so I would see a very odd clownfish imported from the Philippines. I know all the species of clowns very well and this one was a true oddity.
It appears to be a hybrid of frenatus and ocellaris, or possibly frenatus with Premnas. There was one in a display tank at International Seaboard (now closed) here in Chicago for at least 3 years. I probably have seen 6 of these fish in 15 years. I never took a picture, though I always had planned to.
The ocellaris complex and the frenatus have two different body shapes. This fish appeared to have a near-perfect blend of the two. It has two nearly-straight narrow white bars, but the even reddish color is unlike either species. The dorsal fin is deeply-notched. There is no gill spine.
It's either a natural wild hybrid or an undescribed species. I suspect it's the former, but I can't decide what it would be a hybrid of.
Occasionally over the past 15 years or so I would see a very odd clownfish imported from the Philippines. I know all the species of clowns very well and this one was a true oddity.
It appears to be a hybrid of frenatus and ocellaris, or possibly frenatus with Premnas. There was one in a display tank at International Seaboard (now closed) here in Chicago for at least 3 years. I probably have seen 6 of these fish in 15 years. I never took a picture, though I always had planned to.
The ocellaris complex and the frenatus have two different body shapes. This fish appeared to have a near-perfect blend of the two. It has two nearly-straight narrow white bars, but the even reddish color is unlike either species. The dorsal fin is deeply-notched. There is no gill spine.
It's either a natural wild hybrid or an undescribed species. I suspect it's the former, but I can't decide what it would be a hybrid of.
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