Fun Animals News: Clown Fish

Clownfish fascinations went double with the release of Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo, in 2003, telling the tale of how an overly protective clownfish father risked his life in rescuing his “kidnapped” son.

An inspiring story giving emphasis over what parents would do and risk just to be their for their young, Finding Nemo was a huge hit, not just for Disney/Pixar, but also for clown fishes all over the world.

Dispelling certain traits which are associated with clownfish – like how Marlin, Nemo’s dad, turn out to be a clownfish with a bland sense of humor – the movie shares a lot about natural clown fish traits, like their unique relationship with sea anemones.

Of course, that is not all there is to tell about clownfishes. Here are some more clownfish facts:

Generally, clownfish are part of a group/type of fish known as damselfish. They are inshore reef dwellers, and are typically found in tropical waters. Mother clownfish are known to lay eggs near anemones, which are often located on the base of corral reefs.

When it comes to overprotective fathers, clownfish have that role perfected, given the fact that a male clownfish would guard eggs spawned in batches until they hatch. Some male clownfish species are even known to take active care of their young, which pretty much says a lot about Marlin and his relationship with Nemo.

In terms of their diet, clownfish work with sea anemones, given that they are immune to the stings of an anemone’s tentacles. Given their vibrant colors, hence the source of their name, they would swim around in an arc close to where a sea anemone is, luring predators close to them.

Once a predator is drawn to them, they’d simply swim back towards the sea anemone, which would then do the deed of capturing prey for clownfish.

As a fish variety, they are protected by most governments, given that they play a vital role in the natural symbiotic balance of marine corral reef life.

Basically, this means that having clownfish in aquariums is not as easy as what the dentist in Finding Nemo did.

But still, after seeing the movie, would you still want to take a baby clownfish from his dad?

Clown Fish Pictures