Amphiprion Percula
Scientific Name : Amphiprion Percula
Origin : Vanuatu, Soloman Islands, Australia
Temperament : Mostly Peaceful
Temperature : 72F - 82F
Maximum Size : 3 Inches
Diet : Omnivore
Difficulty : Easy
Reef Safe : Yes
Tank Size : 20 Gallons
Amphiprion Percula along with Amphiprion Ocellaris make up the most famous and recognizable clown fish in the marine aquarium hobby. They are known as the True percula while their close cousin goes by the less than stellar nickname of false percula.
To the casual observer, both of them look entirely alike. However, there are some differences. Amphiprion Percula has 10 dorsal spines instead of 11 like Amphiprion Ocellaris does. The black outlines around their white bars are also somewhat different. Percula has thicker black outlines that are prominent while the outlines on Ocellaris is somewhat faded.
They are collected from some parts of Australia, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Generally rarer than the ocellaris, they usually cost more as a result. Juveniles can cost up to $20 per fish while larger adults can go for around $30 per specimen. Prices will vary from store to store.
Like the ocellaris, Amphiprion Percula has been bred in captivity in large numbers by both commercial operations and home breeders. You may come across some tank raised specimens from time to time but expect to pay a bit higher for them.
The added costs is well worth it as they are very well acclimated to life within four glass walls since they were born and raised in such setttings. They will also be feeding by the time they reach the store. Given a choice between a wild percula and a tank raised specimen, always choose tank bred fish. After all, whats a few more dollars for a stronger specimen?
Clown fish are some of the easiest marine ornamental fish to keep in the marine aquarium. Very hardy, they adapt well to life in captivity and will feed on a wide variety of foods with little to no trouble.
Because they are such easy fish to feed, we can begin planning the best diet for them. The key is to keep things varied to they get all the nutrients they need from an assortment of foods. While primarily carnivores, they will earn to eat vegetable matter as well.
Get them on a good pellet food like those produced by * New Life Spectrum. These pellets are very well balanced and highly reputable. Some meaty frozen foods to offer include * Mysis Shrimp, * Frozen Krill
and * Prime Reef which is a great seafood mix which includes squid, scallops, lobster, shrimp along with various vitamins ans supplements added in. If you feed your clown fish the above mentioned foods daily, they will go on to lead long and healthy lives.
Amphiprion Percula obtain a maximum length of about 3 inches. This makes them suitable for nano aquariums as small as 20 gallons. If an anemone is present, they hardly need any space at all mainly because they are a site attached fish in the wild that rarely stray too far from their host.
However, they will do perfectly fine without an anemone. If you are thinking of keeping an anemone, ensure that you have strong lighting, good flow and good water quality. Too many perish in captivity because buyers did not read up on the care and husbandry of these long lived creatures.
Always a great choice for any marine aquarium except large predator fish tanks, Amphiprion Percula is a colorful clown fish that is suitable for both veterans of the hobby as well as those that are just starting out.
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