Clown Anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) - Marine Life - Liveaboard Diving
Clown Anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) - Marine Life - Liveaboard Diving

Clown Anemonefish

Made famous in the movie Finding Nemo*, the Clown Anemonefish is one of the reef's most-popular inhabitants. Like most anemonefish, this species lives in a matriarchal group, with the largest member being the dominant female. She is the only female, and she mates with just one of the group, all of which are males. If the breeding male dies, one of the lesser males is promoted to his place. If the dominant female dies, the 'alpha'/breeding male changes gender and becomes the dominant female. Then one of the lesser males takes his place.

*Actually, the movie and this species are 'just Hollywood' because Amphrion ocellaris lives in SoutEast Asia and the very northern parts of Australia, but the movie is set in Sydney. There's another species that lives off the coast of Queensland, which is Amphiprion percula. A.percula and A.ocellaris are distinguishable by percula having thicker black stripes separating their orange & white areas.

Clown Anemonefish in its anemone, which protects it from predators
Clown Anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Clown Anemonefish
A group of Clown Anemonefish in their host anemone
Credit: Glen Ashby
Clown Anemonefish
Clown Anemonefish
Credit: Emm Praphanakpitak
Clown Anemonefish in Thailand
Clown Anemonefish in Thailand
Credit: Karn Aikwanich
Clown Anemonefish in Thailand
Clown Anemonefish in Thailand
Credit: Ton Chaloempol
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi Thailand
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi Thailand
Credit: Ton Chaloempol
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Bida Nok, Koh Phi Phi
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Bida Nok, Koh Phi Phi
Credit: Emm Praphanakpitak
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Bida Nok, Koh Phi Phi
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Bida Nok, Koh Phi Phi
Credit: Ton Chaloempol
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi
Credit: Oom Boonraksa
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi
Credit: Oom Boonkraksa
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi Thailand
Clown Anemonefish at Koh Phi Phi Thailand
Credit: Emm Praphanakpitak
Clown Anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris
Scientific Rank
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata (Chordates)
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes (Perch-Like Fish)
Family: Pomacentridae (Pomacentridae)
Genus: Amphiprion (Amphiprion)
Species: Amphiprion ocellaris
Size
Average Size: 7 centimetres - 10 centimetres

No Troubles Just Bubbles' divers who recently saw Clown Anemonefish

Łukaszewicz
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Koon 9
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Oct 2024
Justin
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Lapat
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Richelieu Rock
When: Apr 2024
Dad & Son
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Marco Polo
Trip destinations: Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Apr 2024
Elise and Romain
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Andaman
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock
When: Apr 2024
Perry
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Andaman
Trip destinations: Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Tachai, Koh Bon, Similan Islands
When: Mar 2024
Carsten
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Bavaria
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock
When: Feb 2024
Brian
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Dolphin Queen
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Feb 2024
Fran
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Pawara
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Feb 2024
Robert
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Explorer
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Tachai, Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock
When: Feb 2024
Jayson
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Lapat
Trip destinations: Koh Tachai, Surin Islands, Richelieu Rock
When: Jan 2024
Shane
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: The Junk
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck
When: Jan 2024
Julianne Coates
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: The Junk
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck
When: Jan 2024
John
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: The Junk
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck
When: Jan 2024
Natalia G
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Koon 9
Trip destinations: Richelieu Rock, Surin Islands, Koh Tachai
When: Jan 2024
Cinny
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Camic
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck, 813 Wreck
When: Jan 2024
Manon
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Merdeka 1
Trip destinations: Phuket, Koh Phi Phi
When: Dec 2023
Be
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Manta Queen 2
Trip destinations: Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck
When: Dec 2023
Greg
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Koon 9
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Dec 2023
Ria
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Sawasdee Fasai
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Dec 2023
Dorothy Lim
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Pawara
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Dec 2023
Robert
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Blue Marlin
Trip destinations: Koh Tachai
When: Dec 2023
Kent Hoddle
Spotted in: Maldives Maldives
Diving from boat: MV Emperor Serenity
Trip destinations: North Male Atoll, South Male Atoll, Ari Atoll, Rasdhoo Atoll, Vaavu Atoll
When: Nov 2023
John kelly
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Pawara
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Nov 2023
Veerle
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Dolphin Queen
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: May 2023
Toennies
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Camic
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck, 813 Wreck
When: Apr 2023
Lenny Ng
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Camic
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck, 813 Wreck
When: Apr 2023
Michelle
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Manta Queen 7
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck
When: Apr 2023
Mark
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Lapat
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Richelieu Rock
When: Mar 2023
Scott
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Deep Andaman Queen
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Feb 2023
Tanja
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: MV Bavaria
Trip destinations: Similan Islands
When: Jan 2023
Sandy Boe
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Lapat
Trip destinations: Koh Bon, Richelieu Rock, Surin Islands
When: Dec 2022
Cailyn
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: The Junk
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Boonsung Wreck
When: Nov 2022
Dani N
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Merdeka 3
Trip destinations: Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Koh Phi Phi
When: Sep 2022
Mike
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Merdeka 3
Trip destinations: Racha Yai, Racha Noi, Koh Phi Phi
When: Aug 2022
Joel Rajesh
Spotted in: Thailand Thailand
Diving from boat: Andaman
Trip destinations: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock
When: Apr 2022

Have you ever seen Clown Anemonefish when diving?
Is there anything you would like to add or change about the Clown Anemonefish?
Let us know your thoughts by adding a comment below.
Free Scuba Diver!
T-shirt & wrist band
+ Drybag or Beach towel