Maroon clown fish (Spine Cheeked) Premnas biaculeatus

Gold Stripe Maroon clownfish Premnas epigramma

(Sumatran clownfish)

Maroon Clownfish Gold Stripe Maroon Clownfish

Natural Range tangled in the net when catching. They do not

Maroon clownfish are found in the Indo-Pacific need a host anemone to survive, but are gen-
and Great Barrier Reef and the Gold Stripe erally not fussy about what type of anemone
Maroon clownfish is found in Sumatra, Indo- they live in if one is provided. The Gold Stripe
nesia. clownfish is a recent discovery to the genus
Premnas. Captive bred Goldstripe Maroons
Max. Size and Longevity take a while to develop the gold colouration of
It can reach a maximum size of 17 cm and it the stripes, it usually occurs a while after they
can live for more than six years in captivity. have paired up in an established tank.

Water Parameters Sexing and Breeding

o
Temperature: 24 C - 26 C o Maroon clownfish have successfully bred in
pH: 8.0 – 8.4 captivity. Males are redder, and diminutive in
Specific gravity: 1.020-1.025 appearance and less aggressive when com-
pared to the females. Clown fish are protan-
Feeding drous hermaphrodites, meaning they have
They are very good eaters. Feed them a var- the ability to change sex when the dominant
ied diet of fresh meaty chopped foods, live female dies or is removed from the tank. A
and frozen brine and mysis shrimp, Tetra larger male will turn into a female and develop
flakes and pellets. a deep maroon colour as the transition takes
place, the most dominant juvenile in the tank
Compatibility will then transform into a male.
They become very territorial as they mature
and are best kept as an individuals or as a Handy Hints for success
mated pair. They are more suited with bold Tank bred fish are hardier than wild caught
tank mates such as angelfish, tangs triggerfish fish but both are very aggressive. It is best to
and wrasses. They will harass small peaceful keep an eye on them to observe any territorial
fish (including other clownfish species). behaviour. To curb their aggression, either
add them last to the tank or rearrange the dé-
Colour and Varieties cor when introducing them in to the tank.
Maroon clownfish have striking deep maroon
colour with three distinctive white stripes on Common diseases or problems
them. The Gold Stripe clownfish is very similar Clownfish caught from the wild are susceptible
apart from the bands which are thicker and to diseases such as white spot (Cryptocaryon
yellow in colour. Both species are available irritans), velvet (Oodinium ocellatum) and
as captive bred and wild caught. brooklynella hostilis. White spot and velvet
can be treated with a copper based remedy
General Information and brooklynella can be treated with a mul-
The two spines on the gill cover give the ma- ticure (ensure invertebrates are not present
roon clown fish its species name biaculeatus with both medications). It is best to quarantine
(meaning spine cheek), which also poses a your fish before putting them in your main sys-
handling problem as the spines can become tem.

Care Sheet Supplied by Aquarium Industries Pty Ltd. Marine

Copyright © June 2008. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited.
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