Color changing clowns.

[Gerald Garcia]

I purchased a pair of clowns (unsure of the type... forgot to ask) and within a week they began to show a dark black smoke like color behind their first and second white stripes. Is this common and if so, why does this happen? Is this permanent?

 

[DeniseAndy]

Clowns change colors as they age. Depending on the actual mutation (designer type). Could get very different from the juveniles. Those are very prett

 

[Gerald Garcia]

Clowns change colors as they age. Depending on the actual mutation (designer type). Could get very different from the juveniles. Those are very prett

Thank you DeniseAndy. I'm not even sure what type I have.

 

[Amoo]

Thank you DeniseAndy. I'm not even sure what type I have.

read my signature to try to figure it out. Typically though Perc tend to have more black then Occys but not always.

 

[4FordFamily]

read my signature to try to figure it out. Typically though Perc tend to have more black then Occys but not always.

I agree those look like typical Percula to me

 

[davocean]

Percula, and having darker color come in is often what many perc keepers seek out, some are specifically bred for darker colors.
Nice pair!

 

[AdamNC]

Here’s how you figure out what you have.

https://www.ocellarisclownfish.com/difference-between-ocellaris-and-percula-clownfish/

Excerpt from the site.

“There are a number of differences between the two species. Let’s take a look at a few:

• Dorsal fin spines: The True Percula Clown (Amphiprion percula) typically has 10 dorsal spines. These are the spines in the fin on the very top of the fish. The False Percula (Amphiprion ocellaris) has 11 dorsal fin spines. On rare occasions the A. percula will have 9 dorsal spines and the A. ocellaris will have 10. However, in general, the True Percula will have 10 and the False Percula 11. Also, the back part of the dorsal fin is generally taller on the False Percula (Ocellaris) than it is on the True Percula.
• Black outlines: False Perculas often have much less black outlining their white strips. Sometimes it may look as though there is no black at all, but there is almost always at least a thin black outline adjacent to the white stripes. The True Percula, on the other hand, usually has thicker black stripes outlining the white stripes on their body. This is generally true of standard clownfish, although colorations and patterns can vary greatly from one fish to another. Therefore, this is not a true test one way or the other. It is a good piece of evidence though, when taking into account the other differences.
• Eye color: Another way to tell the difference between the two species is often the color of the eye. On the True Percula, the eye shows more orange color to it surrounding the pupil. Conversely, the Ocellaris clownfish has more black surrounding the pupil.”

 

[Idoc]

I suspect copper treatments fade their color. When i ran my clowns through 30 days of copper, their colors faded drastically due to the stress. Once out of quarantine, it took a month but their original beautiful dark colors became well pronounced again. Many LFS run small amounts of copper in their tanks... maybe this are initially a little faded from that. Now, they are happy, being fed properly, less stressed... bringing their vibrant colors back again. They look great!

 

[davocean]

I'm not sure about the copper, but most percs if not all get darker w/ age, how much so may vary.
Most of us prefer the dark color coming in, more the better IMO

 

[davocean]

Here's pics of my Donisreef picasso's I had 5.5 years, they are a percula variant, this shows the transformation over the years from when I first got them as babies.

 

[GSnake]

My dominant clown has gotten darker since I got him. I've also heard it's a natural thing that happens because of anemone sting immune response. Not sure about this though... Cause don't have one myself

 

[davocean]

My dominant clown has gotten darker since I got him. I've also heard it's a natural thing that happens because of anemone sting immune response. Not sure about this though... Cause don't have one myself

Your dominant clown is a she not a he.

I had a number of clowns that got darker even w/out an anemone host, and I've actually had percs lose color when given a BTA for some reason, and I've seen a number of other nem/clown keepers experience the same thing, not sure why.
That's actually the reason I swapped to different nems for these guys way back when, after losing some black, I removed BTA's, and before I could even find the new host nem I wanted their black started coming back in.

 

[Gerald Garcia]

Clowns change colors as they age. Depending on the actual mutation (designer type). Could get very different from the juveniles. Those are very prett

Thank you. I like them as well. Seems like the change slowed down.

 

[Gerald Garcia]

Here’s how you figure out what you have.

https://www.ocellarisclownfish.com/difference-between-ocellaris-and-percula-clownfish/

Excerpt from the site.

“There are a number of differences between the two species. Let’s take a look at a few:

• Dorsal fin spines: The True Percula Clown (Amphiprion percula) typically has 10 dorsal spines. These are the spines in the fin on the very top of the fish. The False Percula (Amphiprion ocellaris) has 11 dorsal fin spines. On rare occasions the A. percula will have 9 dorsal spines and the A. ocellaris will have 10. However, in general, the True Percula will have 10 and the False Percula 11. Also, the back part of the dorsal fin is generally taller on the False Percula (Ocellaris) than it is on the True Percula.
• Black outlines: False Perculas often have much less black outlining their white strips. Sometimes it may look as though there is no black at all, but there is almost always at least a thin black outline adjacent to the white stripes. The True Percula, on the other hand, usually has thicker black stripes outlining the white stripes on their body. This is generally true of standard clownfish, although colorations and patterns can vary greatly from one fish to another. Therefore, this is not a true test one way or the other. It is a good piece of evidence though, when taking into account the other differences.
• Eye color: Another way to tell the difference between the two species is often the color of the eye. On the True Percula, the eye shows more orange color to it surrounding the pupil. Conversely, the Ocellaris clownfish has more black surrounding the pupil.”

Thanks

 

[BestMomEver]

Get Clarkii...the best clowns ever.

 

[Chad_P]

Get Clarkii...the best clowns ever.

I’ll second that. After having nothing but percs and occellaris I picked up a pair of clarkiis for my 180. Seemed so be a little more active and personable, and fairly quickly.

 

[Gerald Garcia]

Here's pics of my Donisreef picasso's I had 5.5 years, they are a percula variant, this shows the transformation over the years from when I first got them as babies.

Wow! I see what you mean.

Say, what type of anemone is that? Its beautiful.

 

[davocean]

Wow! I see what you mean.

Say, what type of anemone is that? Its beautiful.

LTA/ M.doreensis, sand dwelling nem

 

[Gerald Garcia]

LTA/ M.doreensis, sand dwelling nem

Nice. I need to see if i can get that for mine. All i have is a tiny Frog spawn.

 

[Gerald Garcia]

LTA/ M.doreensis, sand dwelling nem

This Frogspawn is the only thing i have for my clowns and they are not using it.