⌛ The real Nemo

We got these 3 clown fish outside the house, I know what they are, but are they male or female?

 

the big one is always the female

again, an average fishbook answers this question, or a propper Dive-Instructor

 

Sorry Rhoody , this time you are wrong...

Some correction is realy on its place here RHOODY . With this fish it is very easy to see what is the male or female.
MALE have a more pointing to the Gill middle white band . the one of the female is very much roundshaped.....
The BREEDING FEMALE ONLY !! in the group is the biggest while other are smaller. the male is somewhat smaller BUT when the BREEDING FEMALE goes Patay , this LARGEST male will undergo metamorphosis and become a MATURE FEMALE !!! All smaller ones in the group then will be "ranged up" one step on the ladder...
Close related to this Amphiprion OCCELARIS is the pretty much simular A. PERCULA , which is rarely found in the Phils but plentyfull on BIJAK in Indonesia and also plentyfull in Australia . Just very solid colors with A. occelartis can confuse to keep then for A. Percula , BUT !! by count of the DORSAL Spines one can only be sure.
Since 1958 This type of clownfish have been bred in the Public Aquarium WILHELMA STUTTGART ( Germany) and now amongst others in massive production in the Netherlands where I come from , but also in DENMARK !!! UK and the USA..I have been breeding this type myself for many many years . There is available a Video about me breeding clownfish ( amongst others) in the UK ,Germany , France and The Netherlands...

 

A sex change!?!

 

A change of sex is not unusuall with several kinds of fish.. One can find it for instance with Anthias kinds and also with Angelfish belonging to the Family of GENICANTHUS... The majority however change from FEMALE to productive Males. If have seen many of those metamorphosis in my own facilities throughout the over 30 years I am working with fish ( amongst others sealife )

Picutures of a small section of the facility in Manila

 

this strategy is usually to have the largest most dominant individual pass on the most genes - the largest male can impregnate many smaller females
... the female is the largest in groups where the dominant female is the only breeder - this limited breeding is usually due to lack of additional habitat for the young
nothing kinky about it - it's just a way to insure the fittest of the species represent future generations

 

Earl, great stuff, but I am not so wrong, the big one is the the female, and thats basic knowledge (or should be), You explained it very detailed, but coming back to the posted picture there it is obvious.
As I am diving here each day and know some clown-population, I saw some nice behavior changes in terms of protecting the nest and role change...

cheers

Rhoody

 

Well gentlemen as we can combine all results , it seems all pieces fit perfect together and all of us three are right....

 

More about Nemo.........

Some , not so nice pictures from my facility here in Manila. One MALE Amphprion occelaris ( notice the very pointy middle band ).. and some juvenile " nemos " .bred at my facility . Due to the Disney Picture Finding Nemo , the world demand for this aquariumfish is so big , that breeding them is very profitable , indeed.
Hoiw to filter such a facilty you can see on the other pictures attached...

 

I am actually encouraged by the picture of the breeding clowns - it might reduce the pressure on the wild populations - clownfish are so easy to catch.
Blue tangs are also in greater demand now thanks to Dory -can they be bred?
Do you remember clownfish city at the Apo marine reserve ? Hundreds of clownfish on one coral head - 4 X 4 meter completely covered with anenomes and clowns - it was unique in the world as far as I know - it was said the clownfish moved away because of the numbers of divers looking at them - thats why they now limit the number of visitors to the preserve .... but it is also rumored that it was tropical fish collectors that did the deed - there are lots of clownfish in the preserve but not so many on one coral head like before .... this country can be frustrating at times