Clownfish

Clownfish or anemonefishes (genus Amphiprion) are saltwater fish found in the warm tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. They mainly inhabit coral reefs and typically show white vertical bars on a red, orange, yellow, brown or black background. Clownfish developed a symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationship with sea anemones: they rely on anemones for shelter and protection, and in return they help protect the anemone from anemone-eating fish, clean and fan it, and attract beneficial microorganisms with their waste.

Clownfish are omnivorous and mostly feed on plankton. They live in groups consisting of a breeding female and breeding male plus non-breeding individuals, organized by a size-based dominance hierarchy. If the breeding female disappears, the breeding male changes sex and becomes the new breeding female while others move up the hierarchy. For reproduction, the female deposits eggs on a rock near the anemone and the male fertilises them. After hatching, larvae disperse into the open ocean and later settle on the bottom, searching for an anemone host as juveniles.

Their recognisable colour patterns and social behaviour have made them popular in the aquarium trade and in popular culture.

The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Okinawa, Coral Coast, Viti Levu, Rakiraki and Vatu-i-Ra / Bligh Water and countries such as Japan, Australia, Thailand for divers building trips around clownfish.