Mak

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Hi, Can anyone tell me what's the difference between the true Percula clownfish and the Ocellaris Clownfish?? And which one do you guys usuallly keep?
 

Quang

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http://saltaquarium.about.com/b/a/011496.htm

:)

For me, the best way is to pay attention to the black margins between the white bars. "True Percula" have thicker black margins which intensifies with age, whereas the "False Percs" [SIZE=-1]Ocellaris [/SIZE][SIZE=-1]do not.

[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]I've always had Ocellaris, because they're more readily available.[/SIZE][SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]
 
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I have True Percs but was told harder to keep thatn the false ones. Mine are tank bred so they are more readily adaptable to new tank and food.

Generally, you can tell by the black margin plus you can tell by the shape too. Even though similar in looks but the proportion of their features are different even at VERY young age. I also found that more oftenly the false ones are lighter in the orange than the true ones. If you have enough visual experience with the two, you will start to gain ability to tell. So, I would say, keep on watching more clowns everywhere you go, you will soon be able to tell the difference. :tongue:
 

meschaefer

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pecan2phat said:
If your really good, the bullet proof way is to count the spines on the dorsal fin.
Can't remember the numbers though.


That's might not be even bulletproof. I have read that the percula has ten spines, and the ocelleris (sp?) has eleven. But every source I have ever seen for this infomation indicates that it you sometimes find a percula with eleven and the ocelleris with ten spines.

Although, you sometimes can't tell the difference in a picture (you need to see the actual fish), take a picture of the fish and post it.
 

Quang

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http://saltaquarium.about.com/b/a/011496.htm
has the following info...

[SIZE=-1]
Percula Clownfish, Clown Anemonefish[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1](Amphiprion percula)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]Photo by Rob Borycki[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Because of its name, Amphiprion percula, it is the True Percula Clownfish.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Typically orange in color with three white bars, with the middle bar having a forward-projecting bulge.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Has 10 (rarely 9) dorsal spines.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Usually has jet black margins of varied widths around its white bars, often of which can be rather thick.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Distribution of this species in nature: Northern Queensland and Melanesia (New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu).[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]False Percula, Ocellaris Clownfish[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1](Amphiprion ocellaris)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-2]Photo by David Wade[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Typically orange in color with three white bars, with the middle bar having a forward-projecting bulge.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Has 11 (rarely 10) dorsal spines.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]The spinous (anterior) part of the dorsal fin is taller.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]May have no black margins present, but most often has thin, never thick black margins around its white bars.[/SIZE]
  • [SIZE=-2]Distribution of this species in nature: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Andaman Sea), Indo-Malayan Archipelago, Philippines, northwestern Australia; coast of Southeast Asia northwards to the Ryukyu Islands[/SIZE]
 

meschaefer

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I stand corrected on the spine count... I new that it wasn't difinitive, but I was wrong about the perc...it is 10 sometimes 9 spines... not 10 sometimes 11.
 

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