All fish / Pomacentridae

Tomato Clownfish

Amphiprion frenatus

Also known as tomato clown, red clownfish, bridled clownfish, fire clownfish, red saddleback clownfish, tomato anemonefish, frenatus clown, blackback tomato clown, ปลาการ์ตูนแดง, ปลาการ์ตูนมะเขือเทศ, ikan badut tomato, ハマクマノミ

This is a stocky clownfish that is bright orange-red. Adults have one white bar just behind the eye, and females darken to almost black along the flanks. It is hardy, takes most foods readily and will often host in a bubble-tip anemone, so it suits beginners setting up a first reef tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

Singly or as one bonded pair

Diet

Omnivore: marine pellets and flakes, frozen mysis and brine shrimp, chopped seafood and some algae-based foods

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Pacific: southern China, Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand

Breeding

Pairs lay eggs on a flat surface next to their anemone, and the male guards them until they hatch after about a week. Breeding is common in captivity, but the larvae have to be reared on rotifers and then newly hatched brine shrimp, so raising them takes some effort.

Good to know

Adult females become territorial and can bite tankmates and keepers, so keep only one pair and do not house it with other clownfish in smaller tanks. Captive-bred fish are widely sold and should be chosen over wild-caught ones.