All fish / Pomacentridae

Wide-band Anemonefish

Amphiprion latezonatus

Also known as wideband clownfish, wide band anemonefish, wide-banded clownfish, latezonatus clownfish, latezonatus clown, wideband clown, ワイドバンドアネモネフィッシュ, 宽带双锯鱼, 宽带小丑鱼

This is a large, chunky clownfish with a dark brown body, a very broad white band through the middle, a thin head band, and a yellow tail and snout. It comes from cooler subtropical reefs and is rarely seen in shops, so keepers who want something different from the usual ocellaris value it highly. In the wild it lives with Heteractis crispa anemones, but in aquariums it often does fine without a host.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

21 to 26 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Single fish or a bonded pair

Diet

Omnivore: mysis and brine shrimp, chopped seafood, quality marine pellets and flakes, plus some algae-based food

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Subtropical eastern Australia (southern Queensland, New South Wales) and Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands

Breeding

It lays eggs on a hard surface close to its anemone, and the male looks after them until they hatch after about a week. Breeders have raised it in captivity on rotifers followed by newly hatched brine shrimp, but it is far less common than other clownfish and broodstock are hard to find.

Good to know

Adults can be territorial and grow larger than most clownfish, so only keep one pair per tank. It prefers slightly cooler water than many tropical reef fish, and wild or tank-bred specimens are usually expensive.