All fish / Pomacentridae

Maldives Anemonefish

Amphiprion nigripes

Also known as blackfoot clownfish, black-footed clownfish, maldives clownfish, blackfin clownfish, black foot anemonefish, nigripes clownfish, モルディブアネモネフィッシュ, 黑足双锯鱼, 黑足小丑鱼

This clownfish has a warm orange to bronze body with one thin white bar behind the eye and black pelvic and anal fins. It is less common in the trade than the ocellaris clownfish, so keepers prize it for its subtle colouring and its close bond with the magnificent sea anemone.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

A single pair

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Maldives, Sri Lanka and the Laccadive Islands (Indian Ocean)

Breeding

Pairs lay eggs on hard surfaces near their anemone and the male guards them until they hatch after about a week. Captive breeding has been achieved but is less routine than for common clownfish, and the larvae need rotifers and then newly hatched brine shrimp.

Good to know

In the wild it lives almost only with Heteractis magnifica, a demanding anemone that needs strong light and flow, though it can survive without one. Females grow larger and pairs can turn territorial towards other clownfish.