All fish / Pomacentridae

Saddleback Clownfish

Amphiprion polymnus

Also known as saddleback clownfish, saddleback anemonefish, saddle anemonefish, saddleback clown, yellowfin anemonefish, polymnus clownfish, black saddleback clownfish, ปลาการ์ตูนอานม้า, トウアカクマノミ, ikan badut pelana, 鞍斑双锯鱼, 鞍背小丑鱼

A dark brown to blackish clownfish with a white bar behind the head and a slanted white saddle running up into the dorsal fin, often with an orange face and belly. In the wild it lives with sand-dwelling anemones such as Heteractis crispa and Stichodactyla haddoni in silty lagoons and seagrass beds. Keepers like it for its unusual saddle marking and bold character, and captive-bred fish are increasingly available.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

11 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

8.1 to 8.4

Smallest tank

110 litres

Keep as

A single fish or a bonded pair

Diet

Omnivore: marine pellets and flakes, 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

Western Pacific: Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, southern Japan, New Guinea, northern Australia, Solomon Islands

Breeding

Pairs lay adhesive eggs on a hard surface near their anemone and the male guards them until they hatch after about a week. Captive breeding is well established, though rearing the larvae needs rotifers and live plankton and takes some care.

Good to know

Can become territorial and nippy when paired or hosting, so avoid keeping it with other clownfish in small tanks. Its natural host anemones are demanding, but the fish does well without one; wild-caught specimens are harder to settle than captive-bred ones.