Help please, clown rapidly and markedly changing colour.

[Banff]

I have a pair of mature clowns that I have owned for 5 years (and they were a couple of years old when I got them). They have always been a mated pair and have always been exactly the same colour as each other. Over the last couple of weeks, the female has gotten noticeably and markedly darker (her usually bright orange areas are becoming black, particularly along her dorsal aspect). The male is the same colour he has always been.

There is a single anemone in the tank (we believe it is a Borneman anemone) and it has been in there and has been the host for this pair for at least 4 years.

Tank: 46G bowfront
Parameters: pH 8.2, SG 1.025, KH 300, Nitrates and Nitrites both undetectable, phosphates undetectable.

Recent changes: lighting massively upgraded, pumps moved around, generally much better tank maintenance going on over the last month than these clowns have seen in their lifetime, whole tank seems to be thriving.

Please forgive the picture quality and the sediment in the water, we had been messing with a pump and blew half of the sandbed into the water.

Questions:

1. Any idea why she is changing colour?

2. Could someone ID them for us? The person who gave them to us only referred to them as clowns and I am ashamed to admit, I don't even know if they are perculas or ocellaris.

 

[bues0022]

I'll give my answers in opposite of the way you asked.

2. those appear to be A. Percula clownfish.

1. Somewhat similar to us when we go out in the sun, when you massively upgraded the lighting the clownfish has responded by getting a "tan". Percs seem to be responsive to the amount of light in the tank. Those intimately familiar with Onyx percs in particular will definitely tell you this. Some Onyx are "tannable" which basically means they will develop a much better black coloration under higher lights.

Don't worry about the coloration. It may or may not last, but either way it has nothing to do with the health of the fish. They are VERY good looking clowns. Show us some more pictures of them!

 

[ExtremeClownfish]

Those are A.percula

The darkening is from your light upgrade. They should be even more pretty after they darken up!

 

[jt_milstead]

The more UV light the more black it will become.Nothing to be afraid of, its genetics....

 

[patriots81]

they are A. Perculas

 

[Banff]

Awesome, thanks so much for the information. The comment about them being very good-looking really made my day. How long do clownfish generally live? These ones are at least 7 years old. The female is really quite large, really way to large for the nem but she lays all over it anyway. Has anyone heard of a pair of clowns hosting in a Borneman's before?

 

[patriots81]

i have never heard of a borneman

 

[SNAKEMANVET]

The anemone looks like a rock/flower anemone.I have seen pics where they will host clowns.

 

[Coral Hind]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15682326#post15682326 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by patriots81
i have never heard of a borneman

The often called "Borneman anemone" is a Phymanthus buitendijki and was named after Eric Borneman who got it as a hitchiker in the mid 1990s. His friends who named it the "Borneman" have taken them and spread them all across the US and EU.

 

[JamesJR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15681804#post15681804 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Banff
Awesome, thanks so much for the information. The comment about them being very good-looking really made my day. How long do clownfish generally live? These ones are at least 7 years old. The female is really quite large, really way to large for the nem but she lays all over it anyway. Has anyone heard of a pair of clowns hosting in a Borneman's before?

Clownfish can live for a very long time. If your clowns are wild caught then you really have no way of knowing how old your fish are. I know of a pair that is over 20 years old.

 

[down and outman]

Saw my female clown darkening up and went looking for an answer. Just found this thread and you answered my concern. She eats well and appears healthy. So all is well. Thanks!

 

[Banff]

Update, clown continued to darken up and remains healthy and as bossy as ever!

 

[jt_milstead]

Nutrition, and lighting play a big part of coloration/darkening....

 

[elegance coral]

Those are perdy fish!:inlove:

 

[klaman13]

my female did the same thing when i upgraded my lights.