***!!!let's see those rare clownfish!!!!***

deangelr

deangelr

Clown Whisperererer
There has been a lot of chatter lately (deservedly so) about some of the spectacularly beautiful "designer" clowns. I certainly believe they belong at the discussion as some of the finest clowns available, and I know I wouldn't give up my pair...

This thread aims to shed some light on the diversity of clownfishes, and to show the beauty of what occurs naturally. Posting of pictures will help us get so know some of the clowns we don't get to see very often, and some may not even know exist. (I also spend way too much time googling around for clown pictures and so desperately need some new ones :) )..

Show us your rare and uncommon clowns.. I am talking about WILDTYPE clowns . Those that refer to a the standard of the species, or most common or "typical' alleles. For several species: clarkii, chrysopterus, bicinctus, tricinctus, etc.. there are many variations. These variations typically coincide with a particular geographic location.. I would call the normal/common variation of each geographic region the "wildtype," or standard for that particular variant or species...

Often times the most spectacular specimens are what were originally created by evolution and our natural world.... There are 28 species of clownfish (not counting barberi and pacificus..) and it appears most aquarists are only able to choose from the few species that are bred and produced in mass numbers by the very few commercial hatcheries that distribute to a limited number of online retailers and LFS's. I do enjoy my occellaris and percula, but there are many more species out there. I believe that if these species were to become more available for hobbyists, they would earn their footing in the aquariums and the breeding industry. A higher demand, created by buyers (aquarists), for a larger number of species will encourage breeders like ORA, SA, and others to procure and breed a wider variety of species for aquarists to select from.


The following are the fish that I believe qualify for this thread.. Please post any fish that you think might be unique to a particular geographic region and also uncommon in the trade.


*My grading system is a crapshoot at best, so feel free to disagree... I weighted each fish's availability in the aquarium trade most importantly. Second, I took into account how their range overlaps with common collection and exportation areas.

RAREST!!!

A. latifasciatus
A. omanensis
A. chagonensis
A. fuscocaudatus


RARE!!

(A)
A. mccullochi
A. thiellei
A. chrysogaster
(naturally occuring hybrids (lumped into one category))

(B)
A. Lecuokranos
A. latezonatus
(variants of bicinctis, tricinctis, and others I am sure I don't know of)


UNCOMMON! (probably most species of clownfishes or more than what I have listed)

(A)
A. tricinctus
A. allardi
A. bicinctus
A. chrysopterus
A. akynidos
A. rubrocinctus
(some clarkii variants)

(B)
A. akallopisos
A. nigripes
A. sebae
 
A fun list. You are forgetting A. percula and A. ocellaris. Additionally you might note that some clowns are uncommon in the wild, while some clowns are quite common in the wild, but just aren't commonly collected (A. omanensis, for example)
 
BonsaiNut said:
A fun list. You are forgetting A. percula and A. ocellaris. Additionally you might note that some clowns are uncommon in the wild, while some clowns are quite common in the wild, but just aren't commonly collected (A. omanensis, for example)
Click to expand...

I put in this little caviot..

"My grading system is a crapshoot at best.. I weighted each fish's availability in the aquarium trade most importantly..."

But I might argue with you on Omans being common in the wild. Their homerange is one of the smallest of all the clownfishes..

But yes, Please feel free to use your own grading system and include any fish you feel needs a little attention the clownfish world.
 
Ill go first

My Tricinctus pair in my solana
IMG_0286.jpg

IMG_0283.jpg

IMG_0285.jpg


Bicincutus. i love mine cause they have a lyretail thing going on with their dorsal fin. crappy shots cause they dont stay put for longer than a sec to take a pic. only female is shown

IMG_0275.jpg

IMG_0269.jpg


My fav pair of Latz. Female is over 5" and is very active and i cant believe i got a god shot on them.
IMG_0261.jpg

IMG_0262.jpg


i got other pairs, but these are my rarest and nicest ones. i lost a large and beautiful pair of CHrysopterus from a heater explosion . female was over 5" easy. large blue stripes and simply stunning. here is a pic when i first got them and i am sad i didnt take more before they died.
IMG_0507.jpg
 
Heres a bad cell phone picture of my melanopus. Not a rare species, but a rare morph lacking the white stripe.

<a href="http://s1002.photobucket.com/albums/af143/way2addicted/Mobile%20Uploads/?action=view&current=downsized_0723002118.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af143/way2addicted/Mobile%20Uploads/downsized_0723002118.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
2Addicted said:
Heres a bad cell phone picture of my melanopus. Not a rare species, but a rare morph lacking the white stripe.

<a href="http://s1002.photobucket.com/albums/af143/way2addicted/Mobile%20Uploads/?action=view&current=downsized_0723002118.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af143/way2addicted/Mobile%20Uploads/downsized_0723002118.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Click to expand...

I think we'd call that a "misbar" not a rare morph. It is easier to breed clowns with misbars (or no bars) than clowns with perfect bars.
 
2Addicted said:
Heres a bad cell phone picture of my melanopus. Not a rare species, but a rare morph lacking the white stripe.

<a href="http://s1002.photobucket.com/albums/af143/way2addicted/Mobile%20Uploads/?action=view&current=downsized_0723002118.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af143/way2addicted/Mobile%20Uploads/downsized_0723002118.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Click to expand...

I remember seeing a wild photo I think from the Coral Sea of a large group of melanopus where about half had a head stripe and half didn't. It seems to be a natural occuring variation. Very cool.
 
phender said:
I remember seeing a wild photo I think from the Coral Sea of a large group of melanopus where about half had a head stripe and half didn't. It seems to be a natural occuring variation. Very cool.
Click to expand...

oh ok I thought I had something special. If by any chance you happen to run across that picture again could you let me know?
 
Hello,

I would have said that A. mccullochi is also in the rarest as it is endemic from Lord howe Island which is UNESCO classified, therefore, there is few opportunity to see it in aquarium trade except illegally or if bred.

I do agree with the rest of your list
 
RouDaiLLe said:
Hello,

I would have said that A. mccullochi is also in the rarest as it is endemic from Lord howe Island which is UNESCO classified, therefore, there is few opportunity to see it in aquarium trade except illegally or if bred.

I do agree with the rest of your list
Click to expand...

The reason I didn't put Mcculloch's clownfish in the "rarest" category is because they are becoming more established in the trade.. I know of 4 people who have adult pairs of Mcc's in captivity. They are also showing up on LA more often since their pair has been breeding.. They are $500 for an F2 juvenile.. I would bet they are maturing pairs as we speak to sell at higher prices.. This fish is also more prevalent in Japan.. So, although they are perhaps one of the rarest clownfish in the wild , I have to put them 1 tier down from the those fish non existent in the trade.

I know of ZERO Chagos, ZERO Fusco's, and zero Lati's (although I know there are some of these). There are also at least 6 Oman's in the trade.. I know of 3 here in the states.. But I still keep them in the rarest category.
 
Hello,


It is not impossible that Amphiprion chagosensis has been already imported under the name of bicinctus because it has been seen in the past few years at Sharm El sheick (Egypt) under a darker morph.
Therefore, i am sure some people got a chago but think they got a bicinctus.

As regards, the lati, it has been probably imported from Kenya under a clarkii, and according to me the same comment than the above applied.

Omanensis, i agree it's rare because difficult to import as it is endemic from oman.

As regards the mccullochi, good to see that we can find some bred pairs, maybe one day i can afford one when it gets to Europe :)

Regards,
Rudy
 
Here are a few older pics of my Allardi. Came in as a pair and they started to fight. Don't think I've seen another Allardi local since, and that was 5 years ago.

DSC_0037.jpg


DSC00691.jpg


DSC00685.jpg
 
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