Lots of black on Perculas?

[forddna]

Is it normal for there to be this much black on a young wild caught Percula? I bought this pair back in June.

The Pair - pic taken June 23:

And each of them, pics taken yesterday:

 

[forddna]

The reason I ask is that I haven't seen any with such bold black, especially that space between the stripes, on such small, young clowns. But I'm a newb, so enlighten me.

 

[Slakker]

If they're wild caught they could be several years old. In the wild clowns outside of the dominant pair are held in gender limbo, which means they can remain quite small for many years.

While these clowns could be true juveniles, it's just as likely that they're 3 or 4 years old.

 

[forddna]

Oh wow..okay, thanks!

 

[forddna]

So will they grow now, or are they permanently stunted, if they are adults?

 

[HappySkittles]

i thought true percula always had alot of black on them
false percula had less black
so maybe they are just true percula clown fish

 

[forddna]

I read that the true Percula has bold black lines along the white stripes and false has minimal black trim around the white stripes.

But, for example, a baby black onyx can look like my fish.

 

[GSMguy]

your fish will grow. and get more black.

 

[forddna]

cool~ty!

 

[Slakker]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13231283#post13231283 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HappySkittles
i thought true percula always had alot of black on them
false percula had less black
so maybe they are just true percula clown fish

Coloration alone is a terrible way to determine species, as often percula clowns have a very small amount of black as well.

 

[elegance coral]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13233038#post13233038 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
your fish will grow. and get more black.

Are you sure they will get more black? I have three small wild caught perc's just like forddna's. I've only had them for about a month, but I was thinking the coloration may be set. I honestly don't know though.

 

[forddna]

That would be cool if they stayed kind of half true perc looking and half onyx. Sort of stuck in a growing stage of onyx.

 

[elegance coral]

This is the thread where I asked the same question a while back.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1438848

 

[A sea K]

My Percs had a good amount of black when I got them. I had hoped they would develop more into the Onyx coloration but the opposite has happened. They must be mature at this point as they mate regularly.

 

[gpsmart]

Coloration can vary dramatically depending on where they come from. I have two pairs of percs one from the Coral Sea and one set of PNG percs. The Coral Sea percs have quite a vibrant orange with thicker black lines than a typical Ocellaris but the black does not fill in the orange areas and the PNG percs have even more black than the ones you have. To confuse matters one of my breeding pairs of Ocellaris have thick black lines like the Coral Sea perc but the orange is nothing like the percs.

I would just be happy having two nice healthy fish and wait and see what you end up with.

graham

 

[phender]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13233038#post13233038 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
your fish will grow. and get more black.

They will grow, but that is a very common amount of black for most percs. They most likely will not have their black develop any more than it is.

 

[Arati]

thats what my solomon islands percs looked like when they were little, here they are now. this is what I would expect yours to look like also

 

[TheOtherReefer]

I have seen some clowns gain black as they mature, and I have also seen the opposite happen. I have heard that reasons could range from unnatural host anemones to poor diet. Either way I like them with more black.

GSMguy, you should post a pic of your pair, I know pics are everywhere but they are beautiful, never gets old looking at them.

Here is a pic of my Pair.

cheers!!

 

[hexedagain]

Amanda just so you know, those are Solomon Island wild caughts.