Anemonefish Experts?

[nlbford]

Can anyone help me get a solid ID on these lovely critters I shot in Fiji? My Indo-Pacific fish book doesn'[t have exact matches on these examples, so I am wondering if anyone can tell me if these are local variations of listed species or are different species not listed in my book. Here are my best guesses and my questions about each:

This one I think I know, but want to confirm because the examples I saw were slightly different in shape and color, Is this a Pink Anemonefish? My book has the right range and a very similar fish - just paler and different proportions.

What is this guy ( a similar example is in the foreground of the image below)? In my book the only 2 things close are a Red and Black whose range is correct, but is dark maroon across the anterior portion of the fish. Everything else has two stripes of white or is too pale and pink if it has one stripe

And finally, the only close match I get in my book is a Allard's anemonefish, but the range is listed as East Africa and it has a white tale while these guys have an orange one. So do other close examples. Is it a variation of the Allard? It looks like it maybe a Twoband because of the orange tail, but my book says those are a Red Sea fish . . . any thoughts?

THanks!

 

[Dee]

I know them as....

Pink or Skunk Anemonefish

Tomato Clowfish

Clarks or Clarkii's Anemonefish

I am far from an expert and only know them through pictures such as yours and aquariums!

 

[ScottyK]

Dee has it right!

The reason you are getting confused by the stripe is because the second one towards the rear is a feature on juveniles of some species groups.

Clowns in the Tomato and Clarki complexes lose that stripe as they get older. Clowns in the Ocelleris complex and maroons keep all their stripes as they grow.

Hope this helps....

Scott

 

[nlbford]

Thanks guys. That helps. Hadn't thought about juvenille transitions.

 

[cmdasia]

Re pic #1 - its a pink anemonefish (Amphiprion Perideraion), the skunk anemonefish is a different species (Amphiprion Akallopisos)

re Pic #2 is, I believe, not a tomato anemonefish (Amphiprion Frenatus) but an Amphiprion Melanopus - the tomato anemonefish is not normally found as far out of asia as Fiji.

re Pic #3 has me stumped the yellow tail screams two banded anemonefish (Amphiprion Bicinctus) but they are not normally found in Fiji so it must be a an Orange fin anemonefish (Amphiprion Chrysopterus)

try: Anemone fishes and their host sea anemones - ISBN 0 7309 8392-7

 

[scuba_katt]

but I also just wanted to say ...


N I C E P H O T O S !!!


Cheers
Katt