Amphiprion nigripes

Lore & Background

The Maldive anemonefish is a small, oval-bodied, laterally compressed fish. It is characterized by its rusty orange color with a single white stripe running vertically just behind the eye. Its pelvic and anal fins are black, and a variable area on its belly can be more or less black. However, depending on geographic location, some fishes can be orangeish-yellow with an anal fin that is not black but the same color as the body.

This species is found in the western Indian Ocean in the Maldive Islands and Laccadive Islands. It typically lives in small groups on outer reef slopes at depths of 2–25 m and is particularly associated with the magnificent sea anemone. The fish is active during the day and is a protandrous hermaphrodite: all fish are hatched as males and later can change sex to female. Males live in harems with an established dominance hierarchy that manages the group and keeps individuals at a specific social rank.

The relationship between the clownfish and the sea anemone is mutualism. The fish lives within the anemone's tentacles and uses it as a shelter, protected by a thin layer of mucus that prevents stinging. The clownfish may act as a lure to attract prey to the anemone and can defend the anemone against reef fishes such as butterflyfish that might eat its tentacles.

Reader's Guide

The Maldive anemonefish is significant as a member of the Pomacentridae family, illustrating the mutualistic relationship between clownfishes and sea anemones. The article describes this mutualism in detail: the fish gains shelter from the anemone's stinging tentacles, protected by its own mucus layer, while the anemone may benefit from the fish acting as a lure for prey and defending it from predators like butterflyfish. This species also demonstrates protandrous hermaphroditism, where all individuals hatch as males and can later become female, with a dominance hierarchy governing social groups. In captivity, the species is considered mostly peaceful, with some aggression when defending its host. It can eat brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, chopped shellfish, and has accepted high-protein flakes and granular foods. It has successfully been raised in captivity. The species' distribution is limited to the western Indian Ocean, specifically the Maldive and Laccadive Islands, and it inhabits outer reef slopes at depths of 2–25 m, associated with the magnificent sea anemone. Its diet is omnivorous, based on zooplankton, small benthic crustaceans, and algae.

Did You Know?

• The Maldive anemonefish grows up to 11 cm as a female and 8 cm as a male.
• It is a protandrous hermaphrodite: all fish hatch as males and can later change sex to female.
• Its relationship with the sea anemone is mutualism, where the fish is protected by a mucus layer and may defend the anemone from butterflyfish.
• Some individuals can be orangeish-yellow with an anal fin the same color as the body, depending on geographic location.