Clownfish

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Clownfish, or Anemone fishes, are in the Pomacentridae family. They are coated with mucous to immune itself to poison. Clownfish live in the waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. They are commonly known for their bold and bright color patterns.

Clownfish live in Anemone, which are fish-eating plants with poisonous tentacles. The anemone keeps the fish protected, and provides food. Clownfish eat dead anemone tentacles, plankton, shellfish, and left overs from the anemone. They clean the anemone, and sometimes scare away predators. Some predators include humans and the Barracuda. They have a symbiotic relationship, meaning they live together and provide for eachother.

Clownfish are very colorful and bright. Their colors range from orange and red, to black. They each have three white stripes on the sides of their bodies. Clownfish can grow from two to five inches long.

Female Clownfish are usually much bigger than the male. They usually form a hierarchy where the female dominates. Once the female dies, the dominant male changes into a female, which is called spawning.

Clownfish lay their eggs in batches on clear coral or rock near by the anemone. They usually take six to ten days to hatch. The eggs go through color changes before they are hatched. Their eyes are usually visible by the forth or fifth day. Then they change in overall darkening to orange-tan purple. Then just before hatching, they turn to silver.