Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about clownfish. Don’t forget to subscribe to keep up with new episodes! Clownfish were a request from JaKoby LeVan - let’s see what we can find out today! Okay, was that, yeah… yeah that was pretty bad, but believe it or not, that movie put clownfish on the map. Supposedly, after that movie released, the demand for clownfish in home aquariums went up by 300%. But seriously, guys, like there were a lot of other fish featured in that movie. Also, just saying, Nemo and Marlin aren’t even clownfish. Okay, okay, sure, they are technically clownfish because they belong to the family of clownfish, but the common name for the kind of fish Nemo and Marlin are is False Clownfish. So, yeah, take that science. I don’t know what I’m saying anymore.

There are approximately 30 species of clownfish, and they don’t all look like our friends from Finding Nemo. Some are even blue, and that’s like, the complete opposite side of the color spectrum. Clownfish are also known as anemonefish and that’s because they live in anemones, but I hate trying to say that word so we’re just going to say that clownfish live in… how about George. Technically speaking, there more than 1,000 species of Georges in the world, but only about ten host clownfish. Normally, a George would kill any fish that comes in contact with it due to stinging cells called nematocysts found in the George’s tentacles - but, for some reason that scientists still don’t completely understand, the Georges don’t sting clownfish. The most commonly accepted theory is that clownfish coat themselves in a mucus that protects them from the stings of George, or that at least confuses the George into not stinging the clownfish. However it works, the relationship between the George and clownfish is a healthy one because both parties benefit from their interaction, unlike some other animals we’ve discussed on this show... (looking at you cestoda…). The George may utilize waste left behind by clownfish and gets protection from animals such as butterfly fish which the clownfish will chase away. The clownfish also gets a safe place to live and the occasional food scrap.

When they aren’t eating food scraps from their host, clownfish will consume small crustaceans such as copepods, algae, and zooplankton. The George’s in which clownfish live are found in Pacific and Indian ocean waters meaning that clownfish are also found in these areas. Clownfish actually can’t survive without a George, and they aren’t found in either the Atlantic or Arctic oceans… but seriously what even is found in the Arctic ocean, like that shouldn’t even count. There can be anywhere from two to six clownfish living in a single George and the way they live is… fascinating.

Clownfish are all born as males. During their life, if the need arises for them to transition into a female, they are able to do so. This change becomes permanent and that lady becomes the big boss in town. A group of clownfish are ruled by this dominant female who is the largest of them all and she’ll order them around by making clicking noises at them. The next largest in the group becomes her mate and the others are just kind of… there… If the female dies, the male who was her mate turns lady-like, takes the previous female’s place, and then the next biggest boy becomes her mate. If it sounds confusing, that’s just because you’re not a clownfish. When they are ready to lay some eggs, they’ll prepare a nest and the female will lay eggs which the male will then fertilize close behind her. During their incubation, the male will guard them, fan them with his fins to help circulate the water around them thus preventing rot, and remove any bad eggs. Yeah, if Finding Nemo were real at all, pretty sure Marlin would have thrown Nemo off that cliff and become a woman. After about a week, the little Nemos hatch and drift in the open ocean until they’re large enough to find a George of their own. Ah. The circle of life. In the wild, clownfish can life to be ten years old - unless they’re Marlin who must have been at least thirteen if those movies followed the same timeline as us...

For more facts on clownfish, check out the links in the description. Did Finding Nemo bring you to this episode or do you just love these awesome fish? Give a thumbs up for clownfish and we’ll see you next time on Animal Fact Files.