Red and Black AnemonefishPhotos, Pictures, Prints

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Amphiprion melanopus

Amphiprion melanopus, also known as the cinnamon clownfish, red and black anemonefish, or dusky anemonefish, is a species that lives in the western and southern parts of the Pacific Ocean. The species scientific name ‘melanopus’ is Greek, meaning black feet.

Adults can grow to 12 cm (4.7 inches). This species’ body is dark red to orange with mahogany sides. Juveniles and adults have a white head band, which is wide and starts behind the eye. Notably, this band may even show a blue tint. The dorsal and caudal fins have a lighter, almost cinnamon color.

Like all anemonefishes, this species forms a symbiotic relationship with the sea anemone. This is possible because anemonefish are unaffected by the anemone’s stinging tentacles.

This fish is also a hermaphrodite. It displays a strict, sized-based dominance hierarchy. That is, the female is largest, and the breeding male is second largest. Meanwhile, male non-breeders get progressively smaller as the hierarchy descends. However, the breeding male will change to female if the sole breeding female dies. Then, the largest non-breeder becomes the breeding male.

These colorful fish eat a diet largely consisting of zooplankton.

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