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Maroon Clownfish

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Premnas biaculeatus Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Greg Rothschild

   The Maroon Clownfish is one of the most strikingly beautiful of all the clownfish. They can get fairly large and can be very territorial. An interesting "character" in the aquarium that can hold their own with almost everything including damsels. The maroon can be a very aggressive fish difficult to keep with other damsels.

   Having been bred in captivity, the Maroon Clownfish are often available as a pair as well as individually. Probably due to their beauty, they are a bit more expensive than many of the other clownfish species.

For more Information on keeping this fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Marine Aquarium

Maintenance:
   Feed all kinds of live, frozen, and flake foods. Best to feed small amounts several times a day. In a reef situation they don't really need to be fed very often at all.

Habitat: Natural geographic location:
   Maroon Clownfish are found from Indo-Malayan Archipelago to northern Queensland.

Host Anemones:
   Entacmaea quadricolor ~ Bulb tipped or purple base anemone.

Foods:
   All kinds. See "maintenance" above.

Social Behaviors:
   Like all damselfish, they can be territorial and aggressive, especially as they get older.

Sex: Sexual differences:
   The female is usually much larger than the male.

Light: Recommended light levels:
   No special requirements.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   Bred in captivity. See general breeding techniques on the Breeding Marine Fish page.

Temperature:
   No special requirements.

Length/Diameter of fish:
   Maroon Clownfish adults can grow to 16 cm ( 6.3 inches).

Minimum Tank Length/Size:
   A minimum 30 gallon aquarium is recommended.

Water Movement: Weak, Moderate, Strong
   No special requirements.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom
   No special requirements.

Availability:
   This fish is generally readily available.

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Latest Comments
they are great fish to watch, they have so much character and personality. they live in my bubble tip anemone but be warned they are VERY aggressive. the female attacks my hand when i try to touch anything near my anemone. although she is very tame. she snatches the food out of my hands. in australia they arent so cheap. i payed $100 for my pair but they are WORTH EVERY DOLLAR. cameron 2007-03-05
A very hardy fish and awesome to watch and lose yourself. playful when they have a bubble anemone to play in. Mine killed one of my "nemo" clowns that i got when i was a novice. still strong and still the best looking fish that i have. MIKEY 2006-01-23
Beautiful, hardy fish but VERY aggressive. My girl holds her own against the blue devils and other damsels; in fact, THEY leave her alone which is a change from them generally picking on other fish. Great for a beginner clown if you don't want one of the "nemo" types and would like something a little more bold both in color and attitude. Just remember to NEVER use a net should you need to capture or move this fish; their cheekspines will get snagged on the mesh and that can cause pretty bad injuries to the fish. Amanda 2006-01-14
very pretty fish for a reef system..But very aggressive.... schar1 2004-03-06
Some of the coolest comments:
Definitely one of the best looking clowns available. In my area the price for maroons runs high (20+ range), but it is well worth it. He (or she) is entertaining to watch, and a good addition to the tank. Easily takes to a maroon (aka Ritteri) anemone. Ron 2003-08-20

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Author: David Brough. CFS.