Clownfish, also known as anemone fish, is a popular choice for saltwater aquariums. They were made famous by the Disney film Finding Nemo, in which the protagonist is a species of clownfish looking for his son Nemo.
They are some of the most colorful fish you can have in a marine aquarium, enlivening the tank with their gorgeous patterns.
Today, we’ll talk about the proper clownfish environmental parameters; specifically, we’ll talk about whether clownfish need a powerhead in the tank.
Find out the answer and also learn about the other clownfish aquarium requirements.
Let’s get started.
About the Clownfish
The “Nemo fish” you saw in the movie is just one species of clownfish – its name is Ocellaris anemonefish.
They are most sought after due to their bright vibrant stripes of orange and white.
Other species in the sub-family sport colors such as yellow, red, and brackish.
The clownfish is a tropical marine fish that is known for living in a symbiotic relationship with sea anemones, hence the name anemone fish.
The anemones provide shelter to the clownfish and protect them from predators with their venomous stingers – somehow, the clownfish is immune to their venom.
The clownfish also get their food from the scraps of what the anemone consumes.
In return, the clownfish also protects the anemone fish from predators and parasites. They fertilize the anemone with their excrement and are also known to improve the water flow to the anemone, making sure it gets ample oxygen.
Does Clownfish Need Oxygen
Yes, like all living things, clownfish need oxygen to live; the real question is how much oxygen they need.
The clownfish requirements for oxygen are a little bit higher than for regular fish.
First off, being tropical saltwater fish, they demand a high amount of oxygen in the water. Secondly, they live in coral reefs in the wild, which is an oxygen-rich environment.
Coral reefs are usually found in shallow waters, so they get a great deal of sunlight, which translates to more photosynthesis, which in turn means more oxygen.
Coral reefs also experience high water flow, so you can expect the area to be fully aerated with oxygen.
Therefore, make sure your clownfish has 6-8 mg/L or higher concentration of dissolved oxygen in the tank. If it gets below 4 mg/L, it can stress your clownfish.
The good news is that the oxygen requirement for clownfish in captivity is less demanding than in the wild – when it is with the sea anemone, their combined oxygen consumption is 1.4 times higher.
This may have something to do with the fact that clownfish actually helps improve water circulation to the anemone by frantically swimming around it – the extra activity means more oxygen is metabolized.
The fact that the clownfish helps the anemone in low oxygen scenarios suggests that they themselves can withstand a hypoxic environment, which is certainly up for debate.
Do Clownfish Like High Flow
Not really – no fish likes to deal with a gushing torrent of water. It’s like walking through a windstorm – it is really tiring and taxing.
Just because they live in coral reefs that experience high flow and can handle them doesn’t mean they particularly enjoy it.
Clownfish are sedentary fish that like to stay inside their anemone host most of the time, so they are not exactly evolved to be strong swimmers.
Therefore, too much flow for clownfish can be stressful. You only need enough flow to improve oxygenation in the aquarium and maintain good water quality, which is the same amount of flow you require for any fish.
Do Clownfish Need a Powerhead
The powerhead is simply a submerged water pump that creates a water flow in your tank.
Having discussed the oxygen and flow requirements for clownfish, we come to this next logical question: do clownfish need to have a powerhead?
The answer depends on how much flow you currently have in your aquarium; you need enough flow to make sure the water is oxygenated and the parameters are in line.
Look for any signs of your clownfish struggling for oxygen, such as lethargic swimming, lingering close to the surface, and gasping.
In addition to making sure your fish has ample oxygen, good water circulation is generally beneficial for an aquarium, so getting a powerhead is not a bad idea.
It eliminates dead spots, which are places where the water stagnates and causes issues such as hypoxia and the growth of bacteria/fungi.
Water needs to circulate comprehensively through the tank in order for your filter to be effective in keeping it clean – if some of the water is not going through the filter, it is not going to become clean, period.
A good flow ensures that your clownfish water parameters are uniform throughout the tank. For example, it makes sure the water temperature is the same throughout the aquarium.
Also, the harmful effects of toxic chemicals such as ammonia and chlorine can be mitigated if it is quickly dispersed throughout the entire volume of water.
Clownfish Tank Requirements
Let’s talk about the other clownfish care requirements besides water flow.
The clownfish water requirements are summarized below:
• Minimum Tank Size of 20 gallons – clownfish can be territorial, so it is a good idea to get a large tank if keeping multiple fish.
• Water temperature between 75 and 82 °F – being tropical fish, clownfish like their water to be comfortably warm.
• Salinity between 1.020- 1.024 – the clownfish is a saltwater fish.
• pH between 8.0 – 8.4
As for the diet, clownfish are omnivores. You can feed them what you usually feed your pets including flakes, pellets, frozen fish food, and sometimes live food. Feed them once per day in most cases.
One other thing: despite being dependent on the sea anemone in the wild, they do not need one in captivity.
Since they don’t face any predators in an aquarium and have access to ample food, they do not require the anemone.
However, they still like to stake a claim to a location in your tank such as vegetation or cave and stay there – you can provide them with a fake plastic sea anemone instead.
Conclusion
A good water flow is beneficial to any fish in general. A clownfish does enjoy a good amount of flow, but that doesn’t mean you have to have water gushing through your tank.
Get a powerhead if you feel the water circulation in your tank is inadequate; you also have other options such as bubblers, wavemakers, etc.
A good flow and proper water parameters for clownfish can keep your pets healthy and vibrant, allowing you to enjoy their antics.
Thanks for reading.
