Clownfish are a very popular fish to have in the aquarium ever since the movie ‘Finding Nemo’ came out.
One of the most important questions, when you get your clownfish home, is going to be, what do clownfish eat?
Clownfish are so easy to take care of is that they are not picky eaters.
Clownfish are omnivorous meaning they eat both meat and plants. In the ocean, they eat leftover food from their host anemone, parasites on the anemone, dead anemone tentacles, small crustaceans, mollusks, certain algae, and undigested excrement.
In the aquarium, clownfish eat quality marine flake food or pellet food combined with frozen and live foods such as krill, bloodworms, finely chopped meat, shrimp, and spirulina flakes.
What Do Clownfish Eat in an Aquarium?
As stated above, the best food to feed a clownfish in the aquarium is high-quality marine flake food. Look for fishmeal flake food that is a good mixture, so the clownfish get a good variety in their diet.
Here Is A Great Fish Flake Food on Amazon That Your Clownfish Will Love:
Seachem Nutridiet Marine Flakes with Probiotics 30g/ 1 oz (1092)
Here Is A Great Pellet Food That Your Clownfish Will Love:
Ocean Nutrition Formula Two Pellets 7-Ounces (200 Grams) Jar – Small Pellet Size
Additional Foods Clownfish Can Eat in An Aquarium
Live Foods
If you want to add some variety to your clownfish diet in their aquarium, you can feed them krill, brine, and mysis shrimp. You can purchase these freeze-dried on Amazon or at your local pet store. You may even be able to find them live at your local pet store.
If you really want to go the extra mile to make your clownfish happy, they can eat some frozen meats as long as they are chopped, or you can throw them in a blender. Think of meats they would find in the ocean such as shrimp, mussels, small fish, octopus, or even squid!
“Remember to thaw any frozen food before you toss it in the tank for your clownfish.—
Here’s a good one: Tetra Jumbo Krill Freeze Dried Jumbo Shrimp, Vitamin Enhanced
Vegetables
Remember, clownfish are omnivores, so if you are going to be feeding them treats you need to include some chopped vegetables as well such as nori, spinach, chard, kelp, or some human vegetables not normally found in the ocean.
Nori is a Japanese seaweed you can find at specialty grocery stores like natural grocers or whole foods markets.
Chard is just a green leafy vegetable that is high in nutrients.
If you don’t want to mess around with too many different types of food make sure the fish flake food you choose has a lot of spirulina in it…
Spirulina is algae. It has a lot of nutrients and protein that you can get in flakes or pellets.
Kelp is just seaweed, but it is good for your clownfish’s immune system
Peas help your clownfish digest foods better. Be careful with peas though because if the clownfish swallows the outer shell it can actually cause a blockage. You need to boil them, remove the outer shell and chop them into smaller pieces that the clownfish can eat. It really isn’t worth the work to me personally but if it sounds like fun to you, peas ahoy!
Broccoli has a lot of iron, potassium, and vitamins that are also good for the immune system of your clownfish. Broccoli needs to be steamed or boiled and chopped into tiny pieces small enough for the clownfish to eat. This also isn’t really worth the effort to me, but you might enjoy it.
Here’s something you can toss in every now and then to add variety to your clownfish diet: Veg-Green Seaweed, 1 Oz
What Do Clownfish Eat in The Ocean?
In their natural ocean environment, clownfish are not picky eaters. Since they eat both meat and plants they will eat anything they come across that is considered food. However, clownfish are not predators.
Clownfish do not hunt for their food so I guess you could say that they are scavengers. The diet of a clownfish has a very wide range.
Clownfish also eat copepods in the ocean. Copepods are small crustaceans in freshwater and saltwater. Since clownfish are saltwater they eat copepods of the saltwater variety.Some of these copepods are plankton that floats or drift in the ocean. Some copepods are benthic which means they live along the ocean floor. Copepods have a larval form that is also eaten by clownfish.
Clownfish will also eat fish eggs and larvae.
Where Do Clownfish Live in the Ocean?
As shown in the ‘Finding Nemo’ movie, clownfish live in close proximity to a host anemone. The body of the clownfish is coated in mucous which keeps the anemone from shocking the clownfish. This may sound as gross to you as it does to me but when you live in the ocean a fish has got to do what a fish has got to do to survive.
Anyways I’m sure you gathered that anemones could shock other fish however, the anemone can’t shock the clownfish. Clownfish are not perceived as a threat to the anemone which becomes a haven for the clownfish.
This is why the anemone is usually referred to as the host anemone. Anyways, to get to the point, the anemone, and clownfish both provide food for each other. Predator fish will chase the clownfish which then flees into the protective tentacles of the anemone.
The anemone then shocks, kills the predator fish and eats it. The anemone doesn’t always consume all of the predator fish, so the clownfish can feed off of the leftover pieces of the predator fish.
The relationship is very beneficial to both parties because as stated above, the clownfish also eats parasites off of the body of the host anemone. These are parasites that could otherwise cause the anemone health problems if left to burrow into the anemone’s body.
Over time, the anemone also loses pieces of tentacles that age and die over time. The clownfish feast on these which helps keep dead pieces from staying attached to the anemone. In a sense, the clownfish constantly trims and cleans any kind of waste or parasite which could damage the anemone over time if not eaten by the clownfish.
How Often Should I Feed My Clownfish?
It depends on how big your clownfish is, how much food you give them at one time, and how many fish are in the tank.
Some clownfish owners feed their clownfish once a day and some feed them 3-4 times per day. I think a good rule of thumb is to make sure they are eating all of the food that you toss into the tank.
How Much Food Should I Feed My Clownfish?
If you only feed your clownfish once per day then you should feed them what they can eat in about five minutes.
If you feed them multiple times per day you shouldn’t feed them more than they can eat in 3 minutes.
Leftover Food
Snails, crabs, or starfish can help clean up leftover food and also give your kiddos or guests something more to marvel at.
Here Is A Quick Reference List For: What Do Clownfish Eat?
- Pellet Food for Marine Fish or Specifically for Clownfish
- Flake Food for Marine Fish
- Bloodworms
- Spirulina/Algae Pellets or Flakes
- Broccoli
- Spirulina/Algae Flakes or Pellets
- Dried Japanese Seaweed
- Tubeworms
- Brine or Mysis Shrimp
- Daphnia
- Mussel Meat
- Krill
- Chopped Fish
- Crab Meat
Frequently Asked Questions About What Can Clownfish Eat?
Do Clownfish Eat Bloodworms?
Yes, clownfish are omnivores, and they enjoy munching on some bloodworms to add some variety to the meaty side of their diet. There are plenty of freeze-dried bloodworms available at your local aquarium pet store or you can find them easily online.
Do Clownfish Eat Seaweed?
Yes, clownfish are omnivores and seaweed is one of their favorite natural vegetables from the ocean to eat. You can find many forms of dried Japanese seaweed at your local pet store or online.
Do Clownfish Eat Fish Flakes?
Yes, in fact, if you keep a clownfish in an aquarium, marine fish flakes are the best staple diet to feed them every day. If possible make sure the fish flake formula is formulated for saltwater fish, with a base of fish meal, and high in vegetables like spirulina. The fish flake food should be combined with frozen and live foods such as krill, bloodworms, finely chopped meat, and shrimp. You can also purchase spirulina flakes separately to combine with the fish flake formula.
Do Clownfish Eat Shrimp?
Clownfish can eat shrimp and shrimp should be a regular part of the clownfish diet, especially mysis shrimp which are really small and crustacean-like. You can buy freeze-dried shrimp.
Do Clownfish Eat Tropical Flakes?
Clownfish can eat tropical flakes because tropical flakes are formulated for saltwater fish like clownfish. You should also feed clownfish frozen and live foods and spirulina flakes if there is none or not enough spirulina in the tropical flakes.
Do Clownfish Eat Daphnia?
Clownfish can eat daphnia. Clownfish are not picky eaters, so they won’t hesitate to munch on daphnia which are crustaceans that feed on algae.
Do Clownfish Eat Betta Food?
Clownfish can eat betta food, but you should feed them a marine flake food specifically formulated for saltwater fish. If you have some betta food that you need to get rid of, it won’t hurt to mix it into your clownfish diet a little at a time.
Do Clownfish Eat Copepods?
Clownfish can eat copepods (small groups of crustaceans) to the point that they will eat them as their primary food source but if you have clownfish in an aquarium, they should be fed a wider variety of foods.
Do Clownfish Eat Anemones?
Clownfish don’t eat whole anemones. Clownfish do eat dead pieces of the anemone’s tentacles which usually are shed anyway.
Do Clownfish Eat Algae?
Clownfish eat algae but only certain types of algae.
Do Clownfish Eat Their Babies?
The male clownfish is very protective of the eggs so I would say no. Clownfish don’t eat their babies. The only way this would happen would be if they were starving. The male does eat any damaged or infertile eggs.
Do Clownfish Eat Brine Shrimp?
Clownfish eat brine shrimp but they are not very nutritious so how many your clownfish eat should be limited.
Do Clownfish Eat Shrimp?
Clownfish are omnivores so they love shrimp especially Mysis shrimp which are like little crustaceans.
Do Clownfish Eat Amphipods?
Amphipods are small crustaceans, so Clownfish are more than happy to eat them.
Do Clownfish Eat Algae Wafers?
Clownfish love algae wafers. Algae wafers are easy to purchase and can be fed as part of the clownfish diet since clownfish are omnivores.
Do Clownfish Eat Bloodworms?
Yes, clown fish will eat live, frozen or freeze-dried bloodworms.
Do Clownfish Eat Bristle Worms?
Clownfish do eat bristle worms, but bristle worms are not considered part of their diet.
Do Clownfish Eat Crabs?
Clownfish will eat crab meat, but it needs to be chopped small enough that they can eat it.
Do Clownfish Eat Clams?
Clownfish will eat clam meat if it is chopped up small enough. Some clownfish will pick at clams, but they are not known to eat clams. However, if you’re not careful a clam will literally kill your clownfish by latching on to it and trying to eat it.
Conclusion
I trust this article has answered your question “What do clownfish eat?” Clownfish are omnivores and they will eat just about anything. They really aren’t picky eaters which makes them easy fish to take care of. Not only are they easy to take care of but they are a beautiful fish that will be a wonderful addition to your aquarium.
