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View Full Version : Clownfish ID - possible hybrid?

AdidaKev
05/25/2006, 09:15 AM
Hey everyone! My LFS just got four of these guys in. They were listed as A. ocellaris, but they definitely aren't (or if they are, they're the most bizarre color morph I've ever seen). Looks to me like maybe a cinnamon/ocellaris mix, or maroon/cinnamon, or maroon/tomato...something to that effect. Maybe they're even just extremely juvenile cinnamons or tomatoes. I've never seen juvis with a third stripe before, but I could be wrong.

Can anyone give me an educated guess as to what they might be? I'd appreciate it! Thanks in advance!

http://www.geocities.com/adidakev/clown2.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/adidakev/clown3.jpg
Crusty Old Shellback
05/25/2006, 09:28 AM
Don't know what they are but they look nice. I too was at my LFS last night. The owner showed me a new morph of the skunk clown that she got in. Said in 20 years of being in the bussines, she had never seen them before. The have just a white "cap" on their heads, not a full stripe and the color is a bit more orange than pink. Sorry, no pics of them though.
AdidaKev
05/25/2006, 09:49 AM
You mean Bonnet Clowns, Amphiprion leucokranos?

http://photos.fishindex.com/amp/amphiprion_leucokranos27497.jpg
Crusty Old Shellback
05/25/2006, 10:13 AM
Very similar but I think the two stripes are seperated. ie the cheek stripe and the head stripe. I'd have to go back and look again.
criccio
05/25/2006, 12:58 PM
I'm pretty sure they're a maroon/ocellaris hybrid... http://www.proaquatix.com/speciesdetail.asp?GROUPID=200&ID=46

On the leucs, the "cap" or "bonnet" can be broken or complete, like above.
AdidaKev
05/25/2006, 01:17 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7436597#post7436597 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by criccio
I'm pretty sure they're a maroon/ocellaris hybrid...
Could be, but to me the first stripe looks more characteristic of either a tomato or cinnamon clown...JMO.
phender
05/25/2006, 03:45 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7436722#post7436722 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AdidaKev
Could be, but to me the first stripe looks more characteristic of either a tomato or cinnamon clown...JMO.

Yes, those are juvenile Tomato clowns. Tomatoes from different regions seem to keep their baby stripes for a longer time than others.
AdidaKev
05/25/2006, 04:00 PM
phender, have you ever seen juvenile tomatoes with the third stripe like that?
MarinaP
05/25/2006, 04:03 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7435222#post7435222 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blown63chevy
The owner showed me a new morph of the skunk clown that she got in. Said in 20 years of being in the bussines, she had never seen them before. The have just a white "cap" on their heads, not a full stripe and the color is a bit more orange than pink.

I have heard about this new "hybrid skunk" from my WS. I have not seen them in person.
Crusty Old Shellback
05/25/2006, 04:17 PM
She had about three I think in the tank. ;) No I didn't get any, I was too busy buying a hot pink bubble anoneme that was in the same tank.
818
05/25/2006, 04:22 PM
MaroonxTomato?

Its anal fin+tail looks similar to a Maroons.

:confused:

Phil that clown has 3 full stripes, if you look closely that last one Im guessing will fill in within age?

anyway I could be wrong. Phil=Clown God:D

Sam
818
05/25/2006, 04:25 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7435508#post7435508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by blown63chevy
Very similar but I think the two stripes are seperated. ie the cheek stripe and the head stripe. I'd have to go back and look again.

Your talking about the clowns that have the tear like marking by their ear/eyes...

Those seem to come out in alot of species.
MarinaP
05/25/2006, 05:33 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7437912#post7437912 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by My F1sh R D34D!
Your talking about the clowns that have the tear like marking by their ear/eyes...

Those seem to come out in alot of species.

No, that's rare occurance.
818
05/25/2006, 05:46 PM
Yea, oops indeed rare..I meant its happened to a variety of species.
Amphiprion
05/25/2006, 05:52 PM
I agree with phender. Younger A. melanopus (and sometimes even older individuals) will retain a third stripe.
phender
05/25/2006, 06:35 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7438382#post7438382 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
I agree with phender. Younger A. melanopus (and sometimes even older individuals) will retain a third stripe.

Tomatoes go through an odd striping sequence. They are born without stripes. They develop stripes head to tail like ocellaris, and then lose them in reverse order until only the head stripe is left.
It's funny how the stripes change the appearance of the body shape. I saw one a few months ago, about 1" long with 3 complete stripes and I thought to myself, "that looks like a little red chrysopterus!" and then I realized,"duh, its a baby frenatus/melanopus." :)
AdidaKev
05/25/2006, 06:57 PM
Thanks for the help, everyone! I appreciate it. :)
Amphiprion
05/25/2006, 08:16 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7438650#post7438650 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phender
Tomatoes go through an odd striping sequence. They are born without stripes. They develop stripes head to tail like ocellaris, and then lose them in reverse order until only the head stripe is left.
It's funny how the stripes change the appearance of the body shape. I saw one a few months ago, about 1" long with 3 complete stripes and I thought to myself, "that looks like a little red chrysopterus!" and then I realized,"duh, its a baby frenatus/melanopus." :)

Hmm...never noticed these phase changes before--then again, I wasn't looking for them either :). That's interesting though, so I will make it a point to observe it next time around.
phender
05/25/2006, 08:34 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7439202#post7439202 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Amphiprion
Hmm...never noticed these phase changes before--then again, I wasn't looking for them either :). That's interesting though, so I will make it a point to observe it next time around.

Unless you raise tomatoes from fry you usually don't see it, as it usually happens before they get big enough to sell. Once in a while, you see WC fish that still have 2 or 3 stripes.
Crusty Old Shellback
05/26/2006, 09:04 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7437912#post7437912 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by My F1sh R D34D!
Your talking about the clowns that have the tear like marking by their ear/eyes...

Those seem to come out in alot of species.

That's the ones. ;)
LargeAngels
05/26/2006, 02:50 PM
Definitely A. frenatus juvi's (tomato.)
Amphiprion
05/27/2006, 03:41 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7439316#post7439316 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phender
Unless you raise tomatoes from fry you usually don't see it, as it usually happens before they get big enough to sell. Once in a while, you see WC fish that still have 2 or 3 stripes.

No, I haven't raised A frenatus or A melanopus before--others, yes, but not those--so that explains why I haven't seen that aspect of hte stripe appearance/disappearance. The only time I have seen them, as you surmised, was on certain adults and younger individuals that retained them.