What type of clown is this? Mutant? lol.

[SYS7EMATIC]

I've actually had this clownfish for a while now...probably about 8 months or so. I bought him, from a small lfs in Raleigh nc. He was purchased as a regular false percula from a tank full a bunch of other false percula's. The only difference is that he looked completely different from all the others.

Since then I've been trying to find another clownfish who bares the same markings and color which has been a fruitless endeaver at this point. Did I somehow luck out in buying some beautiful exotic clownfish or is this guy a one-off mutant? haha. He is about 2.5-3 inches in length, very healthy, but full grown from what I can tell. His coloration has not changed at all for at least 5-6 months.

Has anybody seen a clownfish with this coloration? (by the way the coloration in this picture is not doctored in any way nor is the blackness created my any sort of shadow.

Heres the picture:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=264387

[Mikigo]

B/W juv clown.

[Lmecher]

That would be my opinion also.

[SYS7EMATIC]

Its funny that you guys say that, that's what my girlfriend has been saying for months. When we first bought the fish I tended to agree. We in fact do have a b/w clown fish in another tank so I'm familiar with the fact that they can change coloration a bit as they get bigger (although our b/w never had the vibrant orange that this one had).

Like I said though, the coloration on this fish hasn't changed at all. He's grown a good inch and a half since we first got him and his coloration has remained consistent with what it is now. Do some b/w clowns not become completely b/w?

[Lmecher]

I do think it's an ocellaris, could just a strange mutation of a b/w where it is retaining so much orange, I have never seen this before, really pretty fish though.

[TheOtherReefer]

amphiprion ocellaris. my opinion

look at the eyes, and the dorsal fin. This one has a bit more orange on it thanmost black occys. it wil probably darken as the clown matures.

nice clown

[chewie]

Sunset occellaris LOL

Basically just a morph of a B/W.

[michellejy]

Wow, that's really interesting looking.

[SYS7EMATIC]

Thanks for the compliments. So it's probably a color variant of a b/w clown? Either way I guess buying him for $20 was a pretty good deal!

Is it safe to assume that this is fairly rare coloration for either a regular clown or a b/w clown?

I like the name "sunset ocellaris" I haha, I think I'll use that :-D

[Chelsey]

It's not a "color variant" per se, and I wouldn't necessarily call it rare either, it's probably just taking a while to develop all of its black.

[Luis A M]

I´m confused with all the diagnosis you have received:confused:
First,the name Black and White clown only leads to confusion.What is a B&W clown?A black ("onyx") percula,a black ("Darwin") ocellaris or a black saddleback (polymnus)?:confused:
The fact is that you are the proud owner of an unusual and nice melanistic ocellaris.This is probably a mutation and you should try to breed from it,to fix the strain.You should find the partner from the stock where you got yours,if some still remain.Otherwise any ocellaris will do.
Do you know if those fish were CB or WC?.

[SYS7EMATIC]

Thanks for the info! Like I said, he was sort of a black sheep in the tank full of other clowns at the store where we bought him. All the other fish appeared to be normal run-of-the-mill clown fish. I've been looking for another clown fish who looked like this one pretty much since I got it but frankly I haven't found anything even remotely similar.

I'm not familiar with CB or WC.

I'd be glad to provide more pictures if that would help anyone determine just what this guy is.

[Luis A M]

CB= captive born
WC=wild caught:cool:
The other clowns in the lfs tank were all normal looking (orange) ocellaris,right?.
The ID is very clear in my book.You have a very rare melanistic ocellaris,not a "Darwin" and not a percula.Chances are high that it is a mutation and that you won´t find any other like it.
But if you breed it with a normal ocellaris,you will fix a strain of them,in one or two generations.
If you´re not breeding clowns by now,you could sell,lend or rent it to a known breeder.After seeing the pic,you will get many offers;)

[chitownclown]

I have had to B/W's just like that, one as it matured it lost the coloring and on the face stayed orange, the other one is still the same. It seems that if they decide to go female then the coloring is lost.

I have breed my pair for about a year know and have seen many color morphs.

B/w with orange on the belly only
all black
half black half orange face

Not to be a bummer but its not rare to see these colors when there you, but most do lose them as they mature, maybe you will get lucky and he will not morph on you.

Try to pair him up witha larger female, as its seems to have work for ORA and me.

[SYS7EMATIC]

Luis, thanks for the info! I'd certainly like to breed him/her but have no idea how to do it and or what is involved. It'd be really neat if there were somebody local who could "borrow" the fish for a while to breed it.

Yes btw, the other clowns were all the normal orange clowns. This one stuck out like a sore thumb which is why we snatched him up so quickly.

Even if it is a b/w with odd coloration I figure I still got a heck of a deal. I paid $20 for him, I paid around $60 for my real b/w which is in another tank (he's totally black and white though despite being considerably smaller than this "unique" one.) If there is anybody local who has the know-how and ability to breed this little guy I'd certainly be up for it as by any means he's definitely one heck of a specimen.

[SYS7EMATIC]

oh and if it helps put his size in perspective a little bit, that purple mushroom in the back is about 6" wide. The clown isn't nearly as small as he looks in the picture.

[Baboon_Science]

Well, Athens is a bit of a drive from Chapel Hill.
I have a Marine Ornamental hatchery near Athens, GA.
There are several clownfish breeders in your area though.
If none of them bite on this, PM me.
As Luis said, this is one beautiful fish.

[miniwhinny]

How exciting for you to have found this little gem. Cool.

[Mr_G]

which store did it come from? and when did you buy it? I have supplied tank raised clowns to some of the stores in the raleigh area. My clowns are a hybrid of normal orange ocellaris and a b&w ocellaris. i'm really hoping that is one of my babies all grown up.

Rob

[SYS7EMATIC]

I got him from aquacade in raleigh which is near...triangle town center? its a mall off of 540... I think that's the name of the mall.

Thanks for the responses. Baboon, if I dont hear from somebody closer I'll throw you a pm. :-D

[Luis A M]

I know well that LFS don´t take much efforts in tracking the source of the fish they sell for interested customers,much less 8 months afterwards!:rolleyes:
And yet it could be done,talk to the owner,show pics and explain to him how important would be to know where this extraordinary fish comes from.He could check his papers of that time and find out.
Now if these were the fish of Mr.G this is a very different story.Though I have seen pics of Darwin blacks-orange ocellaris hybrids and none showed that dramatically colored anal fin.But you could expect anything from hybrids...:confused:

[Mr_G]

sorry, havent put any fish at aquacade. i have't seen any of my fish look like that, but then again, they are a hybrid and you never know.

Rob

[NCSUsalt]

aquacade went out of business anyways... although I could ask the owner for you where she got some of her CB stock. My guess is there is a guy in Wake Forest that breeds B/Ws

[SYS7EMATIC]

Oh really? that sucks! We really liked going there because they always seemed to have pretty good deals. Every once in a while you could always seem to find some type of odd-ball thing there that you cant find anywhere else.

If you can, ask her where she got the fish from, I'd love to find another one so I can try and breed them. :-)

[kerusso316]

Sunrise is better... black on top,orange on bottom "Systematic Sunrise".....You have pm

[Arati]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v693/aratifingers/march09/th_MVI_1734.jpg (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v693/aratifingers/march09/?action=view&current=MVI_1734.flv)


http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/reefs-magazine/51884-odd-couple-percula-onyx-x-ocellaris-darwin.html