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Young Clownfish

(Post-Metamorphosis)

After metamorphosis, fry become young clownfish that resemble miniature versions of their parents. At this stage the young are less delicate and are easier to feed as they will begin to accept a wider range of foods including crushed flake foods and small (1-2 mm pellets). Depending on the species of clownfish, the rate of development of young fish differs greatly. An example of such can be seen when one looks at the stripe development in Ocellaris vs Percula clownfish. While young Ocellaris clowns begin to display their striping patterns within a month or two of hatching, Percula clowns can take much longer to develop all three of their stripes (up to a year). The same can be said for coloration in different variants and/or species. Adult Darwin Ocellaris clowns are full black if pure bred but begin their lives looking like all other Ocellaris clowns, orange. As they mature they slowly become increasingly black until all or most of their bodies change to their adult coloration.

A young Cinnamon Clownfish a few days after metamorphosis. This individual has its head stripe and is beginning to develop its orange body.

Approximately 3 month old Cinnamon Clownfish. This individual now demonstrates a full orange body and pectoral fins which are beginning to turn black. It has yet to develop black on its central body and to full loos its body and tail stripe.

Furthermore, post metamorphosis is also the time when breeders see the phenomena known as "balling". Balling is when a group of young clownfish school together as a group for protection and security. This state is only known to occur in captive bred clowns, as young ocean clownfish are distributed by currents, heavily predated upon and must compete with one another for limited resources. This group behavior is seen when population density is approximately >20 individuals in a tank and seems to reduce groups singling out an individual and harassing it to death as aggression is distributed among many individuals. The extent of balling and the time period over which it takes place may be different among species and even individual batches of clownfish. Ocellaris have been known to ball well into maturity as a single group.

Offspring of Hybrid Onyx Ocellaris Clownfish X Photon Hybrid displaying balling behavior.

Credit: Sanjay (Premium Member)

Image taken from Reef Central webpage: Clownfish-Half Black Photon Discussion

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1904850

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