Clown Fish Information for Kids

Children recognize clownfish by their physical appearance and have come to adore the fish even more with the Disney movie, "Finding Nemo." In the movie, the main character is a clownfish. Clownfish have become very popular as pets and command high prices. They must be kept in marine (saltwater) aquariums.

  1. Type of Fish

    • Clownfish belong to a category of fish known as damselfish. Damselfish are reef dwellers and typically have bright colors. Many damselfish, such as the clownfish, can be kept as household pets in a marine aquarium. The clownfish is also known as the anemonefish, which has 28 known species, according to National Geographic. It is also the largest group of coral reef fish, according to KidsCanTravel.com.

    Living Environment

    • Clownfish live in saltwater near coral reefs. A majority of clownfish live in "the shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the western Pacific," according to National Geographic. The clownfish performs a dance around an anemone before the clownfish claims it as its host anemone. Different parts of the clownfish's body touch the tentacles of the anemone to become familiar with it. The clownfish hides within the anemone's tentacles, which protect it from predators, and lives near the anemone for the rest of its life.

    Physical Traits

    • A clownfish is recognized by its bright color -- red, orange, blue, black or yellow -- with three white bands around its midsection. All clownfish are born as males and have the ability to change to female to take the dominant female role in a group. After a sex change, it is irreversible. Clownfish typically reach about 4 inches in length. The surface of their body contains a layer of mucus that protects them from the fish-eating anemone's lethal stings, according to National Geographic. Clownfish typically live six to 10 years.

    Eating Habits

    • Clownfish are carnivores and have a symbiotic relationship with their host anemone. The two work together to catch food. The colorful appearance of the clownfish lures larger fish to its host anemone, and the anemone uses its tentacles to sting the fish before consuming it. The clownfish eats the remains of the fish. The clownfish also consumes dead tentacles of the host anemone, as well as "planktonic crustaceans and algae that live in or grow on the reef," according to the website All I Can Imagine.