These pink-orange, almond-shaped fish are named after the anemones they call home. The small fish feature a signature white line running from their nose to their tail, along with a white stripe separating the head and body.

They have acclimated to the stinging tentacles of a specific anemone, which becomes their shelter. These animals generally form small social groups, usually led by a dominant female. The group often includes a smaller male that reproduces and occasionally a few males that do not participate in breeding.

Dear Lakers When the dominant female dies, the largest male undergoes a transformation to become female, while the other males shift upward in rank.

Order – Perciformes Family – Pomacentridae Genus – Amphiprion Species – perideraion

Common Names

Pink anemonefish from Papua New Guinea.

Their common name is derived from both their coloration and their habitat. These fish display a pinkish-orange hue and inhabit various species of anemones, including Heteractis magnifica, Heteractis crispa, Mactodactyls doreenis, and Stichodactyla gigantea. Other names used for this species include false skunk striped clown, false skunk striped anemonefish, pink anemonefish, pink skunk clown, salmon clownfish, and white-banded anemonefish.

Importance to Humans

The pink anemonefish holds commercial value as a popular aquarium fish. Aquarium suppliers commonly sell this hardy species to the retail market for aquarists.

Conservation

This species is not currently listed on the IUCN Redlist as endangered, and there are no immediate plans to do so. The IUCN is a global network that assesses the conservation status of species.

Check the status of the pink anemonefish at the IUCN website.

Geographical Distribution

Pink anemonefish from Papua New Guinea.

The pink anemonefish inhabits the waters of both the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. They can be spotted around Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean near the Philippines, extending to the Philippine Islands, Japan, Micronesia, Australia, and even to the Samoan Islands.

Habitat

This fish thrives in tropical environments, inhabiting brackish and marine water areas associated with algal reefs and lagoons. Pink anemonefish are non-migratory, staying in the area where they were born. Their primary home is the magnificent sea anemone, Heteractis magnifica, found in reef systems. Pink anemonefish either naturally adapt or go through a behavioral process called acclimation to live with the anemones, which involves adjusting to the stinging tentacles of the anemones.

Biology

Pink anemonefish.

Distinctive Features

The genus Amphiprion includes 26 described species, including the pink anemonefish. Characteristics of this oblong-shaped fish include 50-59 vertical scale rows, with 3 to 4 horizontal scale rows from the dorsal fin to the lateral line.

Coloration

The pink anemonefish has a distinctive pinkish-orange hue with transparent fins. Males feature narrow orange bands on the edges of the dorsal fin and the upper and lower margins of the tail fin, while females lack these bands. A white stripe runs along the dorsal contour, extending from the snout to the base of the tail. Another white vertical stripe separates the head from the body, located right behind the eyes. These two white stripes make the pink anemonefish stand out among other anemonefish species.

Dentition

Pink anemonefish possess incisiform teeth, which resemble typical incisor teeth.

Size, Age & Growth

The pink anemonefish can grow up to a maximum length of 3.93 inches (10 cm). Males typically reach a standard length of 1.85 inches (4.6 cm), while females reach 2.20 inches (5.5 cm) by ages 1.75 to 1.83 years.

Food Habits

The pink anemonefish primarily feeds on algae, such as blue-green algae and diatoms. They also consume benthic algae and zooplankton.

Reproduction

Pink anemonefish, both male and female, typically reach reproductive maturity between 1.75 and 1.83 years of age. Reproduction typically occurs from April to August, though it may also take place in February. These fish live in social groups with a strict hierarchy, where the largest individual is the female, and the second largest is the male. The pair are the only ones that reproduce. The reproductive process follows a protandry system, where the male's testicular tissue changes to ovaries if the female dies, avoiding self-fertilization. The breeding pair spawns several times per year, with an estimated annual fecundity of 2,000 to 4,000 eggs.

Predators

Groupers from the Serranidae family are known predators of pink anemonefish, particularly around the Marshall Islands.

Taxonomy

Pink anemonefish in waters off of Fiji.

The pink anemonefish, originally classified as Amphiprion perideraion, was first documented by Bleeker in 1855. The genus name Amphiprion comes from the Greek words "amphi," meaning "on both sides," and "prion," meaning "saw." Bleeker originally classified the species as Prochilus perideraion, and other synonyms used over time include Prochilus rosenbergi (1859), Amphiprion rosenbergi (1859), Amphiprion perideraeus (1881), and Amphiprion amamiensis (1966).