Saddleback Clownfish Care Guide
Amphiprion ephippium, the red saddleback anemonefish, is an eastern Indian Ocean clownfish with a red-orange body and a black saddle blotch on the flank.
Overview
Amphiprion ephippium, the red saddleback anemonefish, is a reef-associated damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. Adults are red-orange with a black saddle-shaped blotch on the flank and lack a white head bar; juveniles may show a head bar that fades with age. It reaches a maximum length of about 14 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacentridae
- Genus: Amphiprion
- Scientific name: Amphiprion ephippium (Bloch, 1790)
Habitat
The species occurs in the eastern Indian Ocean, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Thailand, Malaysia, and Java and Sumatra in Indonesia. It inhabits silty coastal waters and protected bays in pairs at depths of about 2 to 15 m. It associates with the anemones Entacmaea quadricolor and Heteractis crispa.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 150 L
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- Carbonate hardness (dKH): 8-12
- Specific gravity: 1.024-1.026
- Lifespan: 12-13 years
Diet
Amphiprion ephippium is an omnivore, with a trophic level of 2.7. In the aquarium it accepts marine flake and pellet foods together with frozen mysis and brine shrimp, fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
This species occupies the middle water column and can be territorial, particularly around its host anemone. It can be kept with tangs, royal gramma, wrasses and cleaner shrimp, while other clownfish species and aggressive predators such as triggerfish should be avoided.
Reef compatibility
Amphiprion ephippium does not eat coral and is reef-safe. It is maintained at reef salinity of 1.024-1.026 specific gravity and carbonate hardness around 8-12 dKH. A host anemone is appreciated but not required in captivity.
Breeding
The species is a protandrous hermaphrodite forming distinct breeding pairs. It is oviparous, with the male guarding and aerating the demersal eggs. It shows high resilience, with a minimum population doubling time under 15 months.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2010).