Maldives Anemonefish Care Guide
Amphiprion nigripes, the Maldives anemonefish, is an Indian Ocean clownfish with an orange body, a single white head bar and distinctive black pelvic and anal fins.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Amphiprion nigripes, the Maldives anemonefish, is a reef-associated damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It has a rusty-orange body with a single white bar behind the eye and characteristic black pelvic and anal fins, the feature behind its alternative name, black-finned anemonefish. It reaches a maximum length of about 11 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacentridae
- Genus: Amphiprion
- Scientific name: Amphiprion nigripes Regan, 1908
Habitat
The species occurs in the western Indian Ocean, in the Maldives and Sri Lanka. It lives in small groups on outer reef slopes at depths of about 2 to 25 m and associates particularly with the magnificent sea anemone Heteractis magnifica.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 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: 9-11 years
Diet
Amphiprion nigripes is an omnivore that feeds on zooplankton, small benthic crustaceans and algae. In the aquarium it accepts brine and mysis shrimp, chopped shellfish, and high-protein flake and granular foods, fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
This diurnal species occupies the middle water column and is mostly peaceful, showing some territorial aggression when defending 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 nigripes 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 that forms distinct breeding pairs. Its demersal eggs adhere to the substrate and are guarded and aerated by the male until they hatch.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2021).
Maldives Anemonefish Breeding Guide
Overview
Amphiprion nigripes is found in the western Indian Ocean around the Maldive and Laccadive Islands, where it is particularly associated with the magnificent sea anemone Heteractis magnifica. Females grow up to about 11 cm and males to about 8 cm. The species has successfully been raised in captivity.
Sexing
It exhibits protandrous hermaphroditism: all fish hatch as males and can later change sex to female, with dominant individuals controlling social rank within the group. Sex therefore follows size and rank, so raising two juveniles together and letting the larger develop into the female is the standard way to obtain a pair.
Conditioning
A bonded pair held in a stable, warm reef and fed frequently on a varied diet comes into breeding condition. The host anemone Heteractis magnifica is readily accepted but is not strictly required for spawning in captivity.
Breeding Setup
Quantitative egg and larval data are not documented for this species, so breeding follows the general anemonefish pattern. The breeding setup provides a flat, defensible spawning surface such as rock within the pair's territory, with the anemone used as a nest site in the wild.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
As an anemonefish it is a demersal substrate spawner: the pair deposits adhesive eggs on a flat surface near its territory, often beside the anemone, and fertilizes them externally. A settled pair under stable reef parameters and frequent feeding spawns in repeated cycles.
Egg & Fry Care
Following the anemonefish pattern, the male tends the nest, fanning and cleaning the eggs until they hatch. Larvae are pelagic and are reared in captivity on small live foods, starting with rotifers and moving to Artemia nauplii as the larvae grow.
Common Challenges
Because species-specific egg, incubation and larval figures are not documented, breeders rely on the general anemonefish behavior. As with all clownfish, the planktonic larval phase is the bottleneck, demanding a continuous supply of correctly sized live food and stable, high-quality water.