Orange Skunk Clownfish Care Guide
Amphiprion sandaracinos, the orange skunk clownfish, is a bright orange western Pacific anemonefish with a wide white dorsal stripe from lips to tail.
Overview
Amphiprion sandaracinos, the orange skunk clownfish, is a reef-associated damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is bright orange with a wide white stripe extending from the upper lip across the back to the base of the tail. It reaches a maximum length of about 14 cm, with females larger than males.
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacentridae
- Genus: Amphiprion
- Scientific name: Amphiprion sandaracinos Allen, 1972
Habitat
The species ranges across the western Pacific from Christmas Island and Western Australia to the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, the Philippines, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. It typically lives in small groups on outer reef slopes and in lagoons at depths of about 3 to 20 m. Its primary host is the carpet anemone Stichodactyla mertensii, and it more rarely uses Heteractis crispa.
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: 11-14 years
Diet
Amphiprion sandaracinos is an omnivore whose diet is based on zooplankton, small benthic crustaceans and algae, 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 lives with a strict size-based dominance hierarchy. 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 sandaracinos 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 monogamous protandrous hermaphrodite; the breeding male transforms into a female if the sole female dies. It is a benthic spawner: eggs are laid on a hard surface and the male guards and aerates them.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2009).