Bullet Hole Clownfish Care Guide
The Bullet Hole is a captive-bred Amphiprion ocellaris designer morph marked by a round orange spot punched through an eye bar. Care follows the wild ocellaris.
Overview
The Bullet Hole is a captive-bred designer line of Amphiprion ocellaris, a small reef-associated damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is named for a round orange spot that appears within one or both eye bars, giving the look of a hole punched through the white marking. As a colour and pattern selection of a single species, its biology, husbandry and conservation status are those of the parent Amphiprion ocellaris (FishBase).
Taxonomy
- Family: Pomacentridae
- Genus: Amphiprion
- Scientific name: Amphiprion ocellaris Cuvier, 1830
- Trade name: Amphiprion ocellaris "Bullet Hole" (captive-bred designer line)
Habitat
Wild Amphiprion ocellaris occurs in the Indo-West Pacific, from the eastern Indian Ocean through Southeast Asia to the Philippines, Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands. It lives on outer reef slopes and sheltered lagoons at depths of about 1 to 15 m in association with host sea anemones such as Heteractis magnifica, Stichodactyla gigantea and Stichodactyla mertensii. Bullet Hole fish are produced in captivity and have no wild population of their own.
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: 6-10 years
Diet
Amphiprion ocellaris is an omnivore that feeds in the wild on zooplankton, copepods and algae. In the aquarium it readily takes marine flake and pellet foods together with frozen mysis and brine shrimp, fed about twice daily.
Compatibility
Captive-bred ocellaris like the Bullet Hole are peaceful, middle-water fish that stay near a host or shelter. They suit small to medium reef communities including royal gramma, firefish and cleaner shrimp, while large predators such as lionfish and triggerfish should be avoided. Pairs are stable, but multiple unpaired clownfish in a small tank can become aggressive.
Reef compatibility
Clownfish do not eat coral and are reef-safe. They are kept at reef salinity of 1.024-1.026 specific gravity and carbonate hardness around 8-12 dKH. A host anemone is not required in captivity.
Breeding
Amphiprion ocellaris is a protandrous hermaphrodite; the dominant fish of a monogamous pair becomes the female. Pairs deposit demersal eggs on a hard surface near the host, and the male tends the clutch until hatching after about 6 to 8 days. Designer lines such as the Bullet Hole are produced through this captive breeding.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2021). Captive breeding of ocellaris reduces pressure on wild reefs.