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The Parts of a Clown Fish

Clown fish, made more popular because of the movie "Finding Nemo," are one of the most recognizable fish among reef-dwellers. The clown fish is bright orange with white bars and is about 4 inches long. Clown fish are actually called false anemonefish, the true anemonefish is almost identical. They are named for the sea anemone they live with for protection.

  1. Mucus

    • The mucus on the clown fish protects it from the sea anemone that they live with. Before taking up residence with the sea anemone, the clown fish touches different parts of its body to the sea anemone to acclimate itself to its new host. The mucus makes it immune to the sea anemone's sting, which is lethal to fish that may be predators of the clown fish. The sea anemone eats fish, but the clown fish drives off intruders and cleans parasites off the sea anemone it lives with.

    Head and Body

    • Clownfish have mouths and nostrils, called nares. The body of the clown fish is unique in color and has three white vertical lines across its body and fins. The colors change in response to its surroundings, according to the study "Impact of Background on Color Performance of False Clownfish" by Inayah Yasir and Jian G. Qin. The first vertical line is between its face and gills, the second is across the middle of the body and the final is on the tail section.

    Sexual Parts

    • Clown fish all begin as young males, later some of them become females. The females are significantly larger than the males. The male builds a nest and then courts the female by extending his fins and chasing and biting the female until she goes into the nest that he prepared. The female then deposits 100 to 1,000 eggs and the male fertilizes them externally. The eggs usually hatch in 4 to 5 days.

    Gills and Fins

    • Gills of the clown fish are located in the area of the first vertical white line. Clown fish also have the typical dorsal, ventral, caudal and pectoral fins or external appendages. Each of these fins has a specific purpose and helps the clown fish move a different way. The dorsal is located on the back of the fish and is used by the fish to help it balance and remain stable as it swims. The front dorsal is spiny and the rear one is soft. Its ventral fin is located in the pelvic area and is also used for stability. The caudal fin in the tail area is used to propel it through the water, and the pectoral fins are for side to side motions and general maneuvering.

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