1. Why don't my fish eat the day they arrive?

Despite our and your best efforts, the process of capture, shipment and introduction to a new home is stressful for all fish. One symptom of this stress is refusal to eat. If water conditions are correct, newly-arrived clownfish should resume feeding normally within 24 - 48 hours.

2. What should I feed my clownfish?

Use any frozen or gel-type food made for marine fish. Seafood from the grocery store, chopped into pieces of appropriate size, is welcomed, as are live adult brine shrimp. We do not feed our fish flake foods at the hatchery, so it may take them a while to recognize the flakes as food. Good brands of marine fish flakes are widely available.

3. I see terms like "matched," "bonded," and "mated" referring to clownfish pairs. Do these terms all mean the same thing?

No. A "matched" pair consists of two fish that have merely been selected by the breeder, based on species, size and any characteristics the breeder is hoping to have in the offspring, such as a color morph. In the case of a "bonded" pair, the two fish have accepted each other as suitable mates and have settled into the breeding aquarium. A "mated" pair has produced at least one clutch of eggs.

4. Do clownfish require an anemone?

No. All clownfish do quite well in the aquarium without a host anemone. Host anemones require special care, and are not for every aquarist, so many people will want to enjoy their clownfish without a host. Because clownfish naturally remain in a small territory (the area immediately around the host anemone) they adapt quickly to the confines of an aquarium. This makes clownfish among the best marine aquarium fish.

5. I have heard captive-raised clownfish will not go into an anemone host. Is this true?

This is a widespread misconception. In the wild, the host anemone is absolutely essential to the survival of the clownfish. The instinctive affinity for anemones is so strong that even older captive-raised fish that have never before encountered an anemone will recognize and enter an appropriate host.

6. How do I acclimate new fish to my tank?

While the particular approach to acclimation may vary from one species to the next, here are some basic guidelines for introducing new specimens to your aquarium.

7. What are the correct water conditions for my marine aquarium?

We recommend marine aquariums be maintained within the following ranges:
Temperature 74° - 82°F (23° - 28°C)
Salinity 34 - 36 ppt
pH 8.15 - 8.6 (8.2 - 8.3 optimum)
Alkalinity 2.0 - 5.0 meq/L
Ammonia zero
Nitrite zero
Nitrate <20 mg/L as nitrate ion, <4.55 mg/L as nitrate-nitrogen
Phosphate <0.05 mg/L
Calcium 375 - 475 mg/L
Dissolved Oxygen >6.90 mg/L