Clownfish is famous around the world, mainly because of Nemo. They are easy-to-care and peaceful fish species that fit nicely into a community tank. Problem is Clownfish Cost.
However, they are expensive than typical freshwater fish because their maintenance cost is higher than for freshwater fish. In addition, some Clownfish species are rare. so lets see How Much Do Clownfish Cost?
How Much Do Clownfish Cost?
Jump To
- 1 How Much Do Clownfish Cost?
- 2 Price Based On Fish Type
- 3 How Many Different Types of Clownfish and price
- 4 Why Are Clownfish So Expensive
- 5 What Is the Most Expensive Clownfish
- 6 Are Keeping Clownfish Expensive?
- 7 Are Clownfish Good For Beginners?
- 8 How Many Fish Can I Keep Together?
- 9 How Much Do Clownfish Cost UK?
- 10 Price and Differences between Wild Caught and Farmed Clownfish
- 11 Can You Keep Different Types of Clownfish Together
- 12 Related Questions
- 13 What Is The Rarest Clownfish?
- 14 What Do Clownfish Eat?
- 15 Do I Need an Anemone to Keep Clownfish in My Aquarium?
- 16 Conclusion
The average cost of a clownfish is around $10 to 25$ range. Further, the price may increase if the species is rare.
The price of a clownfish depends on its species. According to National Geographic, there are at least about 30 species of clownfish that you can find in shallow waters of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the western Pacific Ocean.
Price Based On Fish Type
| Clownfish Type | Price |
|---|---|
| Common Clownfish | $10- $25 |
| maroon clownfish | $50- $75 |
| black clownfish | $50- $75 |
| Cinnamon Clownfish | $65- $90 |
| Tomato Clownfish | $75- $125 |
| Clarkii Clownfish | $15- $35 |
| Pink Skunk Clownfish | $40- $60 |
| Saddleback Clownfish | $30- $50 |
| Orange Storm Clownfish | $100- $140 |
How Many Different Types of Clownfish and price
There are at least 30 types of Clownfish reported, and a few of them are available in the hobby. These clownfish are grouped into six complexes.
Percula Complex: price $10- $25
Two most common clownfish species in the aquarium hobby falls under the percula complex.
They are common clownfish and Picasso clownfish. These clownfish species primarily breed in captivity, developing several color morphs.
Maroon Complex: $50- $75
Clownfish that have prominent band patterns fall into this group. Only two clownfish in this complex are available for hobbyists: Maroon Clownfish Premnas biaculeatus and Gold Striped Maroon Clownfish.
This complex is considered the most gorgeous and rarest type of clownfish; hence, maroon clownfish are more expensive than other fish types.
Clarkii Complex: $15- $35
Clarkii complex is a group of clownfish consists of 11 fish that have prominent band patterns, easy-to-care and considerably larger than other clownfish types.
These handsome clownfish species grow up to 5.1 inches and are among the aquarists’ favorite clownfish types.
Saddleback Complex: $30- $50
Clownfish fall into this group have a distinguished look than other clownfish types. They are very popular among aquarists because they are one of the most exotic and rare fish species.
However, they are among the hardest to keep clownfish that is suitable only for advanced aquarists. There are three species of Saddleback complex available to keep in aquariums.
Tomato Complex: $75- $125
Only about two clownfish species fall into this group. They don’t have many patterns like other clownfish species, just one white band located behind the eye.
However, they are darker in color and are the hardiest clownfish species. This complex is also the third-largest clownfish species after Clarkii and Skunk complexes.
Tomato complex is not the prettiest type of clownfish species but is the most suitable clownfish species for beginners.
Skunk Complex: $15- $35
The skunk complex is a unique-looking clownfish species consists of two species. They have a white ‘skunk’ type attractive stripe running along the entire length of their back.
This timid clownfish species are the smallest in the clownfish family, and they fit into nano aquariums because of their small size.
Related : How Big Do Clownfish Get? Size Comparison on Each Species.
Must See : Do Clownfish Need Anemones to Live? | What Anemone Your Clown Need
Why Are Clownfish So Expensive
Clownfish are expensive because their maintenance and care cost is higher than freshwater fish.
In addition, they cannot live if the water quality is poor, so you will have to provide more effort and money to keep their proper water conditions.
Also, the rarity of some clownfish species makes them more expensive. Further, generally, people think that all clownfish are rare, which leads to a higher price tag.
Read – Can Clownfish Change Gender? Interesting Facts You Must Know
What Is the Most Expensive Clownfish
The most expensive clownfish species is the Lightning Maroon clownfish. Reports say a Peacekeeper Maroon Clownfish in a coral saltwater aquarium was sold for $8900 in 2016 at eBay.
This fish was reported to be a biaculeatus clownfish species which you can see in this YouTube Video.
Are Keeping Clownfish Expensive?
Yes. Keeping saltwater fish like Clownfish needs extra time and effort because they are less forgiving of poor water quality.
So, you need to buy salt mixes to mix with the water, which will cost you more money.
Breeding clownfish will also take more effort than other freshwater fish because you have to observe the eggs till they hatch to avoid the larvae (baby clownfish) getting sucked through the filter.
Clownfish eggs usually hatch in the evenings, and you should turn off all the filters when the eggs hatch.
These reasons make them more expensive to keep than usual freshwater fish.
Are Clownfish Good For Beginners?
Yes. Clownfish are suitable for beginners because they are hardy, easy-to-care, and need considerably little space than other fish.
Wild clownfish stay near or in anemones in a reef environment; hence they can survive in little space. However, the cost of their maintenance is higher than freshwater fish.
How Many Fish Can I Keep Together?
If you have a small tank, you should aim for only two clownfish in your tank. If you add more than two fish in a smaller tank, they may become aggressive.
The minimum tank size recommended is 25 gallons for two fish. If you have a bigger aquarium, you can add more fish together.
However, adding more than two fish in a tank sometimes works when introduced at a young age.
How Much Do Clownfish Cost UK?
A common clownfish will cost around £20, while some rare designer species like maroon clownfish and tomato clownfish cost about £100 upwards.
Most clownfish species are expensive than freshwater fish species.
Price and Differences between Wild Caught and Farmed Clownfish
Wild-caught Clownfish are pricier than captive-bred clownfish because of several reasons.
- It takes more resources to catch wild clownfish
- Wild clownfish often have more genetic diversity, thus more color varieties than captive-bred clownfish
- Wild clownfish have a high mortality rate as a result of stress imposed by capture, transport, and containment
Although the diversity makes a plus point to choose wild-caught clownfish over farmed Clownfish, it’s best to select captive-bred clownfish other than wild ones as a beginner. That is because,
- Captive-bred clownfish are hardier than wild fish because they are already used to the aquarium environment.
- They are inexpensive than wild-caught ones
Instead of buying wild clownfish, you can buy a designer captive-bred clownfish like lightning maroon clownfish, tomato clownfish, and snowflake clownfish if you prefer color varieties.
These fish offers more vivid colors and patterns that will catch anyone’s attention as well as they are hardy and easy to keep than wild-caught clownfish.
Can You Keep Different Types of Clownfish Together
Yes. You can keep diverse species of clownfish together. However, your tank should be large enough to provide each fish with adequate space to swim and explore.
Otherwise, the larger clownfish may bully or attack the small ones. Clownfish are semi-aggressive species that need considerate personal space from their own kind.
Related Questions
What Is The Rarest Clownfish?
Lightning Maroon clownfish are considered the rarest clownfish species to find within the industry. Because of this reason, their price tag is also high.
This fish’s native waters are in Papua New Guinea. Since first found, they are captive bred because of their unique color variation.
Each fish has a unique lightning-bolt-like pattern, and no fish look the same. When the fish gets older, the design intensifies, and the color gets darker and more vibrant.
Lightning Maroon clownfish gets pretty big and grows up to six inches long.
So, if you want to keep them, you will have to keep single fish or a pair. If you breed them, make sure one fish is bigger than the other one.
What Do Clownfish Eat?
Clownfish are omnivore fish species, which means they eat both meat and plants.
However, they mainly eat algae, copepods, zooplankton, worms, and small crustaceans in the wild. Captive-bred clownfish can eat flakes and pellets that have spirulina in addition to live and frozen meat-based fish food like Mysis shrimp, table shrimp, and brine shrimp.
Do I Need an Anemone to Keep Clownfish in My Aquarium?
For most clownfish species, the answer is no. Although Clownfish are well known as Anemonefish, they can do fine without an Anemone most of the time.
This is especially true for large clownfish species like Maroon, Tomato, and Clarkii Complexes.
On the other hand, some clownfish species like skunk and saddleback complexes prefer Anemone because they are so timid and remain hidden.
But, as long as you provide hiding places like caves and corals within, they will do fine. But, you will rarely see them swimming in open water without Anemones.
Conclusion
Clownfish are expensive marine fish species, but most people find it worth spending because of their popularity and vivid color variations.
Some designer clownfish are more costly than the common clownfish, and they need extra care than other aquarium fish types.
However, most clownfish species are beginner-friendly, and they make an excellent addition to your community saltwater aquarium.
