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Red Saddleback Clownfish
Clownfish

Red Saddleback Clownfish

Amphiprion ephippium

A deep-bodied member of the tomato complex, the Red Saddleback wears solid fiery red-orange with a single black saddle blotch on its flank and no head bar at all. It is bigger, bolder, and considerably more assertive than an ocellaris, so give it larger tankmates and expect it to defend its patch. Widely captive-bred and very hardy, it makes a striking, long-lived centerpiece. Offer it a bubble-tip anemone; without a host it may adopt a stony coral or clam mantle instead.

Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Max size
5.5"
Min tank
30 gal
Reef-safe
Reef safe
Diet
Omnivore
Zone
Mid-water, Rockwork
Keep one or a bonded pair.
Symbiosis · Hosts an anemone.
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Tankmates

How Red Saddleback Clownfish gets on with the rest of the reef, checked pair by pair by the same engine as the live pre-flight.

Best kept apart

A real clash — aggression, predation or a same-genus fight.

Maroon ClownfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Maroon Clownfish are the same genus (Amphiprion) and will fight — keep only one.Volitans LionfishVolitans Lionfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Snowflake MoraySnowflake Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Zebra MorayZebra Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Chainlink MorayChainlink Moray has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Clown TriggerfishClown Triggerfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Miniata GrouperMiniata Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Panther GrouperPanther Grouper has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.Spanish HogfishSpanish Hogfish has a big enough mouth to eat the much smaller Red Saddleback Clownfish.

Keep an eye on these

Usually fine, but worth watching in a smaller tank.

Blue DamselRed Saddleback Clownfish and Blue Damsel both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellowtail DamselRed Saddleback Clownfish and Yellowtail Damsel both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Flame AngelfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Flame Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Coral Beauty AngelfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Coral Beauty Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Lemonpeel AngelfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Lemonpeel Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Bicolor AngelfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Bicolor Angelfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow TangRed Saddleback Clownfish and Yellow Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Red Sea ClownfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Red Sea Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Sailfin TangRed Saddleback Clownfish and Sailfin Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Purple TangRed Saddleback Clownfish and Purple Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Powder Blue TangRed Saddleback Clownfish and Powder Blue Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Matted FilefishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Matted Filefish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Yellow Clown GobyRed Saddleback Clownfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Yellow Clown Goby and may harass it.Green Clown GobyRed Saddleback Clownfish (semi-aggressive) is much larger than the peaceful Green Clown Goby and may harass it.Convict TangRed Saddleback Clownfish and Convict Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Clark's ClownfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Clark's Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Tomato ClownfishRed Saddleback Clownfish and Tomato Clownfish both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Canary BlennyRed Saddleback Clownfish and Canary Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Forktail BlennyRed Saddleback Clownfish and Forktail Blenny both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.Achilles TangRed Saddleback Clownfish and Achilles Tang both claim the same part of the tank and may squabble.