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Variety of Ocellaris clownfish

Gladiator clownfish

Amphiprion ocellaris

One of 17 varieties of Amphiprion ocellaris · See all varieties →

SaltwaterFish

Gladiator clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

Varieties · Amphiprion ocellaris

See all 17 →

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Adult size
3.1 in
8 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Beginner
Breeding
Easy
Rarity
Very common
Reef safe
Reef safe
Family
Pomacentridae

Overview

The gladiator clownfish is an ocellaris whose unique markings set it apart from the wild type. It is a good first saltwater fish for a reef tank.

Did you know

The gladiator clownfish's designer name tracks the farm that raised it about as closely as it tracks the pattern.

Caring for the gladiator clownfish

Keep a gladiator clownfish singly or as a bonded pair, in a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L). It is reef safe and stays in a small territory around its chosen host. A live anemone is optional, since it will often adopt a coral, a powerhead or a patch of rock instead.

Hold the water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C), with a pH of 8.1 to 8.4. It accepts virtually all prepared, frozen and live foods.

The gladiator clownfish is mostly peaceful and rarely bothers other species. It can be territorial toward other clownfish, though, and will usually harass a second clown that is not its mate. All clownfish are born male, and the largest, most dominant fish in a group becomes the female.

Gladiator clownfish are easy to breed, and their species is among the most widely captive-bred marine fish. Tank-raised stock is hardy.

Good to know

Gladiator clownfish markings vary in kind, not just in amount. Some fish show a white belly reminiscent of countershading.

In the wild

The gladiator clownfish traces to Bill Addison, who ran C-Quest, the hatchery that also released the Wyoming White. The pattern exists only in captive lines.

Symbiotic relationships

Clownfish and their host anemones

A clownfish lives inside an anemone that stings and eats other fish its size. Its mucus coat keeps the anemone's stinging cells from firing, and a new fish builds that protection up over hours of brief touches. The fish gets a refuge no predator will follow it into and a nest site at the anemone's base. The anemone gets a guard that drives off the butterflyfish that would graze its tentacles, a steady supply of nitrogen from the fish's waste, and water movement at night, when the fish fans its fins among the tentacles and the anemone takes up more oxygen. Only ten anemone species host clownfish in the wild, and each clownfish species uses its own short list of them.

Captive-bred clownfish have never seen an anemone and do not need one; they settle for a coral, a powerhead or a corner of the tank. If you want the pairing, the anemone is the harder animal by far and goes in first, into a mature tank with strong light and stable water, at the tank size its own profile lists. The bubble tip anemone is the hardy host, and the one most clownfish accept in captivity even when it is not a natural host, so a clownfish profile lists it as the usual tank host where that is the case. The sebae, magnificent and carpet anemones are marked difficult, and the carpets eat fish. Expect a paired clownfish to defend its anemone against everything else in the tank.

Every symbiotic relationship in the catalog

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The gladiator clownfish is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

Is a gladiator clownfish a different species from the Ocellaris clownfish?

No. A gladiator clownfish is a variety of the Ocellaris clownfish, Amphiprion ocellaris, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.

Is a Gladiator clownfish the same as a DaVinci?

In look, yes. ORA's own listing says its Gladiators are also known as DaVinci or Fancy clownfish. ORA credits Bill Addison of C-Quest with discovering and naming the pattern and says its fish follow his blueprints.

What markings make a Gladiator clownfish?

ORA lists stripes that connect two of the three bands, isolated white spots between the bands, swooshes of white, hazy markings it calls nebula or smudgy, and a white belly. A standard fish carries one to three of these, and Premium Gladiator means more pattern. Fins and body shape are unchanged.

What size tank does a gladiator clownfish need?

A gladiator clownfish needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What does a gladiator clownfish eat?

A gladiator clownfish eats virtually all prepared, frozen and live foods.

How big does a gladiator clownfish get?

An adult gladiator clownfish reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).

How can you tell a male gladiator clownfish from a female?

Males are the smaller fish of a pair. Gladiator clownfish are all born male, and the largest, most dominant fish in a group becomes the female.

How does a gladiator clownfish breed?

Gladiator clownfish are easy to breed, and their species is among the most widely captive-bred marine fish. Tank-raised stock is hardy as a result.

Related species