Hi guys,
Just in case any of you guys need it, the only true sure-fire differentiator between
Amphiprion Percula and
A. Ocellaris is the number of spines/rays in the dorsal fin.
Regardless of coloration,
A. percula has 10 (or sometimes 9) spines in its dorsal fin, while
A. ocellaris has 11 (but very occasionally 10) spines.
So if the fish has 9 or 11, you're pretty sure of its ID. If it has 10, 90% of the time it's
A. percula, but there is a 10% chance it's
A. ocellaris. Careful when counting: the dorsal fins of most specimens is mainly in the red/orange part, but also extends into the middle white band.
Coloration (though very subjective) was once the "acid test", but the accuracy is now in question, especially nowadays that various color hybrids have been tank-bred for both species.
Now, if we could only get these fishes to stop moving while we count....
HTH,
Phil
AMPHIPRION PERCULA WITH 9 SPINES IN ITS DORSAL FIN
AMPHIPRION OCELLARIS WITH 11 SPINES IN ITS DORSAL FIN
THIS THING SEEMS TO HAVE 10 SPINES IN ITS DORSAL FIN. WHAT IS IT???