Ocellaris vs percula clownfish: which should you choose?
AquaLog guide · Published
In short: Their care is the same: both need at least 75 L (20 US gal), 24–27 °C (75–81 °F), pH 8.1–8.4 and specific gravity 1.023–1.026, and both are reef safe and rated beginner. Choose on looks and on the stock you can find: the percula has thicker black outlining. Keep one species only, as a pair, because each lists other clownfish species as fish to avoid.
How do they compare?
| Ocellaris clownfish | Percula clownfish | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum tank (reef) | 75 L (20 US gal) | 75 L (20 US gal) |
| Minimum tank (fish only with live rock) | 75 L (20 US gal) | 75 L (20 US gal) |
| Temperature | 24–27 °C (75–81 °F) | 24–27 °C (75–81 °F) |
| pH | 8.1–8.4 | 8.1–8.4 |
| Hardness | 8–12 dGH | 8–12 dGH |
| Specific gravity | 1.023–1.026 | 1.023–1.026 |
| Adult size | 8 cm (3.1 in) | 8 cm (3.1 in) |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Peaceful |
| Group size | A pair | A pair |
| Care level | Beginner | Beginner |
| Lifespan | 6–15 years | 10–20 years |
| Diet | Omnivore: marine pellets, frozen mysis and enriched brine | Omnivore: pellets, frozen mysis, nori for grazing |
| Feeding | Twice daily, small portions | Two small feeds daily |
| Reef safe | Yes | Yes |
| Corals | Safe with all corals; may host in a euphyllia or carpet anemone | Reef safe |
| Invertebrates | Safe with shrimp, snails and crabs | Reef safe |
| Aggression | Only defends its host or a small patch of rock | Territorial only near its host |
All figures come from our care guide: see ocellaris clownfish and percula clownfish.
What is actually different?
Very little in care. The differences are looks, origin, growth and, on our data, lifespan.
- Names. The ocellaris is also known as the false percula; the percula is the true percula.
- Looks. The percula has thicker black outlining than the ocellaris. FishBase gives 10–11 dorsal-fin spines for the ocellaris and 9–10 for the percula, so a fish with 11 is an ocellaris, but the counts overlap at 10.
- Origin. Wild ocellaris come from the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific; FishBase's range runs from India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands through South-East Asia to the Philippines and Japan's Ryukyu Islands. Wild perculas come from northern Queensland and Melanesia.
- Growth. Our data calls the percula a slightly slower grower.
- Lifespan. Our data gives 6–15 years for the ocellaris and 10–20 for the percula. Either way, you are buying a fish for many years.
Choose the ocellaris if…
- It is your first marine fish. Our care guide rates both species beginner and calls the ocellaris hardy, a fish that pairs off in a small tank. FishBase describes it as one of the most popular marine aquarium fishes and notes it is bred for the aquarium trade.
- You prefer the thinner black outlining.
Choose the percula if…
- You prefer bolder black outlining.
- You want the longer lifespan our data gives: 10–20 years against 6–15.
- Your shop has captive-bred perculas. FishBase notes the percula has also been reared in captivity. Ask the shop whether its fish are captive-bred or wild-caught.
Can ocellaris and percula clownfish live together?
No, not as a rule. Water is not the problem: their temperature, pH and specific gravity ranges match exactly. Behaviour is. Our ocellaris data lists other clownfish species among fish to avoid, and our percula data lists mixed clownfish species. Pick one species and keep it as a pair.
How do you keep a pair?
Both species are kept in pairs, and our data says the larger, dominant fish of the pair becomes the female. In the wild both live in large sea anemones, according to FishBase, and our ocellaris data notes it may host in a euphyllia or carpet anemone in the aquarium. Bonded pairs of both species spawn in the aquarium, laying on flat rock or tile in our ocellaris data. Raising the larvae is the hard part: our ocellaris data says it needs rotifers and a dedicated larval tank. Common problems for both include Brooklynella; the ocellaris also lists marine ich and bacterial fin erosion, and the percula marine velvet.
Good tank mates differ a little. The ocellaris lists the royal gramma, firefish, cleaner shrimp and yellow watchman goby, and avoids large groupers and lionfish. The percula lists cleaner shrimp, the Banggai cardinalfish and tailspot blenny, and avoids damsels in small tanks.
Marine targets and testing are covered in aquarium water parameters explained, and reef-safe saltwater fish lists other fish for a reef. In AquaLog, the "Will it fit your tank?" check compares either clownfish with your logged tank's size, water type, temperature and pH.