Cinnamon Clownfish

 Quick Care Facts

• Care Level: Easy   • Temperament: Semi-Aggressive   • Maximum Size: 5"
• Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons   • Water Conditions: 74-82° F, dKH 8-12, sg 1.020-1.025, pH 8.1-8.4
• Diet: Omnivore   • Origin: Indonesia, Melanesia, Great Barrier Reef
• Family: Pomacentridae   • Species: Clownfish   • Aquarium Type: Reef Compatible

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The Cinnamon Clownfish, which is also commonly referred to as the Black Anemonefish, Red and Black Anemonefish, or the Red and Black Clownfish within the aquarium trade, is a very fish species that is popular with beginners to advanced aquarists alike. This is one of the larger clownfish species found in the western pacific, reaching an adult size of around 5 to 6 inches.

It is ideal to keep this species in an aquarium with live rock and a host anemone, as this will provide a small territory for it to call home and help reduce its aggression towards other tank mates. If kept in small sparsely aquascaped aquariums, this species tends to become territorial over the entire tank and will chase smaller less aggressive species. When kept in heavily aquascaped, reef or large aquariums the Cinnamon Clown can be kept easily with a variety of other fish and invertebrate species.

Cinnamon Clownfish have an orange body that fades to a black color on the body and lighter orange to yellow finnage. They have a white stripe outlined in black that is located behind the eye and just before the pectoral fins. As they age, they tend to become darker in color with the face and frontal part of the body taking on a cinnamon orange, while the body fades to a dark orange or black color.

Cinnamon Clownfish are a very hardy species that do very well in fish-only aquariums and reef environments. They are very territorial and will vigorously defend their territory from other clownfish and similarly sized fish species. They become more aggressive with size and age, but should be considered more territorial than overly aggressive. When kept in smaller aquariums, this species should be the only clownfish species kept and should be kept with other semi-aggressive fish species.

In larger aquariums, this species can be kept with a vast range of other marine fish species. Cinnamon Clownfish will prefer a host anemone, but this is not an absolute requirement. This species is usually seen with bulb tipped anemones (ex. Entacmaea quadricolor) or leathery sea anemones (ex. Heteractus crispa), but may also accept other similar type anemone species. This species will not harm corals or invertebrates, thus is suitable for reef and FOWLR aquariums.

Cinnamon Clownfish are omnivores that will appreciate a mixed diet of meaty and herbivore preparations. While this species will happily eat flaked foods, its diet should ideally include flake, frozen and live meaty foods. Herbivore flake or frozen preparations will also be readily accepted. Cinnamon Clownfish are aggressive eaters and will boldly accept food offered to them. Ideally they should be fed small meals 2 to 3 times a day.