Clownfish: How Did They Become So Popular?

Around twenty years have likely passed since our little orange and white friend the clownfish moved from being a creature that few people would have even heard of to one that is easily recognizable.

And in this day and age, clownfish are even a common addition to saltwater aquariums and a preferred pet for small children. And it's probably reasonable to say that we are all aware of the reason for their enduring popularity.

For the remaining four out of five people on the earth who are unaware of them, Pixar Animation Studios, a division of Walt Disney, published a movie in 2003 that would go on to become a worldwide phenomenon.

Finding Nemo was produced by Pixar, a company that was already well-known for creating critically acclaimed and financially successful movies like Monster's Inc., A Bug's Life, and of course the Toy Story series.

As usual, Pixar's method for making stories was taking some significant human themes—in this instance, fatherhood and familial trust—and using an imaginative and fantastical setting to explore those topics.

Both of these characters rose to fame due to their roles in the movie, which told the tale of a clownfish seeking for his missing son. As a result, many of kids all over the world expressed a desire to possess a pet clownfish named Nemo.

A sequel that had been released thirteen years earlier had sparked a resurgence. In 2020, it was at such a high that the animals were being taken from their natural environment in the Great Barrier Reef, and breeders were looking for a less harmful answer to their popularity. 

Overall, there isn't much of a secret as to what has led to their increasing appeal, but aside from the cinematic significance, there are quite a few reasons why they would make wonderful additions to a home aquarium.

Clownfish have a quite distinctive appearance, behavior, and mating patterns, all of which are fascinating to observe in your own aquarium. Although we are most familiar with the orange and white clownfish, there are other varieties as well.

In reality, there are actually a few different ones. The most well-known is the common clownfish, also called the False Percula, and these days, they are very simple to locate. The larger and darker cinnamon clownfish is another option.

Due to their size, which puts them among the largest clownfish species, they have a propensity to be a little more aggressive. Another huge species that has a name that suggests a darker colour is the maroon clownfish.

Then there is the clarkii clownfish, which comes in a variety of hues but is most frequently a vivid yellow. These can all interbreed, which could produce even more intriguing colors.

Regarding mating practices, clownfish vary from other fish in that they have the ability to switch between genders. No matter whatever gender is present in a group of them, one will always change into a female, one into a male, and the others will remain sexless for the remainder of their lives.

In order to begin breeding them if that's what you're interested in, it's rather simple to obtain a mated pair of them right away. Observing the evolution of their interaction with Anemone is also fascinating.

Clownfish live in plants called anemones, and when we were young, anemone sounded like a tremendously difficult word to pronounce. A symbiotic interaction exists between the fish and their habitat.

If you have clownfish, you must have an anemone plant in your aquarium. If you do, you will observe how the anemone gives the fish a place to dwell while the fish deliver food to the anemone.

Therefore, clownfish make good pets because of their considerable distinctiveness, but they also make good pets because of their considerable durability compared to many other little fish. They are more resilient and less prone to disease in less perfect circumstances.

This is not to say that you shouldn't maintain the tank's filtering system, treat the water, and do routine water changes. There are also a few illnesses that you should be on the lookout for.

One of the few diseases that affects clownfish on a regular basis is marine velvet, but ich is another highly deadly condition that, sadly, can affect any fish at some point.

It is treatable if you detect the signs early on and take rapid action. It is preventable if you take the proper precautions.

So, in response to the query question given in the article's title, Finding Nemo probably contributed to the rise in popularity of clownfish as pets. However, as we've already mentioned, there are a lot of compelling reasons to keep them as pets.

You really can't go wrong with a clownfish if you want to add a few different species of fish to your home tank. Yes, they are no longer an uncommon sight in aquariums that will capture the attention of guests.