How rare is this?

[ThRoewer]

Originally Posted by Lewy

Good news. I have ordered a new tank.

Will be a nano and hopefully be stocked with some goodies from a local collector.

If I was living in Darwin I would for sure try to get a pair of the black and white ocellaris like clownfish you have there.

Is there still someone around who collects them?
All we ever see here these days are tank bred ones - mostly misbars - of uncertain lineage.

I'm pretty certain these guys are a currently undescribed species and not just a melanistic variety of the common ocellaris clowns.

[CoralsAddiction]

Originally Posted by ThRoewer

If I was living in Darwin I would for sure try to get a pair of the black and white ocellaris like clownfish you have there.

Is there still someone around who collects them?
All we ever see here these days are tank bred ones - mostly misbars - of uncertain lineage.

I'm pretty certain these guys are a currently undescribed species and not just a melanistic variety of the common ocellaris clowns.

Very strange wild b&w clowns don't get sent here while Akindynos and latezonatus do. I'm guessing that price could be part of the reason given tank raised ones are relatively inexpensive nowadays.

[OrionN]

Originally Posted by Lewy

Carpet anemone in the wild. Not such a rare a site you might say.



But this is a juvenile Black & White Ocellaris hosting in it. We found two the same size. So the parents were not too far away.

The very first post, Lewy show picture of one of the two wild Black and White Ocellaris juveniles. I would love to get a pair of these wild beautiful fish. I would not touch the tank raise one with a 10 foot pole.

[MaccaPopEye]

Originally Posted by OrionN

The very first post, Lewy show picture of one of the two wild Black and White Ocellaris juveniles. I would love to get a pair of these wild beautiful fish. I would not touch the tank raise one with a 10 foot pole.

Darwin clowns are actually very rare out there now. I've been out half a dozen times and only seen tomato clowns. I was talking to someone from the museum the other week and he said they go down very regularly to monitor populations of fish and they haven't seen any in a long time.

There is a coastal reserve a few km further up around the coast where they are still found (some of Lewys photos were from the reserve) obviously there is no collecting there which is good and keeps it nice and untouched (I've been meaning to go down there for a look at low tide).

Given they are endemic to this small region I think it's a bit sad that people don't want to buy captive bred and even sadder that breeders don't take a bit of pride in ensuring they breed true Darwin clowns. The local collector can get wild caught ones when he goes out, but I think he has recently started trying to breed them as well which is great.

[OrionN]

It is important to me to get reasonably deform free clowns. Most of the tank bred clownfish here in the US is just so deformed that I just don't want them in my tank. Of the 8 Percula I have now one is wild caught and 7 are TR.

[MaccaPopEye]

Originally Posted by OrionN

It is important to me to get reasonably deform free clowns. Most of the tank bred clownfish here in the US is just so deformed that I just don't want them in my tank. Of the 8 Percula I have now one is wild caught and 7 are TR.

See my understanding is that it's a breeders responsibility to cull deformed offspring so they don't make their way into trade and possibly breed even more deformed fish I certainly wouldn't buy anything that wasn't a strong and healthy looking fish, and I wouldn't every buy from a breeder trying to sell deformed or diseased fish.

(And by deformed I don't mean mutations that could be considered desirable.)

[ThRoewer]

Originally Posted by MaccaPopEye

Darwin clowns are actually very rare out there now. I've been out half a dozen times and only seen tomato clowns. I was talking to someone from the museum the other week and he said they go down very regularly to monitor populations of fish and they haven't seen any in a long time.

There is a coastal reserve a few km further up around the coast where they are still found (some of Lewys photos were from the reserve) obviously there is no collecting there which is good and keeps it nice and untouched (I've been meaning to go down there for a look at low tide).

Given they are endemic to this small region I think it's a bit sad that people don't want to buy captive bred and even sadder that breeders don't take a bit of pride in ensuring they breed true Darwin clowns. The local collector can get wild caught ones when he goes out, but I think he has recently started trying to breed them as well which is great.

I would take tank bred Darwin clowns if they came from a reputable breeder with multiple pairs and documented lineage to avoid inbreeding and contamination. They would of course also have to be free of deformations.

It is almost certain that these clowns are not just an ocellaris color form but rather a completely different species which is currently undescribed. As such they need preservation.

Unfortunately the current designer fad is to create ever more aberrant forms and hybrids just for novelty sake.
This would be fine if those were always clearly identifiable, but unfortunately some of those "fancy" pairings create also offspring that just looks like a wild form but has the contaminated genes of it's designer siblings. These are way too often sold as whatever they look and not what they actually are.
Those may be fine for the average hobbyist who will never breed with them, but they are outright dangerous for breeding purposes if you want to breed natural strains.
This is the reason why I try to get wild broodstock whenever possible.

[Jahdiel]

Originally Posted by Lewy

Nice blue sponge.


Galaxia


Stinging Hydroid?


Lobos.


Two different coloured leathers next to each other.


Look how tough they are.

How long are they actually out of water?

[Jahdiel]

This would be VERY exciting for me :-)

Originally Posted by Lewy

Nothing too exiciting today. But some nice sponges/algae and the usual clowns.

[Jahdiel]

Thank you for posting all these wonderful glimpse to reefs in nature. I have always wanted to visit Australia, and now I know I will be making it happen!

[MaccaPopEye]

Originally Posted by Jahdiel

How long are they actually out of water?

I've seen some close enough to the shore or high enough on rocks that they would be out of the water for at least 2 hours.

When I go down for a look I usually get there as the tide hits it's lowest point. Then I look around for about an hour. By then the tide is coming back in but it would still take about another hour until it is all covered back up.

A lot of the LPS coral there can also end up out of the water. But I'd say most of it is only exposed for up to 30/45min max. But those leathers grow right up close to the shore and can be out of the water for ages.

[MadCnty]

I must say, that at first... I looked at this thread, and thought, that's cute... But after further review, I am now Amazed!!! Thanks for sharing!!!
PS... I just wish I could get fish food so easily... Good luck next low!!!

[josuer302]

Just looked through 59 pages of awesome, thank you very much for sharing your experiences!

[russ13]

That's so cool. I don't think there is a difference between collecting yourself and buying from a store. It has the same effect on the ecosystem


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[Lewy]

My new nano has almost finished cycling.

All the new stock will be bought from a collector.

[MaccaPopEye]

Originally Posted by Lewy

My new nano has almost finished cycling.

All the new stock will be bought from a collector.

Good to hear Lewy! I don't know if you saw my last post about the local Facebook page "Darwin N.T. Reefers" but if you didn't then please join up.

In case you don't have Facebook we are having a meet up at monsoon on the 7th of May at 5pm. Would be great to see you there

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[AkoAung]

Originally Posted by Lewy

My new nano has almost finished cycling.

All the new stock will be bought from a collector.

so happy to hear this.

[juniorrocketdad]

Love this thread

[apayan]

Just went through this thread (though not in exhaustive detail). Thanks so much for posting this!! Best of luck on your future tank endeavors and life.

[Reefer902]

Damn!!!! I am moving to Australia now

[Emma Thompsom]

Hello. I'm Emma Thompsom. I'm 30 years old. I'm from Ohio, US.
I want to give you an Inspirational Quote: "Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same."
I hope this Quote will help you feel funny.
Sometimes we need a few pointers on inner strength, this in turn makes us realize that we are not the only ones who've gone through hard times, that no ones an exception and that we can get through it with a little bit of positive hope and a handful of lines for guidance. Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going (Jillian Michaels).

Best regards,

[1Sharklagoon]

If people keep taking home then this site will become even more rare. So thank you for leaving for next to see

[louscal]

That is an awesome find

[paytonv]

Lewy, I think an update is long overdue.

Thanks again for sharing.

[Lewy]

I'll see what I can do for you guys.

On the subject of wild B&W clowns. I have been told that they are becoming quite scarce now.