ORA Helmet Picasso Percula Clownfish Captive Bred

About the ORA Picasso Percula Clownfish Captive-Bred

Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef Safe: Yes
Diet: Omnivore
Max Size: 3 inches
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons

The Helmet Picasso Clownfish is a highly sought after variant of the Percula Clownfish. The Picasso occurs naturally in the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea however it is exceptionally rare.These beautiful fish exhibit a white stripe on their head that resembles an armored helmet. Each individual fish is unique. These fish are graded on the amount of white present, the oddness of the striping, and the rarity of the markings. The Picasso Clownfish may be radically marked on one side and merely have an extra blob of white on the other.  The black pigment will develop as the fish ages until maturity.

These clownfish do not need an Anemone to survive, but will accept many different Anemones as its host, including corals. Their favorite Anemones to call home are the Carpet Anemones Stichodactyla Gigantea or the Magnificent Anemone Heteractis Magnifica.

Clownfish have a very distinct swimming motion that is different from most fish. This is likely passed on through their genetic makeup from centuries of wiggling within the tentacles of Anemones. As the Clownfish wiggles within the stinging tentacles the Anemone’s mucus is likely smeared over the Clownfish’s body, which then protects it from additional stings.

In the wild they live in small groups with one large dominant female, one smaller sexually active male, and a handful of smaller males and juveniles. When the female is lost the largest male will then change sex and become the dominant female with the other Clowns moving up the ladder behind it.