Finding Nemo in Raja Ampat

The clownfish (anemonefish) always lives within the tentacles of sea anemone. The sea anemone produces a toxin that protects the clownfish from their predators. A recent study in 2013 has reported that the clownfish’ wiggle dance actually helping their sea anemone host to breath and help the anemone to aerate themselves, which means the clownfish and anemone needs each other to survive living in the ocean.

Personally I enjoy watching the clownfish’ wiggle dance next to their beautiful anemone host. However I do realize that they get uncomfortable easily by a bubble maker with huge mask swimming around their anemone. I had experience when my mask was aggressively attacked by a clownfish when diving closer to her. Since that experience, I ensure that I would not stay too long or bit far away from their anemone.

In Raja Ampat, I was diving in 25 different dive sites, and most of the dive sites have numerous clownfish and variety of their hosts, the sea anemone.I am not a marine biologist, thus I depend on the information from some websites to recognize the clownfish (anemonefish) species that I saw in Raja Ampat. Please correct me if I made mistake in naming their species..

Ocellaris Clownfish (the species of Nemo and Marlin)

Percula Clownfish

Pink Skunk Clownfish

Clarke’s anemonefish

Spinecheek anemonefish

Who can resist looking at the clownfish? Their pressence in the ocean brings joy to the scuba divers. Well, for sure, they are for me!

Note from Editor: Indah is an awesome blogger, and this is her first post (hopefully not the last). Show her some love on her twitter account @indie_dive and her blog.