whats the difference between true and false clowns

[cowabonga]

i have always been confuse about this. What are the tank raised clowns at ***** considered? thanks

 

[a&m aggie 04']

difference is the # of dorsal spines, 11 for false or ocellaris and 9(rarely) or 10 for a true percula.
But the easiest way is the color.
True has wider black borders around its white bars, false or occelaris have very thin black borders.
HTH

 

[debbers]

The only ones I've seen at P*tco are tank-raised ocellaris (false perc) clowns. But you never can be sure with them.

 

[a&m aggie 04']

yeah they are probably occelaris but wouldnt doubt listed as True perculas.
I know around here an occelaris is less than $15, and a true will run over $20

 

[cowabonga]

i currently have a false percula...can i buy him a true percula for a partner?

 

[a&m aggie 04']

Im not sure they would pair up. You could buy another ocellaris and they still might not pair up. In nature they arent seen together, they are from different regions. True percula clownfish come from Singapore and eastward to the Solomon Islands and southward to Australia, ocellaris clowns come from the islands west and north of Singapore. The western tip of Singapore is the dividing line for the territories of these two fish.