Black Ice Clownfish

The Black Ice Clownfish is a striking and popular marine aquarium fish, known for its distinct appearance and active friendly personality. This species is a variation of the common clownfish, with a unique black and white coloration. In this article, we will discuss the Black Ice Clownfish’s appearance, natural habitat, behavior, reproduction and lifespan, diet, and how to keep it in an aquarium at home.

Appearance

The Black Ice Clownfish has a striking appearance, with a mostly black body and white stripes on its head, fins, and tail. This species can reach up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length and has a lifespan of up to 10 years in captivity. There are reports of much older clownfish in captivity and some people even reporting having had their clownfish for 30 years, with the oldest reported at 41 years of age. Such life expectancy is 6 times greater than that of fish with similar sizes.

Natural habitat

Black Ice Clownfish cannot be found in the wild. They’re bred in captivity by crossbreeding the black ocellaris and snowflake clownfish. If encountered in the wild it’s not a good sign for both fish as well as the environment. The clownfish used in creating black ice clownfish, the black ocellaris clownfish and snowflake clownfish, are found in the Indian Ocean from Darwin (Australia) all the way to Indonesia.
Clownfish can also be found in the water of the Philippines, Indonesia as well as the Red Sea, and on the famous Australian Great Barrier reef. They like shallow reef areas, because here they find their natural hosts: certain anemones. This species inhabits coral reefs and rocky areas and prefers water temperatures ranging from 24 to 28 degrees Celsius (75 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit).

Behavior

The Black Ice Clownfish is a social and active species, curious and friendly often seen swimming near the surface of the water or hiding among coral structures. They are known to form symbiotic relationships with anemones in the wild, but in captivity, they can also bond with other clownfish or even shrimp.

Reproduction and Lifespan

The Black Ice Clownfish is a monogamous species that spawns on flat surfaces such as rocks, plants, or the sides of the aquarium. The male will aggressively defend the eggs until they hatch after 8 to 10 days. The juveniles will then feed on planktonic foods until they are large enough to eat larger prey. As previously reported they can live for a long time up to 10 years and even much more.

Diet

The Black Ice Clownfish is an omnivorous species and will consume a variety of foods in the wild. In captivity, they should be fed a diet that includes high-quality pellets, frozen or live foods such as brine shrimp or mysis shrimp, and algae or seaweed sheets.

Keeping Black Ice Clownfish in an Aquarium

The Black Ice Clownfish can be kept in a home aquarium of at least 76 liters (20 gallons), with ample hiding places and a sandy substrate. Some people keep them as a couple in a nano tank but be aware that in these tanks it’s more difficult to maintain stable water parameters. The ideal water temperature should be between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius (75 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit), and the pH should be kept between 7.8 and 8.4. This species is generally peaceful and can be kept with other clownfish or peaceful community fish.