Saltcorner: Review: Field Guide to Anemonefishes and their Host Anemones

Marine hobbyists who take delight in watching the symbiosis between anemones and Anemonefishes, will definitely enjoy this well written, profusely illustrated book.

If you have ever wondered which anemone is a more proper host for a given anemonefish species, or had a problem identifying an anemonefish or it’s host anemone, wonder no longer! With almost as many excellent quality color photographs as there is pages, and well designed charts and sketches, the identification of the twenty-eight species of clownfish and their ten host sea anemones becomes a snap.

The book contains six chapters, with Chapter 1 devoted to the classification and identification of the above mentioned ten species of host anemones. Chapter 2 mostly discusses the twenty-eight species of Anemonefishes and which of the previously discussed sea anemones these particular Anemonefishes prefer. In Chapter 3, the biology of sea anemones is discussed, i.e., nutrition, survival, reproduction, locomotion, and other anemone-like animals. The life history of Anemonefishes is described in Chapter 4, with excellent data on: courtship, spawning, egg-care, social structure, sex reversal, and feeding to name but a few subjects. Chapter 5 covers the interactions between fish and sea anemones, with symbiosis, specificity, and how anemone and fish affect one another. Aquarium Care is the subject title for Chapter 6, with subjects like aquarium size, temperature, filtration and water chemistry, diet, etc. briefly discussed, but which should be of particular interest to many reef aquarists.

Not only does this work of the authors provide interesting and comprehensive information, its high quality color photographs will make it possible for even the neophyte to identify “Anemonefishes and their Host Sea Anemones.” This is another valuable addition to your library shelf.

Field Guide to Anemonefishes and their Host Anemones

Authored by: Daphne G. Fautin & Gerald R. Allen