Identify - True or False Percula Clown

[tashier]

I just got this clown. I was told it was a true percula. Is it? How can you tell?

[avalanche wolf]

Found this acticle for ya.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/clo.../blpercula.htm

True VS False Percula Clownfishes
How Can You Tell Which is Which?

Clownfish Profiles << >> Clownfish Photos We have heard some saltwater aquarists say that the difference between the True and False Percula Clown or Anemonefish is simply that the false species is tank-raised in captivity and has never seen the ocean. Hmmmm. So if this is the only reason these clownfish differ, and hypothetically you placed a "tank-raised" Percula into the ocean, does it miraculously become a True Percula Clownfish? What do you think? Continued below ¬

To help with the identification of these two species, here are distinguishing differences that set them apart from one another, which is more than just being tank-raised or not.

• ---

  Percula Clownfish, Clown Anemonefish
  (Amphiprion percula)
  Photo by Rob Borycki
  
• Because of its name, Amphiprion percula, it is the True Percula Clownfish.
• Typically orange in color with three white bars, with the middle bar having a forward-projecting bulge.
• Has 10 (rarely 9) dorsal spines.
• Usually has jet black margins of varied widths around its white bars, often of which can be rather thick.
• Distribution of this species in nature: Northern Queensland and Melanesia (New Guinea, New Britain, New Ireland, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu).

• ---

  False Percula, Ocellaris Clownfish
  (Amphiprion ocellaris)
  Photo by David Wade
  
• Typically orange in color with three white bars, with the middle bar having a forward-projecting bulge.
• Has 11 (rarely 10) dorsal spines.
• The spinous (anterior) part of the dorsal fin is taller.
• May have no black margins present, but most often has thin, never thick black margins around its white bars.
• Distribution of this species in nature: Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Andaman Sea), Indo-Malayan Archipelago, Philippines, northwestern Australia; coast of Southeast Asia northwards to the Ryukyu Islands.

[tashier]

Thanks, I've seen this before and I still can't seem to figure it out. I mean the top right one would be obvious with the amount of black. But when it's like the picture I posted how can you tell really? He looks just like my clowns that I bought as 'false perculas'.

And how do you count dorsal spines? Where do you seperate the two top fins? It's almost like it's one long dorsal fin.

[volitansman]

I'd say it looks like a true percula because of the prominant black lines around the white bars. I've always had false perculas and they have never had nearly that much black around their bars.

[xtopher]

That looks like a mis-barred ORA true perc to me. The captive raised percs seem to develop funny patterns to them, that's what promted the guess HTH

[tashier]

I honestly think noone really knows. I have 3 clowns. 1 I bought from Petsmart (first fish) as a false, another I bought at a LFS as a false. The one I picked up this weekend I was told was a true. Honestly, their marking look all the same to me. If I go by what the article says they are all true perculas (except for the dorsal spine counting which I don't get). They all have thicker black lines. Like I say, it seems to me noone really knows. I have yet to find someone who can identify a perc (other than very large black lines) to be either a true or false.

[tashier]

Originally Posted by xtopher

That looks like a mis-barred ORA true perc to me. The captive raised percs seem to develop funny patterns to them, that's what promted the guess HTH

ORA?

[tashier]

Man, it just goes to show you how little anyone knows on this topic. 62 views and only 2 people have taken a stab at ID'ing the fish. One of the most basic fish in a saltwater tank and I can't find anyone who can determine for sure if it's a true or false perc.

[jenajet]

I have bought from petco and found things were miss labeled. So far in my favor. I got two condies for 1.99. One was actually a Pink Haitian Condy(runs 15.00) the other is a purple LTA (30 at another lfs). I knew what they were when buying them and figured if they aren't going to train people so things don't get miss labeled that's their problem. I also got a white stripe maroon that turned out to be a gold stripe but that wasn't their fault because it was totally white and within days of putting it with my maroon it turned yellow. Misidentification is fairly common imho. Odds are all three are actually true percs. Can you get shots of the other two? Most false pers I have seen have barely there black lines and very little black in the dorsal fins. Yeah I agree about counting the fins who wants to put their fish thru the stress of catching them holding them down to count all those tiny spines!

[reefermike1]

they're both good fish imo, im not sure what mine is either

[YLChik]

i'd say true but what do i know?! But i like to guess!!!

[tashier]

I could get a pic of them, although they look nearly the same. I am starting to think they are all true percs myself. I swear I have been at the LFS when they were telling me that true percs were false percs. Is there any real seperation between the two species? Will false/trues mate or not?

[Spanky]

Originally Posted by tashier

Man, it just goes to show you how little anyone knows on this topic. 62 views and only 2 people have taken a stab at ID'ing the fish. One of the most basic fish in a saltwater tank and I can't find anyone who can determine for sure if it's a true or false perc.

That's because four people have already told you it's a true perc, and they are right.
How many more people do you need?

[tashier]

Originally Posted by Spanky

That's because four people have already told you it's a true perc, and they are right.
How many more people do you need?

The more the better. I think all my local LFS and Petsmart would call mine falsies.

Will true/falsies pair up?

[Spanky]

Yep, they are sluts.