In this post, we will talk about the main types of fish in Finding Nemo. We will learn the names of the real actors of the movie and some of their characteristics.
Types of fish in Finding Nemo
Finding Nemo is a very popular movie that no fish lover should miss. There are different types of fish, wild and those in the aquarium. Some of them are very easy to identify, but some might be a little tricky.
Most of the fish species in Finding Nemo can be kept in fish tanks, but some species are only found in the wild, in the case of the movie, in the Pacific Ocean.
The colourful fish in the movie were highlighted with the help of cinematography. We will therefore look at each of the major species individually, the types of fish in finding Nemo are:
– Clownfish;
– Regal Blue Tang;
– Moorish Idol;
– Yellow Tang;
– Porcupine Pufferfish;
– Four Stripe Damselfish;
– Royal Gramma.
Clownfish
Nemo, Marlin and Coral are called Clownfish. There are about 30 species in the clownfish group, but the specific species in Finding Nemo is the Amphiprion ocellaris. They are also called clown anemonefish, because they live in a symbiotic relationship between the tentacles of the anemone without being stung. Clownfish are not stung by the anemone’s tentacles because they are covered by a layer of mucus that protects them from the anemone’s venom. They live in anemones to escape from predators and to eat the algae from inside the anemone. The anemone absorbs nutrients from the clownfish’s waste and protects them in return.
They are native to the coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific. Clownfish can lay up to a thousand eggs (ONE THOUSAND!). Then, as depicted in Finding Nemo, the female clownfish take care of the eggs until they hatch.
All clownfish are born as males. However, they change sex once during their lives. When they reach sexual maturity, the dominant male becomes the female and the second male in the hierarchy becomes her mate. When the female dies, her mate becomes the new female and the third male in the hierarchy becomes her mate, and so on.
Because of their small size, bright colours, and low maintenance, they are also popular as pets in aquariums. The minimum size for a clownfish tank is 20 gallons with plenty of objects, plants and hiding places. Clownfish can be very territorial, so keeping a single or a pair of clownfish is recommended.
Although clownfish are very popular fish for tanks, it is highly recommended that you purchase a captive bred specimen rather than one from the wild.
Regal Blue Tang
Dory is a Regal Blue Tang, also known as Surgeonfish. The particular species of Dory is Paracanthus hepatus and lives in the reef areas of the Indo-Pacific. When young, Regal Blue Tang fish are yellow with blue spots. When they reach sexual maturity, they acquire the bright beautiful blue-collar and yellow tail.
Regal Blue Tangs can grow large and are very good swimmers. Therefore, to keep them in an aquarium, at least 125 to 180 gallons of water is required. They can be somewhat aggressive when sharing the tank with others of the same species. However, if you keep other tang species, aggression should not be an issue.
In a tank, they are very high-maintenance fish that require some attention. Since they are herbivores, they feed on algae, which help you keep your aquarium free from algae on the tops of rocks. If you want to set up a Finding Nemo aquarium, you can definitely keep your Clownfish and Regal Blue Tang together peacefully.
Moorish Idol
Gill is a Moorish Idol, or Zanclus cornutus. They are also found across the Indo-Pacific Ocean and claim attention by their bright black, white and yellow colours. In the wild, they eat algae, small invertebrates and even some sponges.
They are very difficult to keep in tanks. Their food selection is very limited, and they can choose to starve to death instead of eating something they do not enjoy. In addition, they are very sensitive to stress. Moorish Idols can grow large, thus, having a tank with at least 150 gallons is necessary. Thus, considering having a Moorish Idol in your tank requires great effort and attention.
Yellow Tang
The bright yellow fish member of the gang tank in Finding Nemo is a Yellow Tang named Bubbles. Its species is Zebrasoma flavescens and inhabits coral-rich areas in the Pacific Ocean. They are herbivores but can accept other items. Their yellow colour maintenance depends on a plant-based diet.
Yellow Tangs are considered to require medium effort for maintenance. Tank to keep this species must be at least 100 gallons and lots of hiding spots. They are very popular in tanks because of their beautiful colour and their “smiley” face form.
Although they look very well for a fish tank, Yellow Tangs should not be kept in groups. Thus, you should remember to keep only one Yellow Tang individual per tank. However, it is possible to raise your Yellow Tang with other fish species.
Porcupine Pufferfish
Bloat in Finding Nemo is a Porcupine pufferfish, or Diodon holocanthus. This species distribution is circumtropical, which means it occupies tropical waters all around the globe. Porcupine pufferfish show stress-induced inflation of their body. They are covered in spines as a form of defence associated with the inflation process.
In the wild, Porcupine Pufferfish eat molluscs and crustaceans, in a tank, they can be offered shrimps, molluscs, squids, and mussels. tank They are semi-aggressive fish and this means that they can be a great choice for a fish-only tank. Initially in a tank, they can be a bit shy, however, after a short time they normally become more open and beg for attention and food.
Aggressive and/or small species are not the ideal tank mates for a Porcupine Pufferfish. Therefore, having a clownfish with a pufferfish is not recommended. Maintaining a Porcupine Pufferfish may require some effort related to its teeth. The teeth never stop growing and will need to be shortened by trimming if there are no structures in the tank (rocks and shells) that play this role.
Four Stripe Damselfish
Deb and Flo are Dascyllus melanurus, popularly known as Four Stripe Damselfish. However, there is some debate about this identification. It is also possible for them to belong to the Dascyllus aruanus species. They are striped in black and white with small size and inhabit waters in the Western Pacific Ocean, usually associated with small coral heads.
Their feeding items include shrimps and crabs larvae, plankton, algae, and fish eggs. They are territorial and can get very aggressive. In case you decide to raise a damselfish, consider its small size to choose the tank dimension, at least 20 gallons. However, they are definitely not a good choice for peaceful tanks with more fish.
Royal Gramma
Gurgle is a Royal Gramma, scientifically known as Gramma loreto. The natural habitat of this species is in the Western Central Atlantic. Thus, in Finding Nemo, Gurgle is the only fish that does not occur in the Pacific Ocean.
In the wild, Royal Gramma fish are commonly found in caves or hiding spots. They are omnivores and, in a tank, they can be fed with frozen, pellet and flake foods.
The Royal Grammas are all born female. Once the dominance is established, the most dominant female becomes a male and gets larger than the females Royal Grammas. Similar to other fish species, male Royal Gramma fish build nests for the female to spawn for fertilization.
This species is tiny and very colourful, characteristics that make them perfect for small tanks. Royal Gramma will require a tank with many hiding spots and space to swim. They are aggressive only between con-specifics, competing for territory and also for a food resource. Accordingly, you must consider having only one Royal Gramma per tank. They are very peaceful with other species, so if you are planning to have a Finding Nemo tank, you should definitely get a Royal Gramma.
Conclusion
In this blog post, we learnt about the different top types of fish in Finding Nemo. Also, we outlined their general characteristics and how to identify them. We pointed out some tank conditions if you plan to build a Finding Nemo tank.
If you have any thoughts or doubts, feel free to start a conversation by commenting below!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Types of fish in Finding Nemo?
What is the scary fish in Finding Nemo called?
The terrifyingly toothy fish is called Anglerfish. The female fish of this species have a bioluminescent structure hanging in front of the mouth, once the prey is attracted by the light, the anglerfish feeds on them. Anglerfish inhabits the abyssopelagic zone, between 3,000 and 6,000 metres deep.
Is Nemo a girl or boy?
Like all the clownfish individuals, Nemo is born male. As explained before, if the female dies, the second male becomes female and the third male becomes her mate. Thus, Marlin will differentiate into a female, once his partner is dead, and Nemo will become its mate.
What fish killed Nemo’s mom?
The fish that ate Nemo’s mom and her other eggs is a Barracuda. The barracuda is also known as Sphyraena barracuda and is a large aggressive predator fish that inhabits tropical waters.
Do barracuda eat clownfish eggs?
Barracuda are large fish and do not eat fish eggs. They normally prey on larger fish species and occupy open water areas, away from coral reefs and coastal areas.
How old can clownfish live?
Clownfish as Nemo, Marlin and Coral can reach up to 20 years old. Commonly, fish in captivity live less than in wild environments. However, even in captivity clownfish can reach this age.
Why does Dory lose memory?
In Finding Nemo, Dory loses her short term memory now and then. If we consider her symptoms, she would probably have developed anterograde amnesia. This type of amnesia makes it impossible to form and retain short term memories. In humans, this type of amnesia could be caused by cranial-encephalic trauma.
References
How To Care For The Fish Of Finding Nemo and Finding Dory. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/content/post/md-2016-05-finding-nemo-fish-tank
What types of fish are in Finding Nemo. https://www.reefsaltwateraquarium.com/what-types-of-fish-are-in-finding-nemo/#tab-con-15
Learn the Types of Fishes in Finding Nemo. 2013 https://cafishvet.com/fish-of-the-week/types-of-fishes-in-finding-nemo/
