The Saddleback Clownfish Amphiprion polymnus have a most unique appearance. There are a number of color varieties depending on the region they are found, and the anemone they occupy. They can be yellowish orange, black, or light brown overall, but with a tailfin edged in white The nose and pectoral fins vary too, and can be orange, white, or brown. But all color variations have a wide white head band and a wide white middle band that looks like it forms a “saddle”.
In the wild these clownfish are very dependent on their host anemone and stay very close to it. They are mostly found with the Haddon’s Carpet or Saddle Anemone Stichodactyla haddoni, but on occasion will be found with a Sebae Anemone Heteractis crispa, and on very rare occasions with a Long Tentacle Anemone Macrodactyla doreensis. They do not migrate to other anemones to start new families, but stay in their host for their entire life time unless the anemone dies. This is also one of the few species that the adult pairs will allow several other adult pairs and sub adults to live within a very large anemone. In fact one diver reportedly counted 30 clowns on one very large anemone.