Maroon Clownfish Identification Guide
Learn to recognize the Maroon Clownfish by its cheek spine, deep maroon body, and bold white or gold bars.
Read the full Maroon Clownfish encyclopedia entry →
Key identification features
- Deep maroon-red to nearly blackish-brown body that darkens with age
- Three bars — behind the eye, at mid-body, and across the tail base — ranging from white to golden-yellow depending on locality (Gold Stripe vs White Stripe forms)
- A single sharp spine projecting from the cheek below the eye, unique among all clownfishes
- Robust, laterally compressed body with rounded fins
- Strong size difference between sexes: females reach 6 inches, males stay near 3 inches
Common look-alikes
- Tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus) shows only one narrow white bar behind the head and has no cheek spine.
- Cinnamon clownfish (Amphiprion melanopus) shares the reddish tone but lacks the diagnostic cheek spine.
- That cheek spine alone confirms a Maroon Clownfish, since it is the only species placed in the genus Premnas.
Where you'll see one
Maroon clownfish live almost exclusively with bubble-tip anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor) on reef slopes and in lagoons across the western Pacific, from the Andaman Sea east to Vanuatu.
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell a Maroon Clownfish from a Tomato Clownfish?
Check the cheek just below the eye: Maroon Clownfish carry a sharp bony spine there that Tomato Clownfish completely lack.
Why do some Maroon Clownfish have white bars and others gold?
Bar color varies by geographic population rather than sex or age; Gold Stripe individuals typically come from Sumatra while White Stripe forms are found elsewhere in the range.