Unassuming clownfish became the star of Finding Nemo in 2003. These orange-bodied fish were so popular that they threatened their declining wild population.
It was only a matter of time before designer clownfish began to make an appearance. Aquacultured clownfish have a niche market that is looking for unique, or, to be blunt, unusual, traits.
These fish include Picasso, naked clownfish, clownfish, and the main topic of today’s blog – the misbar clownfish.
This article will cover everything you need to know regarding misbar clownfish, from its definition and types to questions of ethics.
Let’s get started!
What is a Misbar Clownfish?
Misbar clownfish can be either naturally occurring or selectively bred. They may have a missing central stripe or a missing caudal line. Their heads may also be missing.
Misbar clownfish are not a different species of clownfish. They have simply barred clownfish, which is an example of an ocellaris fish with a unique pattern.
When the white bands of a clownfish are missing, it is called a “misbar”.
Misbar clownfish are very popular with hobbyists who appreciate rare specimens because of their unique patterns. Misbarring is considered to be visually pleasing.
Every fish is unique because each fish has a different stripe pattern.
The misbar clownfish is almost always more expensive than the regular clownfish.
Many commercial breeders have chosen to breed the misbar pattern morph because of the higher price. It’s not surprising.
Some breeders, such as ORA Farms, do not select breed misbars. Instead they wait for misbars in aquaculture to appear naturally during larval development.
10 Types of Misbar Clownfish
There are at most a dozen types of misbar clownfish. They all vary from one seller. Below are 10 of the most sought-after misbar clownfish in the hobby.
- Misbar ocellaris
- Extreme misbar ocellaris
- Misbar black Ocellaris
- Extreme misbar ocellaris
- Misbar percula
- Misbar Onyx Percula
- Black saddleback misbar
- Misbar blood orange
- Misbar caramel orange
- Black misbar longfin clownfish
Misbar Ocellaris Clownfish
The most common clownfish in the bunch is the Misbar Ocellaris. These clownfish are missing their caudal stripe, or have an incomplete central stripe. These clownfish often have missing or incomplete head bars.
They are very popular with hobbyists who love unusual specimens because of their unique patterns.
Extreme Misbar Ocellaris Clownfish
Extreme misbar-ocellaris clownfish, which have less white than standard misbar clownfish, are rare. Sometimes they have a tail dot or only a bar at the head.
These fish are regarded as some of the most unique and beautiful clownfish in the world.
Extreme misbar patterns are reported to be among the rarest stripe mutations. Their demand is higher than their supply precisely because of this.
Misbar Black Ocellaris Clownfish
The misbar black ocellaris clownfish is stunning. The misbars add to their already stunning beauty. This fish often have an incomplete tail or center line and sometimes a missing head bar.
ORA Farms claims that almost every spawn of A. Ocellaris will produce some “misbarred,” juveniles. They are completely unpredictable. Each has a unique pattern that creates individual specimens.
Extreme Misbar Black Ocellaris Clownfish
The moniker says it all: Extreme misbar black Ocellaris is much lighter than standard misbar Black Ocellaris. Some come with only cheek dots and a saddle while others have a headbar or chinstrap.
These clownfish are truly unique. They are also one-of-a-kind because they are rare specimens with these subtle white patterns.
Each fish is carefully selected to be an extreme misbar. This means that they are naturally scarce.
Misbar Percula Clownfish
Misbar percula clownfish, like misbar ocellaris are missing their caudal stripes or have an incomplete center stripe. They may also have a missing headbar.
Last but not least, their mid-sections develop a black pigmentation in percula fashion as they age.
Misbar Onyx Percula Clownfish
The Misbar Onyx percula clownfish is a native to the reefs of Papua New Guinea. These fish have classic orange, black and white colors. The white bands can be either misbarred or incomplete.
These fish are a rare find due to their unique color gradient and patterns of the white band.
Black Saddleback Misbar Clownfish
The black saddleback misbar clownfish is identical to regular black saddleback clownfish, with one notable difference. These fish have a missing center stripe.
They are highly sought-after by saltwater hobbyists due to their unique features.
Misbar Blood Orange Clownfish
These clownfish, named Misbar blood orange and misbar red, are as thrilling as their names. These fish are an intergeneric mix of maroon and ocellaris clownfish. This blessed variety combines the best of both parent species.
These fish have the same vibrant red coloration as regular blood-orange clowns, but they have missing caudal and centre stripes and broken head bars.
Misbar Caramel Orange Clownfish
The Misbar caramel orange clownfish, a variant of the black and white Ocellaris clownfishes, is an unusual color. This fish is distinctive because of its warm caramel-colored body with 3 white stripes along each side.
The fish naturally has one or more broken stripes or bars around its entire body.
Black Misbar Longfin Clownfish
As the name implies, the black misbar longfin clownfish was created by careful selection.
They have one or two incomplete bands and long, flowing fins.
The best thing about these fish is the orange-brown coloration. It reminds me of freshly brewed coffee or sun tea. As they age, the fish turn jet-black.
Is Misbar Clownfish Rare?
Extreme misbar clownfish don’t seem to be rare, as they are selectively bred to certain patterns and features. If there are any extreme misbar clownfish in a spawn, it will only have a few.
Misbar Clownfish Behavior
They are a common species of clownfish, but they are not a completely different breed. They are your regular clownfish, but they have slightly different patterns or colors. The misbar clownfish behaves the same way as the original species.
All types of misbar ocellaris, percula clownfish, and all varieties of percula clownfish can be peaceful fish. They can sometimes be aggressive at times. They are not as irritable as pink or tomato skunk clownfishes.
All misbar clownfish, however, are territorial and behave in the same way as the original species. They can form a symbiotic relationship if they are allowed to, whether wild-caught or tank-bred.
Is Nemo A Misbar Clownfish?
Nemo is not a misbar clownfish, since his entire body has no lines, as you can see from the image below.
Nemo, also known by the ocellaris and false percula clownfishes, is also called a clownfish.
He has three white stripes. The first runs directly behind the eyes, while the second runs vertically across the mid-body. The third bar is located at the base the tail fin.
The Question Of Ethics
Aquarists are divided on the ethics of selectively breeding fish for a particular ‘abnormality’.
This debate gets heated when inhumane and aggressive breeding techniques are used, such as chemically treating eggs, forcing related species to crossbreed and changing the water parameters.
There isn’t much ethical debate in the misbar clownfish case. This is because misbarring occurs in the wild more often than we realize, without using any aggressive selective breeding methods.
Final Words – What is a Misbar Clownfish?
They are not an individual species. They are just regular clownfish species with missing or incomplete white bands.
Misbar clownfish can be divided into two types depending on how severe the pattern morph is.
Extreme misbar clownfish is rarer than their regular counterparts.