This photograph was taken in Batangas in the Philippines.

Clownfish, also known as anemonefish, get their name from their bright colors and their behaviour. They are members of the or Damselfish family. They appear to be clowning about, but are really aggressively defending their territory.

Clownfish live in mutual symbiosis with anemones. The clownfish protects the anemone from anemone-eating fish, and, in turn, the stinging tentacles of the anemone protect the anemone fish from its predators (a special mucus on the anemone fish protects it from the stinging tentacles).

Each species of clownfish favours a particular anemone. An anemone often plays host to pair of adult fish, and a variable number of juveniles. You can often tell from the anemone which species of clownfish will be there without actually seeing the fish.

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