New Wild Clowns

I made an interesting discovery last week when I visited a completely different marine aquarium shop. Having stood and watched their Common Clowns for about twenty minutes, I decided that they were quite a different kettle of fish to the sickly ones that died in my tank. I know that nobody ever wants to feel responsible for the death of livestock and realised that I might be just imagining the differences to make myself feel better... until my suspicions were borne out by what the shopkeeper told me.

This new shop actually go to the Tropical Marine Centre themselves and hand-pick their fish. They buy in low numbers so as not over-stock and traumatise. They go for wild clowns, rather than tank-bred and in-bred. And, perhaps more importantly, they go for slightly older specimens which are hardier.

The shape of my new Fred and Ginger is completely different, with their shark-like dorsal fins and very pronounced ventral fins, all with striking black markings and a vibrant orange. They play dead if I ever lift the lid of the tank. They sometimes lie down on the rock and have a rest. They kiss one another's cheeks. They sleep together. They dance together with provocative shivers and shimmies. They explore the deep crevices of the live rock and nibble on any mites they can find. They offer themselves to Scarlett the Cleaner Shrimp, who dutifully picks at their gills and gives them the once over. They are quite unlike all previous fish and I am willing with all my might that they stay healthy and active. I would love to think that these are going to be my little friends for a very long time.