The ORA® Captive-Bred McCullochi Clownfish is one of the hardest-to-find fish in the aquarium industry. This is because the McCullochi Clownfish are native to Lord Howe Island located off the coast of Australia in a region closed to fishing. The Captive-Bred McCullochi Clownfish has a unique background that is dear to our hearts at LiveAquaria. Though first introduced the US market in 2008, it was not until 2009 that LiveAquaria Director, Kevin Kohen, and our staff successfully bred and reared the McCulloch clownfish in the US – right here at the LiveAquaria Coral Farm and Aquatic Life Facility located in Rhinelander, Wisconsin! In early 2011 ORA® and LiveAquaria formed a collaborative relationship to raise these coveted clownfish.

The McCullochi Clownfish sports a handsome, smoky coloration ranging from deep shades of brown to black that beautifully sets off the bright, white tail and a single white head bar. Juveniles differ slightly in appearance demonstrating browner coloration with three white head bars.

The Captive-Bred McCullochi Clownfish has a unique advantage over wild-harvested species. Captive-bred clownfish are very hardy and more accustomed to conditions found in home aquariums. Therefore, it makes a great choice for novices and seasoned aquarists alike. Captive-bred clownfish can be kept with a variety of other captive-bred clownfish, if introduced into the aquarium at the same time. This is particularly important with the ORA Captive-Bred McCullochi Clownfish as they tend to be more aggressive than other species.

Captive-bred clownfish are generally easy to breed in the home aquarium however this was not the case with the McCullochi Clownfish. It was not until the initial success of LiveAquaria and the collaborative effort of ORA that made captive breeding of this beautiful Clownfish more common.