Tiny Terrors

Unlike other anemone dwellers, Saddleback clownfish (Amphiprion polymnus) are extremely territorial. The larger fish in a colony will aggressively chase divers away. In fact, they will come right up to a diver?s mask. The threatening chomping noise they make with their jaws is quite audible. They prefer living in association with the carpet-like Haddon?s anemone (Stichodactyla haddoni). In Gorontalo these tiny terrors are found only at the Alleyways dive site on the sand bank leading to the reef. Here they are quite plentiful and excess populations have moved to adjacent rocks since all the anemones are full. The population boom shows no sign of abating. During a beach dive last weekend, Miguel?s Diving staff spied two large ones laying eggs.