The Midnight Lightning Clownfish is a distinctive captive-bred designer form of the Ocellaris Clownfish, scientifically known as Amphiprion ocellaris. This variety is characterized by a dark brown to black body accented with irregular white markings that can resemble flashes or streaks of lightning.
Sea & Reef developed the Midnight Lightning by breeding its Midnight Clownfish with its Phantom Clownfish. Individuals vary considerably in pattern, with some showing a jagged white head stripe, broken middle markings, or lightning-like white patches on the body. Young fish may initially appear brownish and darken significantly as they mature.
This listing is for a captive-bred/tank-raised pair maintained at Pacific East Aquaculture in dedicated systems separate from our wild-collected fish. Our captive-bred and tank-raised saltwater fish are carefully observed and maintained under professional husbandry protocols prior to sale, without the routine conditioning and proactive treatment protocols used for wild-collected specimens.
Like other A. ocellaris designer varieties, Midnight Lightning Clownfish are hardy, adaptable, and reef compatible. They do not require a host anemone to thrive, although an established pair may adopt an anemone, coral, or other preferred area of the aquarium as a territory.
Care Guide
Scientific Name: Amphiprion ocellaris Cuvier, 1830
Common Name: Midnight Lightning Clownfish
Variety: Designer Ocellaris Clownfish
Family: Pomacentridae
Availability: Captive Bred / Tank Raised Pair
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful to semi-aggressive; established pairs may become territorial
Reef Compatibility: Reef compatible
Minimum Aquarium Size: 30 gallons recommended for a pair
Maximum Size: Approximately 4 inches (10 cm) for the Midnight Lightning line
Diet: Omnivore
Temperature: 74–80°F
Specific Gravity: 1.023–1.026
pH: 8.1–8.4
Aquarium Requirements:
Provide a stable, established marine aquarium with rockwork for shelter and sufficient swimming space. A host anemone is not required. For a pair, I would recommend 30 gallons or larger, which is also consistent with captive-breeder guidance for this variety.
Temperament:
Midnight Lightning Clownfish generally display the relatively manageable temperament associated with A. ocellaris. Juveniles are usually peaceful, while adults—especially established females and bonded pairs—may defend their preferred territory.
Reef Compatibility:
Reef compatible. They are not coral predators and are appropriate for reef aquariums.
Diet and Feeding:
Offer a varied omnivorous diet including high-quality marine pellets and flakes, mysis shrimp, enriched brine shrimp, copepods, and other appropriately sized frozen or prepared marine foods. Captive-bred Midnight Lightning Clownfish readily accept standard aquarium diets.
Host Anemone:
A host anemone is optional. As an A. ocellaris variety, Midnight Lightning Clownfish can thrive without one in captivity.
