Question 1: Who is this curious fellow?
- Spine-cheeked anemonefish
- Barber’s anemonefish
- Pacific anemonefish
Answer: Spine-cheeked anemonefish
Fact: The spine-cheeked anemonefish, the largest clownfish species, grows to about 6.5 inches. Like all anemonefish, it has a symbiotic mutualistic relationship with sea anemones and is immune to their stinging tentacles. In each pair, the female is larger than the male, and they usually spawn and protect their eggs near the host anemone.
Question 2: In a clownfish group, what happens if the dominant female dies?
- The group disperses
- A new fish joins the group
- The largest male changes sex
Answer: The largest male changes sex
Fact: Protandry is a reproductive strategy where a fish starts life as a male and later changes into a female. The spine-cheeked anemonefish uses this approach. Within a group, the largest fish becomes the dominant female. If she dies, the leading male undergoes a sex change to take her place. This system helps maintain stable breeding in confined territories.
Question 3: Which is the largest aquarium in the US?
- Shedd Aquarium
- Georgia Aquarium
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
Answer: Georgia Aquarium
Fact: The Georgia Aquarium, which opened in Atlanta in 2005, is among the largest in the world, containing more than 10 million gallons of water. It features an extensive variety of marine life, including whale sharks, beluga whales, ocellaris and percula clownfish, and many other species. At times, it has housed up to five beluga whales, each measuring 11 feet long.