Midnight Ocellaris Clownfish
Amphiprion ocellaris
About this strain
Midnight Ocellaris — also commonly called Black Ocellaris — display deep charcoal to jet-black body pigmentation where the orange normally appears, retaining the three white stripes with their characteristic black edging. The effect is dramatic and bold in a reef tank. True high-quality Midnights are very dark with minimal orange bleed, though quality varies between breeders. They're behaviorally identical to standard Ocellaris — same peaceful temperament, same hosting behavior, same tank requirements. Don't confuse these with the wild A. ocellaris from Darwin, Australia, which are also naturally black — captive Midnights are selectively bred from typical orange stock.
Origin
Selectively bred from orange Ocellaris individuals showing unusually high melanin expression. Multiple breeders in the U.S. worked with black variants in the 2000s, with ORA and others commercializing the strain significantly.