Using radiolabelled mucus from sea anemones,
Schlichter (1975, 1976) concluded from his experiments
that the anemonefish is coating its body with anemonederived
compounds, which it acquires during an acclimation
period, where the fish is extensively hovering near the
sea anemone, but avoiding contacts with the tentacles
(Mariscal, 1971). The mucous coating of the fish was found
to change during acclimation to resemble that of the
anemone. However, Lubbock (1980, 1981) found that no
acclimation is necessary for A. clarkii in order to associate
with the sea anemone Stichodactyla haddoni, suggesting
that the fish is producing its own protective mucus. From
electrophoretic and histochemical studies Lubbock (1981)
concluded that the mucus layer of A. clarkii is chemically