FANS BUY `NEMO' FISH OF THEIR OWN.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Pet stores have been swimming in customers since the story of a cute little clownfish named Nemo hit the theaters, netting more than $200 million at the box office while spawning increased aquarium-fish sales.

``A lot of people have come in asking for Nemos and Dorys,'' said Dania Rivas of SeaScapes in Newhall, referring to the clownfish and blue tang fish that star in the movie and cohabitate easily in real life.

The store recently ordered 40 more of the bright orange-and-white striped clownfish to keep up with demand, Rivas said, noting that sales for both types of fish have been hot.

But parents eager to please their children with the orange clownfish or anemone fish are finding out that a Nemo of their own is a little more complicated than bringing home a goldfish from a carnival.

``Since they are saltwater fish, we make sure they have a saltwater tank,'' said Nancy Gomar, a manager at Petco in Saugus. ``Saltwater tanks are more expensive because of the detailed equipment and upkeep. It's not a fish for beginners.''

The aquarium manager at Petco in Porter Ranch said he has sold 24 of the percula clowns in the last three weeks but that some buyers hesitated when faced with the expense of maintaining a saltwater environment.

``Some people have asked me if they can just put them in a goldfish bowl,'' he said. ``That made some people change their mind.''

The set-up expense is a bit high, averaging about $200 for a fully equipped 30-gallon tank. Prices of clownfish and tangs range from $11 to $30 each, depending on the size, making the initial investment $250 to $300.

``It's usually not the animal that costs a lot,'' Gomar said.

Rivas recommended keeping the ratio of fishes low to allow them freedom of movement, with no more than six perculas and two tangs in a 100-gallon tank. Live anemones are an option to re-create the Nemo environment and make the clowns feel at home, but they are not required.

She also said budget-minded customers could take home tomato or cinnamon clownfish and get the same effect, since they are closely related to the bright orange swimmers.

David Hirschberg, owner of Advanced Aquatics in Santa Clarita, has put together a few less expensive packages of freshwater tanks - using saltwater decorations, some ``fake Nemos'' and guppies. He said interest in aquariums overall has grown since the movie's debut.

``Sales have doubled insofar as that type of fish,'' he said, indicating the percula clowns. ``But the whole idea has become more popular. People are getting interested in tanks that are not just that fish.''

Maintaining a Nemo also carries a significant price tag and time investment. Hirschberg advises that saltwater-fish owners perform some basic maintenance steps every two weeks: clean the glass, vacuum the gravel and replace a small percentage of the water, check the pH and salinity of the water and either rinse or replace the filter cartridges according to manufacturer's recommendations.

``Usually this becomes a hobby for children and adults together,'' he said. ``Kids come in for mollies or guppies and as they grow, they get into tropical fish. The parents set it up for the children, but it becomes a family project.''

Once a little Nemo finds its way into people's homes, the family commitment may last long after the second DVD release of the first movie, because clownfish usually live 15 years or longer. But unlike the surge in adoptions of Dalmatian puppies after Disney's ``101 Dalmatians'' series, when the novelty of Nemo wears off, orphaned fish won't be flooding into animal shelters.

``Most people will find a friend or someone else who's into aquariums to take their fish,'' explained Hirschberg. ``Some people even bring them back to the store and trade them for different fishes.''

Officials at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach said that last month their orange fishes were clowns and blue fishes were tangs. Since May 30, children visiting the tanks shout ``Nemo'' and ``Dory.''

``They definitely associate the fish with the characters,'' said staff member Marilyn Padilla, who reported that Alexander Gould, who voices the character Nemo in the film, is an aquarium member. He recently came in to feed a group of baby clownfish born at the aquarium in February, Padilla said.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Above, David Hirschberg, owner of Advanced Aquatics, has seen rising customer interest in fish as pets. At left, a true percula clownfish.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer