Anemone

Anemones are a saltwater invertebrate found in oceans across the world, from the Artic to the East Coastal Regions bordering our very own state. Anemones are essentially one giant polyp attached to a foot, known as a pedal disk, which the anemone uses to keep itself attached to a rock, hard substrate or even sand. Sea Anemone utilize two main

energy sources. Regular strong lighting supports the zoothanthelle responsible for the anemone’s color. And regular feedings of shrimp or fish provides additional nourishment.

In the wild there are hundreds of species of anemone, in the hobby however you’ll frequently encounter varieties such as the Bubbletip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor), the Hatian Anemone (Condylactis gigantea) and Carpet Anemone (Stichodactyla gigantea), to name just a few. The movie ‘Finding Nemo’ has popularized not only the Ocellaris Clownfish but the Bubbletip Anemone for the symbiotic relationship that they demonstrate. You can replicate this in your home aquarium, all you need is a saltwater aquarium (we recommend at least 10 gallons) and patience. The aquarium is most likely not going to be suitable for maintaining an anemone for at least the first month of the cycle but once that’s finished and your water parameters are in a safe range you will be able to add your clownfish and Bubbletip Anemone. Once this is done all that’s left is for the clownfish to ‘host’ the Bubbletip Anemone. No one really knows a fool proof way of making this happen and it can take some time but the wait is well worth it to see your clownfish swimming and cleaning your Bubbletip Anemone. The aformentioned Carpet and Hatian Anemones can host clownfish too, but not the perculas or ocellaris. The stings of these two anemones can be very powerful and need a suitable clownfish such as the Tomato, Sebae, Maroon or Pink Skunk. Suitable for both reef and FOWLR aquariums, anemone are a welcome addition to many saltwater aquariums!