Anemones are fascinating creatures, but have a poor survival record in captivity, are difficult to care for, and are not recommended for the beginner. However, for the dedicated aquarist, here are a few tips and tidbits for mastering the care of these amazing creatures!
1. Don't buy an anemone casually. Take the time to research the particular species you're interested in ahead of time, and have an appropriate home prepared. In the wild, anemones do not often occur in the same areas as corals, and need different requirements. The typical garden-reef style reef aquarium is not an ideal home for any anemone, especially in the long term. Anemones can live a long time, and in fact, do not die of 'old age', and can live for hundreds or thousands of years. Remember this when purchasing one of these animals, and do your best to provide an ideal, long term home. I cannot stress enough the importance of setting up a species-specific display aquarium enough, rather than simply adding it to an existing menagerie of coral and/or other reef invertebrates.
2. Ensure no pump intakes, powerheads, or prop-type pumps are left unprotected in your anemone tank. If it takes ten weeks, ten months, or ten years, your anemone will decide to wonder and become shredded if the equipment isn't anemone-proofed with foam or a screen.
3. Purchase a healthy specimen from a reputable source, preferably a quality online vendor. Online vendors often hold their livestock for 1-2 weeks before ever placing it up for sale. Anemones should never be moved more often than every week, as they cannot tolerate the stress. When choosing an anemone, select one with a tight, closed mouth and sticky tentacles that readily react to food. Drip-acclimate your anemone for at least 45 minutes.
4. Avoid purchasing Ritteri anemones, and avoid white or yellow sebae anemones (they are bleached and dyed, respectively). If you are a beginner to anemones, I recommend the bulb-tipped anemone, Entacmae quadricolor.
5. Feed your anemone small pieces of raw seafood minced to the size of its mouth. Anemone size is directly related to the amount it's fed, and they will grow quickly if fed often. Remember, most anemone exceed 12" in diameter.
Feel free to leave comments with your success stories, information, and questions! For further reading, please see:
- Should Anemones be Illegal to Import?
- Carpet Anemones: BIG, beautiful, and deadly!
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