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What are they? Anemones are marine invertebrates that are sometimes called flowers of the sea. They can be mesmerizing to look at and are a natural wonder to behold, indeed. They can sometimes be brightly colored and are a great addition to the home aquarium, if it’s provided the right environment.
Basic Biology • Tentacle-The part of the body used to catch prey and protect their hosting clownfish • Oral disc- one end of the anemone that contains the mouth and tentacles • Stomata- microscopic pores • Collar- a circular groove enclosed by a distinct fold • Actinopharynx-The tube which leads from the mouth in to the coelenteron • Sphincter muscle- endodermal circular muscles • Mesentery- Serve to increase the surface area for digestion and uptake of nutrients. • Mesenterial filaments- digestive organs • Gametogenic tissue- sexual organ • Column- body wall • Acontia- Thin white or colored threads attached at one end to the borders of the mesenteries and unattached on the other and abound with various types of nematocysts which can be protruded through the mouth or through specialized pores • Pedal disc- The part of the body that the anemone uses to attach itself to the substrate or rock and is also used for locomotion • Nematocysts- stinging cells found throughout the body of the anemone used to stun or paralyze prey and for agression
Habitat Anemones are mostly found in shallow, brightly light waters. This allows for a cycle of nutrient import and export. Being closer to the surface allows the zooxanthellae to provide most of the energy required for it’s survival. Anemones can be found attached to the substrate or rock. Some species, such as the carpet anemone are found on the sand. Other species, such as heteractis magnifica,are found on more rocky structures. They prefer to settle their foot in crevices in the rock.
Nutrition As stated before anemones receive most of their food through their symbiotic algae, known as zooxanthellae. They also feed on what they catch using their tentacles. Often, this is prey that has stumbled over or bumped into the anemone. This type of feeding however is sporadic and irregular in nature.
Reproduction Anemones can reproduce in two ways, either sexually (sperm and egg) through a spawning event, or asexually, through budding, or splitting.
Anemones in the home aquarium Anemones have not been known to do well in the home aquarium. Like corals, it is hard to replicate their natural habitat in a home aquarium. It can be done, but must be meet with concern not only for the anemone itself, but also for other corals and critters in the aquarium as well. They have been known to wipe out colonies of corals while moving around looking for a home, stinging everything in their path. And without proper power head intake filters, they can be sucked into the impeller and be gone in an instant, leaving a shower of anemone parts flying through the tank. They are beautiful creatures but must be carefully considered and researched before purchasing.
What about my clowns? Yes, anemones do host clownfish, and some are very species specific. Will they host your clownfish in your aquarium, who knows? There are a few reason for this. First, certain species will only host one type of clownfish, and vice versa. Another reason is that a lot of the clownfish available now are captive bred and/or tank raised, having never seen an anemone in it’s life. Don’t be discouraged, your clownfish will be fine without it, possibly finding something else to host in, and the anemone might appreciate not being beat to death by some of the more aggressive clownfish. The size and age of the clownfish and the size of the anemone play a role as well.
Keeping an Anemone Many different factors should go into deciding to keep an anemone. Lighting–This is almost certainly the first aspect in determining whether keeping an anemone will be successful or not. anemones require high lighting and should really be kept under metal halide lights. These type of lights will provide enough light for the zooxanthellae to provide the anemone with its necessary energy. Some have had success with power compacts, and even VHO, however, metal halide is the recommended type. Tank size - Some species of anemones can get very large, producing waste than can quickly ruin water parameters in a small tank. They should have enough room to move about and be able to open fully, expanding their tentacles fully. Tanks smaller than 40gallons should not be used unless a strict husbandry practice is in place. Water parameters - A salinity of 1.026 should be maintained with a pH of 8.2-8.4 and 0 nitrates. Water flow - A good medium wave like flow should be provided, helping to bring in and take away nutrients. The tentacles should sway in the water back and forth. Direct flow from a power head or return line can damage the tissue and keep the anemone from ever opening all the way. Feeding - Even with metal halides, a physical form of food wouldn’t hurt to supplement its diet, which can also accelerate its growth rate. A piece of shrimp or small silverside should be introduced directly to the tentacles. Tank Maturity - A well established tank is necessary. At least 6 months for the hardier species and one year for the more delicate type. Adding an anemone during a cycle or directly after will subject the anemone to too many parameter swings.
Selecting the right anemone Once you have decided that you want to keep an anemone and that you can provide the right environment, you must now decide on how to get your hands on one. Almost certainly one will head straight for the closest local fish store and pick out the prettiest, biggest one available. This is not the best option. If a fish store IS selected then there are a few things the hobbyist should look for to ensure the healthiest specimen is selected out of the bunch.
The base, or foot, should be firmly planted in either the sand or the rock and should maintain a sturdy and upright position. The tentacles should be gently swaying, at the very least, and should be open and filled. The mouth should be tightly closed and not gaping open. The column, oral disc, and foot should be free of scars and tears, which indicate injury and/or sickness. There should be no sign of mesenteries or mesenterial filaments protruding from any part of the body. The color should match what is nature. Sometimes anemones will fade during shipping, and gain color as they age and grow. Completely white and translucent specimens should not be selected. Ask one of the staff to feed the anemone, or yourself if possible, and pay attention to what is being feed, if anything. Two things should happen. A. When the anemone is touched it should retract some and shows signs of wanting to close. B. The tentacles should stick to your finger quite easily proving that the anemone is still producing nematocysts. If it does not stick, then this could be a sign of a decline in health and the anemone should not be selected. Anemone selection (cont.)
Once a decision has been made and the anemone is getting ready to be removed from the tank, pay attention closely to how it is done. If the right specimen has been selected removing the anemone is not the easiest of things to do. If the anemone is attached to the glass then removal is much easier but care should still be taken. An anemone should never be pried away from the tank wall or any substrate it might be holding on to. A fingernail should be gently slid under the foot of the anemone and gently run around the base of the foot. Usually, at first touch of the fingernail, the anemone will release itself anyway as a natural response. If the foot is attached to the sand or rubble, then using a hand as a scoop the anemone should be gently lifted from well under the foot keeping the sand or rubble on its foot from tearing a hole or causing other tissue damage. If the anemones foot happens to be wedged into a rock crevice or is in some other compromised position then removal from such rock is not advised. Attempting this will almost certainly cause bodily injury to the anemone. Ask to buy the rock the anemone is attached to. This will keep the anemone from an untimely death and prove to be a positive and conscientious effort to protect the anemone. Final selection
Final selection (cont.) There are other ways to acquire anemones, however. Buying one through a fellow hobbyist is almost always a safer bet. Why you may ask? Well, first and foremost, fellow hobbyist do not buy and sell anemones in bulk, which reduce their overall health and survivability once placed in your tank. This also helps reduce the amount of wild collected specimens. The anemone may be one that has been in captivity for some time and it’s health throughout its life thus far can be accounted for by its caretaker. Or it could be that it happens to be a tank raised anemone from a spawning event or through splitting. These new baby anemones are already used to the home aquarium and will adapt much more readily than one bought at a store. However, finding a hobbyist with a thriving and beautiful anemone who is willing to give it up is the hardest part.
Acclimation Anemones should be drip acclimated and some time should be set aside to monitor the whole process. The bag should be floated to allow for temperature equalization. Once the temps match place the anemone and the bag water in a plastic container that will keep the anemone completely submerged. Start the drip via airline tubing. A drip rate of a few drop per second should suffice. Drain the water when the water volume doubles and repeat this process a few more times to ensure that there is no salinity, pH, or other shock when placing the anemone in the tank. Finally, remove the anemone by hand and gently place the anemone in the aquarium. Continue to monitor the anemone over the next several minutes to hours taking special note of it’s behavior after initial introduction to the tank.
Post-Acclimation Over the next few days your new anemone should have located at least a somewhat permanent location. If it keeps floating around the tank, then one should question the environment that it is in. It means that it either can’t find a good place to attach its foot or it is looking for more light. Sometimes gentle placement by hand into a crevice or other hole will do the trick. Some anemones will find their way to the very edge of the water level. If it looks healthy and stays there for some time then leave it be, it’s happy. Anemone can and will move, mostly it is just a matter of time. Alleolopathy from neighboring coral can cause them to uproot and move away from the chemical warfare. Force of flow and lighting will also cause them to wander. Keep an eye on anemones near overflows as they can get caught in the teeth and harm themselves as well as clog the teeth of the overflow, resulting in a tank flood. Feed your anemone a treat of fresh raw shrimp, clam, or mussel every once in a while to show it you love and care for it, it will love you back. The more you feed food to the anemone, the bigger it will grow. But be careful, some species will get large enough to eat your display fish and most all of your snails and crabs.
General Care Visually check the anemone everyday and take note of any odd or abnormal behavior. If the anemone hasn’t settled in a few hours or doesn’t stay put in one spot for quite a while, then it is not happy. If the anemone cannot find a home, then the environment provided is inadequate. Feed the anemone on a regular basis to help make up for nutrients it may not be getting from the light, especially under low light conditions. Often, when an anemone shows signs of ill health, it is too late and not much can be done to bring the anemone back to life. Tentacles will eventually grow back, should they becomes twisted and fall off. However, any open wound or injury makes the anemone prone to disease and infection. If you aren’t sure whether the anemone is alive, then remove and take the smell test. If it is still alive and well it will have an normal seawater marine life smell. There is no mistake about the smell of a dead anemone. It will smell rotten. If the anemone is shrinking in size, then it’s health should be questioned again. The anemone should stay open most of the day and will usually close up after lights out. It is normal for it to open and close a few time throughout the day as well, either from expelling waste or moving food to its mouth. If there are any signs of ill health, then the hobbyist should try all of their resources to find out why it might be happening and what type of corrective action can be implemented.
Closing In closing, anemones are quite the looker and looks can definitely be deceiving. Make sure that before shopping is started for an anemone all research and reading possible has been done to ensure that a proper environment can provided. Take your time in the decision making process and when you have decided to keep one, make sure to monitor the entire removal process from the store tank and be as gentle as possible when acclimating and placing the anemone in the aquarium. Keep a close eye on its initial reaction after introduction and for the few hours following. Care for your new anemone and it will give you years of pleasure.
