Raising Sea Anemones
If you have a saltwater aquarium, raising sea anemones is one of the most challenging of your options. Anemones are invertebrates that are attached to rocks or directly to the substrate; once introduced into your tank, they will move around until they find a spot they like, and then they’ll most likely stay put. Their stationary existence, and other peculiarities of their lives, require that you make several adjustments to accommodate them.
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Like many corals, anemones live in symbiotic relation with a marine algae, zooxanthella. The zooxanthellae live within the anemone’s tissue and, through photosynthesis, produce waste products that are consumed by the anemones as food. Anemones also catch their own food with their stinging tentacles, which stun other invertebrates as well as fish passing by. These foods are ingested through the anemone’s mouth, which is in the center of its tentacles. Marine tank anemones can obtain most of their food through the symbiotic process with the algae, but usually need supplemental feeding as well. You will have to gauge this carefully.
Because anemones rely indirectly on photosynthesis for their survival, your tank lighting is crucial; most saltwater tanks containing anemones require stronger light than normal. Reef tanks in general can require as much as 8 watts of lighting power per gallon; different anemones require different intensities of light, but 5-6 watts per gallon might give you a rough starting point. Most light for reef tanks is a bluish, “cooler” light, measuring 10,000 kelvins or more; you may need to balance this bluish cast with a warmer full-spectrum bulb (5,500 kelvins), to produce a more natural appearance.
Anemones also require that you maintain steady, moderate water currents in your tank, to ensure that sufficient food sources flow by. An anemone will probably not want to settle directly in the path of a strong current, so if you produce tank current with powerheads, be sure not to adjust flow from these devices so that they disturb your settled anemone, prompting the creature to move again. The anemone is perfectly capable of finding a new position in your tank, but may sting your coral or other invertebrates with its tentacles in the process.
Also, anemones prefer water free of organic waste, so you will need an efficient filtration system. Protein skimmers are usually the most effective devices for biological filtration in a marine tank; protein skimmers are best housed in a sump tank, an accessory tank that is located underneath your main tank. Be sure to test your water frequently to ensure a stable chemical balance; iron supplements often benefit the zooxanthella algae living inside your anemones. Some delicate anemones may require higher temperatures (78 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and pH ranging from 8.2 to 8.4.
Some anemones have a special feature in that they play host to clownfish in another symbiotic relationship. Clownfish are small and vulnerable to predators; an anemone will protect the clownfish from predators with its tentacles, and also provide food to the clownfish through scraps left over from its own meals. In return, the clownfish protects the anemone from predators as well, and cleans the anemone of parasites. It is also theorized that a clownfish’s bright colors attract smaller fish as prey for the anemone, and that a clownfish’s activities improve water circulation around the anemone. In any event, this symbiotic relationship is easily reproduced in a tank environment.
There are many varieties of sea anemones. One of the most prized is the rose anemone, with its bright fluorescent orange base and tentacles. This species should have alternating water currents and metal halide or VHO (very high output) lighting, 5 watts per gallon in intensity. Rose anemones host a variety of clownfish. Likewise, a bubble tip anemone is a good host to several clownfish. A bubble tip is a good anemone for a beginner, though be careful with powerheads; if the anemone is still searching for a suitable location to settle, make sure it doesn’t get sucked into a pump while it is moving around in your tank. You can even turn off your powerheads during this process. Bubble tips require less light; 4 watts per gallon is usually sufficient.
Long-tentacled anemones should be fed meaty seafoods; they require a sandy substrate to settle on, and prefer alternating currents. Three watts per gallon is sufficient lighting power for these striking creatures. Carpeted anemones, on the other hand, require stronger light; these prized anemones have short, pointed tentacles that appear to be in constant motion, and they come in a variety of colors. Fluorescent green carpet anemones are particularly sought. Most clownfish easily form relationships with carpeted anemones.
Tube anemones are best kept in reef aquariums with soft, deep substrate layers; coloration is variable, the most popular colors being bright purple, bright orange, and green. Tube anemones need only intermittent currents and moderate light; they should be fed often, with brine shrimp or pieces of fish.
If you are willing to put in the time and research, and have the means to upgrade your saltwater tank as necessary, raising anemones can be amply rewarding.
