|
|
|---|
|
Sea Anemones, ActiniariaPhylum: CNIDARIA
White Spotted Rose Anemone
Urticina lofotensis
Photo © Animal-World Description: Most anemones survive in a symbiotic relation with with a marine algae called zooxanthellae. The zooxanthellae are photosynthetic organisms whose waste products are used by the anemone for food. Since the zooxanthellae require light to carry on photosynthesis, anemones in turn require bright light to thrive in the aquarium. The zooxanthellae are generally a light brown color, the same color as the light brown leather corals that also harbor zooxanthellae. The loss of zooxanthellae, apparent by a whitening of the anemone, usually means the anemone will slowly grow smaller and smaller until it dies. Care and Feeding: Many anemones need lots of light (2 to 5
watts per gallon) preferably with some blue spectrum provided by actinic
light bulbs or higher temperature metal halide lighting. The scale of
light intensity is: The Best Book on Anemones and Clownfish
This anemone is so hardy it is considered a pest in mini-reef aquariums. Many articles have been written on how to get rid of them, from injecting them with kalkwasser, to using aquastick (an underwater epoxy) to seal them into a hole in the rock! Apparently if they are smashed or removed by hand, small pieces of the anemone will re-grow to adult Aiptasia. Aiptasia are not used by clownfish probably because they are too small.
We are not sure what the scientific name of this anemone is. It has beautiful, delicate tentacles. It prefers medium to high light conditions but will survive in low light as well. This is not a clownfish host.
This is a hardy anemone that likes medium to strong light and does well in aquariums. Many different kinds of clownfish will accept it as a host. We had a pair of Cinnamon clowns breed in a bubble anemone repeatedly for over a year. Pictured with the anemone above are Sebae clowns. Tube Anemone Tube anemones are one of the few that do well in low light levels. They are nocturnal and should be fed chopped fish and shrimp every other day or so. They build a tube out of mucus and detritus found on the substrates they inhabit. Tube anemones are found in all the warm water oceans of the world. Their long tentacles have a powerful sting and therefore should be kept away from other anemones and corals. They are not used as hosts by clownfish.
These are an inexpensive anemone which come from the Caribbean. They are usually very hardy and come in several colors. The most attractive have purple tipped tentacles. Condylactus like high light levels but will do okay in low to medium light. These anemones are the most inexpensive and are very hardy. They can do well in any marine aquarium, not just reefs!
This anemone will get fairly large (we have one that is the size of a dinner plate) and is accepted by many different kinds of clownfish. We have personally seen Tomato, Sebae, Percula, Skunk, and Maroon clowns accept it as a host. They are usually hardy and easy to keep as long as you have medium to strong light.
This looks like a variety of tube anemone but we're not sure.
Photos © Animal-World The Saddle anemone, pictured above, has a lot of very short tentacles. They are very adhesive to human skin. If you touch one it will stick fast, sometimes to the point of pulling the tentacles out of the anemone when you detach it. There is a rarer form of the Saddle anemone which has lighter stripes running from the mouth (center) to the outside edge. The Saddle anemone is by far the hardiest of the carpet anemones. It likes strong light levels.
[Home] [Newsfeed]
[Saltwater Aquariums]
[Reef Aquariums]
[Freshwater Aquariums]
[Cats][Pet Birds] [Small Animals] [Reptiles] [Cute Pets] [References] [Team] [Pet Links] [Pet Supplies] [Care Sheets] [About Animal-World] [Site Map][Privacy Policy] [Recommended Pet Books] |
|