General Anemone Questions And Answers

Can I have one? Sure several members will happily provide you with a lovely Aptasia or Mojano for a small rehoming fee. Please see What do I need to keep an anemone for a more serious answer.

What do I need to keep an anemone? Short answer, an established tank, excellent water quality, and an understanding of your anemone's needs. (Longer answer below)

First a well established tank. Most sources recommend a tank that has been up and running for at least six months. Many sources recommend upwards of a year or more.

Understanding your anemone's needs – While many species of anemones have very similar requirements each species is somewhat different. Understanding the needs of your specific anemone is critical to success. Anemone species needs run the environmental gamut of temperature, lighting requirements and placement.

Do anemones sting? Yes, they will sting you, your corals and given the opportunity your fish, other invertebrates and in some cases other anemones as well. While the skin on your fingers and palms is generally thick enough that you won't feel the sting itself people often report that their anemones are sticky. This sticky feeling is the anemones nematocysts (stinging cells) harpooning into the skin. When working near an anemone caution should be taken to avoid being stung.

Will my anemone move? While some species are more sedentary than others all can and will move. A wandering anemone is likely to sting anything in its path. (see Do anemones sting?)

Why did my anemone deflate? Most anemones deflate at least some at night. In a stable tank with good water quality daytime deflation will occur occasionally and is not generally a sign for concern. An anemone which remains deflated should be examined carefully for any signs of damage and your water should be tested. Deflation is also common for anemones being introduced to a new tank. Think of it as the anemone's 'water change'.

Do anemones poop. Yup, yes everyone poops, anemones too. This is usually seen as a dark substance being ejected from the mouth. While unsightly there is no need to remove this from the tank as fish and or detritivors will take care of the waste.

What do I feed my anemone? Shrimp, pieces of squid, fish ect. Piece size should usually be quite small. An anemone which eats something too big will then eject it which causes a mess. It's much easier to simply feed small pieces to begin with. I feed my softball sized BTA at most 1/4" pieces of food.

Will my anemone eat my fish? Possibly, a number of factors involved but the most telling is species / type of anemone. While pretty much any anemone can eat a fish of appropriate size most of the more commonly kept anemones are unlikely to catch and eat a healthy fish. Of the more commonly kept anemones the carpets are the most commonly reported as 'fish eaters'. Losses to BTAs, LTAs and flower anemones while occasionally seen are uncommon.