Sea anemones are a firm favorite for many saltwater aquarium enthusiasts. Anemones are closely related to corals. These beautiful and interesting animals are found all over the world on tropical and subtropical reefs. They are iconic in form, known for their long and often brightly colored or interestingly shaped tentacles that sting. It is no wonder that many of us want to look after these animals in our saltwater aquariums. There is a huge amount of diversity in anemones, so it can be difficult to choose which type to have in your saltwater tank. In this guide, we will walk you through our favorite anemones to help make the selection process a little easier.

About Anemones

Anemones are predatory animals related to corals and jellyfish. The basic anatomy of an anemone includes a polyp attached to the underside of the basal disk (adhesive foot) – the column-shaped body extends from the disk and ends in the oral disk. You’re probably familiar with sea anemones because of their symbiotic relationship with clownfish. If you haven’t you can read more about this charismatic relationship here. Anemones require quite specific tank conditions, including lighting, water flow, and oxygen levels, in order to thrive. If you are unable to meet these conditions, you may not be able to keep anemones in your tank. 

Many sea anemones are between 1.5 – 3 cm in diameter, but others are as small as 4 mm! They can be found with a few dozen tentacles, up to a few hundred tentacles. Sea anemones use an oral disk to trap their prey which can be attached either to the substrate or by burrowing into a weaker target like kelp. Anemones are not photosynthetic organisms, instead, they have a symbiotic relationship with single-celled green algae which are photosynthetic. The algae produce oxygen and glucose as a product of their synthesis, both of which are beneficial to the anemone. Find out more about anemone care in our handy care guide here.

Bubble Tip Anemones

Bubble tip anemones (Entacmaea quadricolor) are one of the most popular anemones available, which also makes them very among aquarists. Their popularity is thanks to their hardiness, which makes them easier to care for than most anemones. They like to be attached to rocks where they can get a strong attachment with their foot into all the crevices, which also helps serve as a little bit of protection. Optimal conditions for bubble tip anemones are moderate flow and high lighting conditions, although they are adaptable to a range of lighting intensities. They should be kept in tanks of no smaller than 30 gallons.

Most colorations for the bubble tip anemones are red or green, but more unusually color morphs include from blue to orange as well. They get their name from their easily recognizable ‘bubble’ structure at the end of their long tentacles (1 to 2 inches in length).  The size and shape of the bubble structure on the end of the tentacle will vary between different anemones and bear in mind some may not have this shape. What makes this anemone even more attractive is that it is likely to form a symbiotic relationship with many clownfish species.

MINIMUM TANK SIZE:  30 gallons

MAXIMUM SIZE: 1”

DIET:  Carnivore

CARE LEVEL: Easy

REEF SAFE:  Yes

Long Tentacle Anemones

The long tentacle anemone (Macrodactyla doreensis) has a number of common names including the sand anemone, corkscrew anemone, and red base anemone. They can exhibit anywhere from a few dozen to a few hundred tentacles. They can be red to orange in color with distinctive white spots on its foot. In terms of tank conditions, they prefer high water flow and lighting. You will also need a minimum of 4” of substrate for them to be able to bury their foot, so just their tentacles are visible. Like the bubble tip anemone, it will likely host a range of clownfish species. Long tentacle anemones will do best in well-established reef tanks (i.e. 1 years), which need to be at least 30 gallons in size. 

MINIMUM TANK SIZE:  30 gallons

MAXIMUM SIZE: 20”

DIET:  Carnivore

CARE LEVEL: Moderate

REEF SAFE:  Yes

Condy Anemones

Next, we have the condy anemone (Condylactis gigantea). They are found in a range of colors from green and white, to pink and purple. Occasionally their tentacles will develop a ‘bubble’ appearance to them, although this is rare. The condy anemone likes to bury into rock crevices or into the sand, which makes it a dynamic anemone. Whilst these anemones are considered relatively easy to moderate to care for, strong light is essential. They should be kept in tanks of no smaller than 30 gallons. They should also not be placed in reef tanks with corals, other anemones or their natural predator, the Stareye Hermit Crab. The condy anemone does move around the tank and can inflict serious damage to anemones and corals with its sting, so it is considered to be semi-aggressive. Although it will be happy with lots of other crustaceans. The condy anemone will rarely host a clownfish or damselfish too.

MINIMUM TANK SIZE: 20 gallons

MAXIMUM SIZE: 6”

DIET:  Carnivore

CARE LEVEL: Moderate 

REEF SAFE:  Yes

Rock Flower Anemones

Our next favorite is the flower anemone (Epicystis crucifer). The flower anemone is beautiful and easy to take care of, and in fact an under-appreciated gem within anemones. They are another hardy species, that are able to adjust to a range of water parameters and lighting conditions, providing they are within normal limits. Unlike other anemones, the flower anemone is also unlikely to move around your tank once it has found a spot to settle in.

Flower anemones come in a stunning array of colors and if kept in groups this can create a beautiful anemone garden. They are also suitable for smaller reef tanks, with a minimum size of 10 gallons. The key drawback of the flower anemone is that it doesn’t host clownfish. But they do host porcelain crabs and sexy shrimp, which also make fun and interesting tank-mates.

MINIMUM TANK SIZE: 10 gallons

MAXIMUM SIZE: 8”

DIET:  Carnivore

CARE LEVEL: Easy

REEF SAFE:  Yes

Sebae Anemones

Heteractis malu, the Sebae anemone, can reach around 18” and has long, thin tentacles that are light tan to brown in color with a pink dot at the center of each. It likes to attach its foot to porous live rocks and is a reasonably hardy anemone. This anemone is more difficult to care for, particularly during the acclimation process. If the anemone is healthy it will become sticky, meaning that it will hold onto things and is unlikely to let go. It requires strong lighting too. Adding a clownfish will help the anemone acclimatize to the tank and increase their likelihood of survival. Many species of clownfish will be symbiotically associated with this Indo-West Pacific anemone. We would recommend species like the blue striped clownfish (Amphiprion chrysopterus). 

MINIMUM TANK SIZE: 30 gallons

MAXIMUM SIZE: 18”

DIET:  Carnivore

CARE LEVEL: Difficult

REEF SAFE:  Yes

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