Carpet anemones: Beautiful, fragile, and deadly

October 16, 2013

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Of all the Pacific hosting anemones I've kept in my thirty years in this hobby, none captivate me more than the carpet anemones, S.gigantea and S.haddoni. Their neon colors, massive sizes, undulating disk forms, and stubby "shag rug" tentacles really speak to me.

But those beautiful tentacles pack lethal power. Stichodactyla anemones possess some of the most potent stings of any photosynthetic invert. Many aquarists have attempted carpet anemones only to learn their new prized centerpiece is a deathtrap for fish and mobile inverts sharing the aquarium. Take, for example, this poor powder blue tang vs carpet anemone:

If you're wondering why the aquarist didn't help save the struggling tang from the anemone, there was virtually no chance the tang would have survived the tissue damage caused by stings from a carpet anemone. The sting is that potent.

Furthermore, having attempted multiple carpet anemones and visited countless Los Angeles wholesalers, it's abundantly clear Stichodactyla are fragile and ship poorly in comparison to other Pacific hosting anemones. Many carpet anemones arrive bleached, mouth inside-out, and/or melting away necrotising from bacterial/protozoan infections. It's not a pretty sight.

: It's hard to resist these colors.

It's my opinion carpet anemones should only be attempted by advanced aquarists and only if the anemone is hosting clownfish who can chase away fish from their own death-by-anemone. I should note that even clownfish aren't safe. I've heard multiple first-hand accounts of carpet anemones eating clownfish, even suddenly making unexpected meals of clownfish they've hosted for months/years. Carpet anemones should be fed regularly to curb their voracious appetites. I also recommend moon-lighting to help fish navigate at night without accidentally bumping into carpet anemones; Just one flirting touch could spell doom. And always keep in mind most species get huge, so careful planning (or ideally a species-specific display) is required for carpet anemones and their tankmates.

To be honest, I believe these magnificent animals should not be harvested for home aquariums. The few that live often end up taking lives, so it's really a lose-lose proposition. Beautiful animals ... but deadly one way or another.

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