Bubble Anemone

Care

Although all anemones are somewhat of a challenge to maintain in captivity, relatively speaking, the Bubble Anemone is one of the easier species to keep and is the one that dedicated aquarists are most likely to succeed with over a long period of time. Several natural colour varieties are known, including brown, green, orange and pink/red (the latter being known as the Rose or Red Bubble Anemone) and many are captive-propagated. The aquarium itself must be spacious, with stable water conditions; ideally the tank will have been set up for at least 6 months before considering the addition of a Bubble Anemone. Strong lighting is essential for these zooxanthellate creatures, so a shallow position combined with powerful metal halides and the addition of T5s would be most welcome. Vigorous filtration and decent protein skimming are a must, as waste products and fluctuating water conditions will not be tolerated. A roomy refugium can also help to keep conditions stable. Moderate to swift current will definitely be appreciated. This species is easily recognised by the bulbous tips of the tentacles; however the size of these "bubbles" can vary and even be absent in some specimens. The reasons for these variations are still hotly debated, but many believe that the deflated appearance of the tentacle tips could be due to insufficient lighting, inadequate current, and the actions of host fishes. The degree of bubbliness is not necessarily a health problem, as bulbous or flat tentacled specimens can both do well, and some have been observed in the wild with what could be described as a less than bubbly appearance. There are many species of clownfish associated with Bubble Anemone, including the Clarkii clown (A. clarkii), the Red Saddle clown (A. ephippium), the Tomato clown (A. frenatus), the Red & Black clown (A. melanopus), the Saddleback clown (A. polymnus), and the Maroon clown (P. biaculeatus). It should be noted that it is not a necessity for the anemone to play host to clownfish, although watching the symbiotic relationship between such a pairing has got to be one of the most fascinating aspects of the marine hobby. Do bear in mind though, that it is not a given that your clownfish and anemone will pair up. Most will do so within a few days, but occasional specimens will not form a relationship with one another. It is always best to place the anemone first, allowing it to settle and become well established before adding a small pair of clowns. In the wild, these anemones like to anchor deeply into rocky crevices, so try placing yours in a rocky hole in a position of good light and flow. You may find that the anemone wanders around the aquarium for a short time whilst looking for the right position when newly introduced. However, a settled anemone that suddenly starts to wander around the aquarium should start alarm bells ringing - check your water parameters, lighting, feeding regime etc. In the confines of the aquarium, the fishkeeper must be aware that some other invertebrates and placid fish species (such as mandarins, firefish etc) are likely to accidentally swim or move into the anemone's grasp overnight, and will be consumed "“ the chances being greater if swimming space is a bit tight. We must also remember that some species are capable of damaging the anemone (triggers, large puffers etc) so much care should be taken when considering tankmates. In larger systems, the Bubble Anemone can be kept alongside certain corals, but plenty of space must be allowed around each cnidarian to allow for growth, movement, sweeper tentacles etc. Kept too close together, the anemone will engage in a stinging war, the outcome of which would not be good. Keen observation is the key to ensuring the continued wellbeing of such a combination of livestock. Ensure all powerhead intakes are protected so that the anemone cannot accidentally be drawn into them and killed, and beware of dyed specimens which, sadly, do still enter the trade.

Feeding

A healthy Bubble Anemone should be fed two or three times per week with meaty foods that are smaller than its mouth size. Silversides, lancefish, smelt, mussel, shrimp etc should be cut/shredded to the appropriate size before feeding and offered to the anemone with a pair of tongs. If the pieces of food are too large, the anemone may regurgitate them, and they could even cause the animal internal damage. Keep the pieces small, and for added health benefits, soak the food in a vitamin supplement before feeding.

Breeding

These anemones can reproduce by sexual or asexual means. Reproduction of this species does occur in the home aquarium, usually forming clones by bilateral fission.