Haddon's Carpet Anemone

Haddon's Carpet Anemones grow to a significant size and are very demanding. They require vast, stable systems, ideally those that have been built specifically around the carpet anemone's needs. The tank must be mature (set up for a minimum of 6 months) before considering the purchase of a Haddon's Carpet Anemone. A deep sand bed of at least 12.5cm (5) is required, as these sizeable anemones are from the sand flats of the reef outskirts; they are not found attached to rockwork.

When threatened, quite amazingly this species is capable of pulling itself completely beneath the sand. Intense lighting and swift current are essential for these animals. The random and more natural turbulence that can be created by a wave maker is preferable to the unidirectional flow provided by many stationary powerheads. Vigorous filtration and decent protein skimming are also a must, as waste products and fluctuating water conditions will not be tolerated. Newly acclimatised specimens may roam the aquarium until they find a position that is to their liking. Ensure all powerhead intakes are protected so that the anemone cannot accidentally be drawn into them and killed. There are very few tankmates to be recommended for housing with these potent stingers; most passive fish are at risk of being consumed, and conversely larger, more aggressive species (puffers, triggers and the like) could easily harm the anemone beyond repair. In the wild, several clownfish species are associated with this anemone including the Clarkii clown (A. clarkii), the Saddleback clown (A. polymnus), the Sebae clown (A. sebae), and the Yellowtailed clown (A. xanthurus). However, keeping such pairings harmoniously in captivity could never be guaranteed as these anemones are aggressive and in the confines of even the largest aquarium, livestock will always be at a certain amount of risk from them. The Domino Damselfish (D. trimaculatus) and Periclimenes anemone shrimp are also found alongside these anemones in the wild. It is not advisable to house any other sea anemones in the same aquarium as your carpet anemone, and other types of sessile cnidarians should be placed well out of harm's way of the anemone at full size and stretch. These fascinating creatures are found in several different naturally occurring colour morphs including blue, green, red, and tan. Beware of dyed specimens which do, sadly, still enter the trade - these are doomed to a premature death. Carpet anemones are beautiful animals, but serious consideration must be given before purchasing one as they are very demanding, grow to enormous proportions, have specific needs, and pose a danger to other invertebrate life and fish. There are other anemone species that are far more manageable in terms of size, requirements, and their threat towards tankmates.

A healthy Haddon's Carpet Anemone should be fed once a 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. It has been suggested that feeding these animals too often can result in alarming growth rates, and possibly causes the anemone to start looking further afield for even more food (i.e. tankmates).